Every teenager growing up had their regular sitcom that they looked at as a blueprint for how high school and college life would be like for them.

There was "The Wonder Years" for the kids of the baby boomers and then we got "Degrassi" here in Canada to counter that. Over the years there have been numerous attempts to duplicate the success of such shows (read: "Degrassi the Next Generation", which I cannot confirm is even a show as I have never dared to tune in).

NBC was a big proponent of these teeny bopper sitcoms and none hit a nerve stronger than "Saved by the Bell", set in California at Bayside High with the stereotypes all in place: The good looking lead, the jock, the nerd, the hottie, the brains and the superficial. Together we got a nice eclectic mix, giving young impressionable children a model of what you want to become (Zach, Kelly, Slater, Jessie or Lisa) and it also gave you the foresight at the age of 8 of WHO NOT TO BECOME...




In 2005, the whole geek culture has taken a whole new perspective and is no longer the outcast but rather the standout in many instances. Being a "geek" is no longer a label that one chooses to distance him or herself from but rather a badge of honour. More and more we see people fully admitting to being part of this litte secret society and quickly learning that it's not such a secret nor is it little. GEEKS ARE EVERYWHERE.



Today we take a look back at Dustin Diamond, who for many in my generation was their introduction to geekdom...



Samuel "Screech" Powers was introduced to the the world by way of NBC with the prequel to "Saved by the Bell", with "Good Morning Miss Bliss" starring Hayley Mills as the loveable teacher. Hardcore fans will remember when it was Mikey Gonzalez playing the A.C Slater role and thank the Gods at NBC for yanking Nikki and upgrading to Tiffani Amber Thiessen (WHO WOULD KICK MOLLY RINGWALD'S ASS ANYDAY OF THE WEEK AND TWICE ON SUNDAY!!)



Screech played the geek of the group with crazy T-shirts, suspenders and an afro that was ahead of its time. He was part of the chess team, he had a self made robot at home that talked to him, and chased after Lisa Turtle throughout high school, and how did Turtle respond? During the final season of "Saved by the Bell" (during this time Tiffany Amber Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley had contract issues with NBC and ended up leaving the show and having Leanna Creel come onto the show as the tomboy "Tori" for some forgettable episodes) they did an episode where they paired Zach with Lisa ('cause I guess there was a stip in Gosselaar's contract that he had to bang all the chicks atleast once...yes they did the Zach & Jessie story once too). This resulted in a big fight scene with Zach where Screech went Horshack on his ass (more on Horshack later) and tore his shirt muttering something like "Get your tongue outta my woman's mouth mutha fuc&a".

This was the climax of a 4-year build to Screech and Lisa and in the end Lisa went with Zach, and how did NBC follow-up on this landmark episode?? THEY DROPPED THE ENTIRE STORYLINE THE NEXT EPISODE. Now I know this is quickly digressing into my own personal rant on SBTB, but WTF? I always hated that crap on this show where they would do something huge and then forget everyone from the previous episode. Zach and Lisa are tonguing one week and friends the next? With no breakup? How about when Jessie got hooked on pills ("I'M SO EXCITED, I'M SO EXCITED....I'M SO SCARED!!!) and then next week she's back to applying to Berkeley University! Un F'N believable!

After the show's conclusion, NBC brass felt the need to present a show that no one wanted and thus was the creation of "Saved by the Bell: The New Class". They went so far as to recreate every single character in a new form. Zach Morris was now "Scott", Slater was tough guy "Tommy", Screech's new persona was "Weasel Wizel" and the girls were now Lindsay (Kelly's role), Vicki (Jessie) and Megan (in the Lisa role). To say this incarnation was terrible would be to discredit every show that was previously labelled as "terrible". See if you can match the copies with the original?



Realizing that people wanted the old cast back, the show brought Diamond back into the fold during Season 2 (and the fact this crap made it to a sophmore year is mind boggling, granted that the entire cast was replaced for Season 2 just in case any viewers were left and logic was a big thing for them). Screech reprised his role as the nerd and playing assistant to Mr. Belding and was more of an idiot than ever. The show then ditched the whole idea of going to school and the whole series revolved around going on "educational" trips to the mall, on Boat Cruises and anywhere outside of school. Saved by the Bell? No this show was just out of time. END SERIES.

After graduating from "Saved by the Bell" (pun intended), Diamond was struck with the child star cancer of always being labelled as that character he played for so many years. Appearances on "Attack of the Killer B Movies", "Pauly Shore is Dead" and that Dickie Roberts flick "Child Star" with David Spade was testament enough that Dustin Diamond would always be "Screech" and the term "Zoiks" wasn't going away.

Everything changed in May of 2002 when FOX brought in Dustin Diamond for their "Celebrity Boxing 2" show where Diamond would square off with Horshack...



Read this paragraph to yourself in DANE COOK - A MINOR
Prior to the fight Horshack (and that's the name he goes by in this article) went up to Diamond and explained that he's up for a role in a movie and they agreed not to hit the face and Screech was cooler than the other side of the pillow about that proposition. As the fight started Horshack "went against the script", it was shades of Montreal (4 people will get that) and Horshack....WENT FOR THE FACE. It was at this point that Dustin Diamond looked at the last 15 years of his career and said "Goodbye Screech...Hello B.A.M.F." and it was "on "till the break of dawn" because he unloaded on Horshack like a delivery truck in downtown Manhatten! On live TV, Dustin Diamond comandeered a yellow bus called "Right and Left" and proceeded TO TAKE HORSHACK TO SCHOOL! And let me tell ya, that school wasn't Bayside High, it was the School of Hard Knocks and Horshack felt the surname of Screech all night long!! Thankfully the round ended and Horshack WAS SAVED BY THE BELL!!!

That's it, that's all...Write to ya next week...


jopo