What is it that we like about SBTB?

[The Friar]

Hey Gang,

In an attempt to jump start some conversation and as always trying to bring about the positive, I am asking this question, and others, although I am sure they have been asked and covered many times.

What is it that we like about SBTB? Why do many of us call it the greatest show ever produced? Why is it so wildly popular almost 20 years later? Why is this Forum such a popular place with hundreds of members? Be specific. DISCUSS!!!

The ;D Friar

[Barb]

I love it because it's a big part of my childhood. I sit down and the memories flood in of when I was a kid watching this show with my friends. I also love the chemistry of the cast and the goofy stories. I'm also a romantic, and love the couple of Zack and Kelly. ;D There are sooo many reasons, too many to name.

[gokinsmen]

I loved the chemistry between the cast as well. It gave the show a genuine sense of warmth and fun. It's rare to find such a large group of characters that relate to each other so well -- even on "better" shows with "better" actors.

And I like that SBTB is one of the few (if only) high school shows to this day that spoofed *actual* mundane high school things that we all go through: midterms, class projects, cut days, zits, SATs, weird teachers, etc. Nostalgia plays a big part, too, I'm sure. As a kid, for better or worse, I feel like we all looked to SBTB as a guide for how high school should be, at least ideally speaking. I remember my class trying to invoke a "five-minute rule" (or alternately, ten or fifteen-minute rules) to get out of class when the teacher was late. Ha! I doubt Zack invented it, but I'm positive that's where we all knew it from.

In the end, I love SBTB because it reminds you that -- despite what 90210 and the OC will have you think -- high school isn't all pain and angst. It can be a lot of fun, too.

[The Friar]

Hey Gang,

I loved (and still do!) SBTB because it reminded me of my time in high school. You have to remember I am a bit older than the cast (and most of you) by about 6 years. For me it was at once reminiscent of my high school days. I went to a small school in Indianapolis and in the small schools I think the stereotypes are even more readily apparent. [In case you were wondering, I happened to be mostly Slater with a little Zack thrown in, although I earned good grades too, so I guess either I had the Yale bit of Zack or SOME of the brains of Screech too!] But SBTB truly reminded me of my small high school where everyone knew everyone and yes, you even talked to the principal more often (in a good way!!!).

I agree with Gokinsmen and Barb that the characters were lovable. And yes, there may have been better actors out there, but I loved the way the SBTB actors portrayed their characters and wouldn't have it any other way.

Another thing I love about SBTB is that it, as Gokinsmen stated, tackled the things we could all relate to. And I think this would have been a tough time to do so given that we were at the beginning of the "Grunge" period in music, and the idea of teen angst was starting to show itself everywhere. With SBTB we got to see a sunnier side of what it was like to be a teenager.

Although it did leave out some of those tough moments we all went through, it did go after the one I think we all felt the most, the ups and downs with love. I remember when I heard Kelly say to Zack the f-word, "friends." At that moment I knew EXACTLY what Zack was going through, and I thought MPG did a good job with it.

I still love it today because it is good and wholesome. I can sit down with the kids and watch it and I don't have to worry about what they will see and hear. And you know what? They laugh right along with me. It's still funny after all of these years!

These are just a few of the reasons I loved and still love SBTB. As Barb said...too many to list.

The ;D Friar

[QueenKelly]

I definitely agree with Barb about the chemistry and goofy story lines. I think it was important that they addressed drinking and driving and doing drugs, but like gokinsmen pointed out, it delt with the things that every teen goes through with school work. Anybody could relate to this show in someway or another.
They did such a great job on this show.