saved by the bell reunion photo

The show starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Dustin Diamond, Lark Voorhies, and Dennis Haskins, who appeared in Good Morning, Miss Bliss, as well as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, and Mario Lopez, who joined the cast for Saved by the Bell. The show brought fame to the cast members and launched most of their careers; however, many were typecast into their Saved by the Bell roles for many years.

The show often incorporated dramatic elements into episodes by dealing with real teen social issues, such as friendship, drug use, drinking and driving, homelessness, financial issues, divorce, graduating, college, sibling rivalry, taking responsibilities for one's actions, being bullied, death, and environmental issues. This made it a precursor (with other teen sitcoms of the time like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) for networks of more recent shows such as The O.C. and Dawson's Creek to introduce young target audiences to critical moral matters. Notably, sexual relationships were alluded to but not actually dealt with.

Everybody knew the 20-year anniversary was coming up,says Lopez. “This PEOPLE story has been in the works for over a year, long before late night hostBut Lopez’s work ethic almost prevented the reunion from coming to fruition. I’m so busy. I was concerned about my schedule,” says Lopez, who in the past year alone has danced on Broadway in A Chorus Line, become the new host of TV’s Extra and written a fitness book, Mario Lopez’s Knockout Fitness. The night before the PEOPLE shoot in Los Angeles he was making a public appearance in Canada, across the country, and arrived on set straight from the airport after a seven-hour flight.

And now? Fans are clamoring for the next step: a reunion show. Everybody is fired up,” he says. “People keep coming up to me saying ‘When are you guys going to do a show?An actual reunion episode will have to wait, as Lopez is hardly taking time off. First up, he’s returning as host for the fourth season of America’s Best Dance Crew, which debuts this Sunday on MTV. “Expect another hot season,” Lopez promises – just don’t expect the Dancing with the Stars runner-up to hit the dance floor as well. “I wouldn’t make it past the first round!” he swears. “These kids are extremely talented and athletic.

Lopez’s next project will be promoting his new children’s book, Mud Tacos. “It’s stories about my sister Marisa and me growing up. My grandmother was always cooking, and she never let us in the house. So in the backyard, we made taco shells out of leaves and meat out of mud,” he says. “The book encourages kids to use their imagination … plus you learn a little Spanish. I think kids are going to dig it.

It’s very smart of People magazine to pull something like this out. I mean, when the news of MJ is old and there is nothing around, why not bring together one of TV’s most famous gangs and go an expose on them? They haven’t changed that much and they all look good, still. Mario Lopez is still in the spotlight. The rest, no so much. Still, Elizabeth Berkeley’s Showgirls is one of the greatest movies ever.In either of the scenarios people want to know why Dustin Diamond did not come.

RadarOnline insiders reveal that Dustin’s forthcoming tell-all Behind The Bell – which promises to dish the dirt on what really went on behind-the-scenes of NBC’s teen comedy — prompted his former castmates to ban him from the reunion.Saved by the Bell is an American sitcom that originally aired between 1989 and 1993. The series is a retooled version of the 1988 series Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which was itself later retconned into the history of Saved by the Bell. The series followed the exploits of several students along with their principal at Bayside High School.