It's Alright, I've Got All of The Facts and Knowledge of Saved by the Bell: Part 1

It Started as a Short-Lived Disney Sitcom

Then-president of NBC, Brandon Tartikoff, has used his childhood experiences for his own TV shows before. After all, Punky Brewster was inspired by his childhood crush on an older tomboy of the same name. But I can't speak for Saved by the Bell just yet because the Saturday morning sitcom we know and love started off by another name entirely.

Brandon Tartikoff knew he had to make a show based on his “inspiring” childhood teacher, Miss Bliss. When he sent his pitch over to NBC producer Peter Engel, he said in his memoir I Was Saved By the Bell that he wanted to pass on it. However, Tartikoff was his boss, so what he said went.

Titled Good Morning, Miss Bliss, the NBC series would follow Miss Carrie Bliss as a sixth-grade teacher at JFK Junior High in Indianapolis, Indiana. Compared to the sitcom we know that revolves around the students, the primetime series would center around Miss Bliss's personal and professional life.

The Original Pilot Episode That Only Got One Airing

On July 11, 1987, Good Morning, Miss Bliss aired for NBC viewers. The series would star up-and-coming talent that are big names now like Brian Austin Green as the suit-wearing Adam, Jaleel White as class clown Bobby, and Jonathan Brandis as the troubled Michael Thompson. But, of course, we can't leave out Hayley Mills as the title role. The British actress was known for starring in Disney classics like Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, That Darn Cat, and more.

We even saw Principal Mr. Belding and Carrie's fellow co-worker and best friend, Miss Tina Paladrino. However, they were played by Oliver Clark and Maria O'Brien, compared to Dennis Haskins and Joan Ryan who would play those roles later. You can watch the original pilot episode below and let me know how wild that test episode was.

From the looks of it, Carrie Bliss is married to a husband jealous of his wife's time with her students. I'm sure that would have been explored more throughout the series. We also see that Miss Bliss helps her student, Michael, come to terms with losing his older brother who's dying of cancer. While the pilot episode had plenty of light-hearted approaches, you can tell the series was trying to get more darker. Almost like a 7th Heaven vibe.

With just one airing, NBC didn't feel like the pilot episode was enough to convince the studio it was ready for the primetime leagues. A full series was rejected.

Retooling For Disney Channel

Even though the pilot episode of Good Morning, Bliss wasn't NBC material, you can still view it as the stepping stone of what would soon become a pop culture phenomenon. However, it was still important to Brandon Tartikoff that his childhood teacher come alive on TV somehow.

In 1988, NBC struck a deal with the Disney Channel. This was considered a big deal as it was the first show produced by the Big Three major networks for a cable channel. This was an uncommon practice back then for in-house production companies to sell shows to other broadcasters.

Hayley Mills stayed on. It's clear her Disney roots were luring her back in. However, she was the only cast member to make it onto the new Disney series. But don't be glum. Brian Austin Green swayed on 90210, Jaleel White nerded out on Family Matters, and Jonathan Brandis was underwater in seaQuest DSV. So, it proves everything is meant to be.

In the adult roles, Dennis Haskins portrayed Mr. Belding, which he'd continue for the next seven years. Theatre actress Joan Ryan played Miss Tina Paladrino, and Punky Brewster's T.K. Carter played maintenance supervisor Mylo.

As for the kids, you'd be seeing half of the young actors continue in the world of Saved by the Bell. You had Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the crafty Zack Morris, Lark Voohries as the fashionista Lisa Turtle, Max Battimo as the shy Mikey, Dustin Diamond as the lovable nerd Screech, and Heather Hopper as the moral activist Nikki.

Unlike the pilot episode of Good Morning, Miss Bliss, the Disney version had thirteen episodes from November 30, 1988 to March 18th, 1989. The darkest that the show ever went was when a troubled kid, Deek, was causing trouble for Miss Bliss and Screech, only to find out his anger came from being bullied himself for being illiterate.

For the most part, the show gave audiences the point of view of Miss Bliss's personal life as well as the students. We first saw Miss Bliss as a widow of three years. She was put through scenarios like having Miss Paladrino as an annoying roommate or struggling with her feelings for Zack's dad. The kids had their own Junior High issues too, like Zack and Mikey liking the same girl, Nikki protesting against dissecting frogs, and Screech unrequitedly pining for Lisa.

Goodbye, Good Morning, Miss Bliss

Due to low viewership, Good Morning, Miss Bliss was canceled after one season. If it were a success, 77 more episodes would have been ordered. Low viewership could have been because back in the ‘80s, Disney Channel was targeting families and younger children. It’s possible the Saved by the Bell predecessor was too mature for its target audience at the time.

Now when Saved by the Bell reruns air on television or on free live streaming, Good Morning, Miss Bliss is still included as part of the show. It's just now called Saved by the Bell: The Junior High Years. You'll see Mark-Paul Gosselaar introducing the episodes as Zack reflecting his times in the eighth grade.

While the Saved by the Bell predecessor was a good starting point to introducing us to the characters of Zack, Lisa, Screech, and Mr. Belding, you'd have to watch this as if it was a separate show. After all, the junior high years were spent in Indiana while Bayside is in California. Plus, Zack's parents were divorced in the previous show while they're together in Saved by the Bell. Lots of continuity issues that would have to be ignored.

It's interesting how the characters in Good Morning, Miss Bliss that didn't return to Saved by the Bell were, in a way, revived later as a new character. For Nikki, Jessie would take on the same qualities of protesting and having high morals. Mikey wasn't really much of a developed character, but Slater was a little similar to him in terms of the curly hair and being Zack's best friend. But definitely two completely different personalities.

I still think that Zack would have ended up with Nikki had Good Morning, Miss Bliss continued, as there was a lot of flirtation going on between the two. I also would have liked to have seen Miss Bliss return and teach at Bayside as her and Zack had good rapport.

Even though Good Morning, Miss Bliss only lasted one season, it was the jumping off point to one of the most popular Saturday morning sitcoms that could hit the '90s. Let me know what you thought of Good Morning, Miss Bliss and stay turned for more Saved by the Bell history.