The Surprising Reason Saved By The Bell Swapped Kelly & Jessie for Tori Scott

Summary

Tori Scott's inclusion in the last season of Saved by the Bell stemmed from contractual problems involving the actors who portrayed Kelly and Jessie, thus resulting in a abrupt change in the show's dynamics.

Viewers found the Tori episodes perplexing as they were inserted into the series without adequately addressing Jessie and Kelly's absence.

Despite featuring in only 10 episodes, Tori garnered a dedicated following, particularly among queer fans who regarded her as a powerful role model and their initial infatuation. Over the years, Leanna Creel, the actress who portrayed Tori, has received extensive feedback from fans.

Saved by the Bell underwent a significant change during its final season. Kelly and Jessie were suddenly no longer part of the cast, and a new character named Tori Scott was introduced, causing confusion among fans. The show originally premiered in August 1989 as a revamped version of the short-lived Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which focused on the character of teacher Haley Mills. However, when that show failed to gain popularity, it was reworked, resulting in Saved by the Bell. Only four of the original characters, Zack, Screech, Lisa, and Mr. Belding, made the transition to the new series. Saved by the Bell dominated Saturday morning television during the early 1990s and also enjoyed success in reruns and syndication. This led to various spinoffs, TV movies, and a recent revival on the streaming platform Peacock. However, when people think of Saved by the Bell, Tori Scott is not typically the first character that comes to mind.

Tori Scott Filled A Contractual Gap

The Tori-Saved By The Bell controversy arose during the final season of the show. Season 4 of Saved by the Bell had already finished filming, featuring Thiessen's Kelly and Berkeley's Jessie as part of the cast. The series finale had also been shot, depicting the heartfelt graduation of the main characters from Bayside High, overseen by the emotional Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins).

However, NBC unexpectedly ordered ten additional episodes after the show had wrapped. This required the cast members to negotiate new deals to participate in this new batch of episodes. As is common in the industry when shows are extended abruptly, not everyone was willing to continue on. So the question remains: why did Jessie and Kelly decide to leave Saved by the Bell?

Unfortunately, both Berkeley and Thiessen were unable to come to a new agreement. This led to the introduction of the Tori Saved by the Bell addition, which took the show in an unexpected direction. The producers realized they needed new characters to fill the void left by Kelly and Jessie, but recasting them after four years didn't make sense. As a result, Tori Scott, a tough biker character, was created. Initially uninterested in Zack's antics, Tori eventually grew closer to him and they started dating.

The plan was for the Tori episodes to seamlessly fit in with the rest of the series in season four, without fans noticing a difference. Her introduction came in the episode titled "The New Girl," and Leanna Creel portrayed the character in all 10 of the new episodes.

Why The Tori Scott SBTB Episodes Were Confusing

NBC's decision to order extra episodes ultimately led to the issue of Tori's introduction in Saved by the Bell. Admittedly, her episodes were confusing, particularly because they were inserted in the middle of the series. This sudden change made it glaringly obvious that Jessie and Kelly had disappeared. Despite Leanna Creel's efforts to fill their roles, it was too late in the game to introduce a completely new character into the main cast.

In general, Tori's arrival lacked any explanation, leaving viewers who had been following the show since the beginning bewildered. Making matters even more perplexing was the weak justification for Jessie and Kelly's absence. The premise was that within the Tori episodes, Zack happened to not share classes with the other two teens, and scenes in which he and the friend group hung out were simply not shown. Ultimately, Tori left just as abruptly as she arrived, right before the graduation episode of the series, which had already been filmed prior to Creel being cast.

It is evident that the character's new storylines were hastily written, failing to properly develop Tori. Overall, her abrupt appearance and vanishing unnecessarily confused many Saved by the Bell viewers, ultimately damaging the show. The absence of the other characters was rarely acknowledged. Tori and Zack ended their relationship shortly before the conclusion of her ten episodes, and then she suddenly disappeared without any explanation. The remaining episodes featuring Kelly and Jessie were already filmed, and they were utilized to wrap up Saved by the Bell's final season.

What Leanna Creel Said About Saved By The Bell

Leanna Creel took on the role of Tori as one of her many acting gigs in the '90s. Little did she know that Tori would leave a lasting impact on the Saved By The Bell audience. Despite only being in 10 episodes, Tori has become the focus of memes and nostalgic essays about the show. Even now, as adults rewatch Saved By The Bell years later, the character continues to generate feedback for the actress.

Many years later, Creel revealed that she has received considerable feedback from queer fans who considered her character as empowering and acknowledged Tori as their initial infatuation. According to Creel, numerous gay women have approached her, expressing that she was their first crush. She gratefully accepts these acknowledgments and speculates whether her character was subtly representing a potential gay identity, even in the present day.

Creel may have stumbled upon something, as a fan theory suggests that after high school and her breakup with Zack Morris, Tori would have revealed her true self.

Currently, the actress is more inclined towards production rather than being in front of the camera. However, she has previously participated in an off-Broadway parody of Saved By The Bell. It was during this experience that she first discovered the amusing "Tori paradox," as her episodes of Saved By The Bell had been aired in a non-chronological sequence. She found this concept to be incredibly funny.

Creel was unaware that people had been paying attention to the show's timeline or that there were controversial theories online about Tori's actions with Kelly. The attention and the enduring fan theories years later were likely a result of the series' immense popularity as the only live-action show on the Saturday morning cartoon lineup for some time. Creel explained to Today that he was unaware of the controversy his character had caused. He recalled being told that his absence from the graduation episode wouldn't matter since the episodes would air in different orders, and he was blissfully unaware of the significance of the graduation episode at the time.

Reflecting on the show, Creel recalls that it was essentially a morality tale, a common characteristic in children's programming. Although each episode aimed to convey a lesson, Creel acknowledges that certain aspects of Saved By The Bell have become outdated. He admits:

It was undoubtedly a product of its time. Looking back, there are moments that make me cringe. The stereotypes, the sexism – it's truly startling. Back then, I was incredibly young and naive, and that was simply the norm.

Creel anticipated the potential of Peacock's modern reboot series of Saved By The Bell to refresh the narratives and offer a more genuine portrayal, even though her character's time on the original show had ended. Regrettably, the rebooted series was discontinued in 2022. Despite this setback, adults who were fans of Saved By The Bell during their youth continue to hold a strong affection for the show, creating a sense of comfort, as Creel speculated, similar to other nostalgic revisits of beloved classics.

I believe it is linked to their upbringing, evoking memories of their childhood. It likely reminds them of their idealized perception of high school, providing a sense of comfort and anticipation for what it would be like. It is akin to a comforting childhood blanket. Despite the potential confusion caused by the series' final episode sequence among fans, Creel's portrayal of Tori in Saved By The Bell solidifies her enduring presence in the cherished franchise, leaving behind a legacy she can take pride in.