The 10 Best Saved By The Bell Characters, Ranked

Fans remember Jessie’s caffeine pills storyline and Zack and Kelly’s romance, and it’s the Saved By The Bell characters who give this show its nostalgic value. They each stand out in their own way and are given clear personalities from the start, with Zack being the troublemaker, Kelly the popular teen, Lisa the fashionable one, Screech the dork, Jessie the activist, and Slater the charmer.

When comparing the show’s main characters along with some minor players who are their friends or love interests, some Saved By The Bell characters are definitely more well-crafted than others.

10 A.C. Slater

Slater changes in the Saved By The Bell reboot in some ways, but he’s still the loveable charmer that he has always been. He’s also one of the show’s most interesting characters.

It’s true that Slater can be sexist and he needs to grow up and learn a lot. His presence on the show allows Jessie to shine and discuss how he needs to treat her better, and that’s an important storyline for a show about teenagers.

9 Violet Bickerstaff

Violet is a sweet, adorable high schooler who falls for Screech. She’s also relatable as she loves to sing but thinks that she sounds terrible and that she shouldn’t explore this hobby.

While Violet is a thinly drawn character and she’s mostly in scenes with Screech when they begin seeing each other, she’s better than some of the other minor characters who aren’t memorable at all. For instance, while fans only remember Tori’s favorite leather jacket, Violet has left a bit more of an impression.

8 Kelly Kapowski

Fans loved Kelly and Zack’s relationship, and she’s always totally herself, whether singing, crushing on Jeff and Zack, or hanging out with her friends.

Kelly is just as popular with viewers as she is at her high school, but she’s not quite as compelling as some others. She’s a fairly typical teenager who enjoys winning the praise and love of others, but she could have a few storylines about finding herself or focusing on something other than dating.

7 Stacey Carosi

When Zack meets Stacey while working at the Malibu Sands Beach Club, he’s taken with her and it seems like she could be his one true love, even more than Kelly. But as time goes on, Zack learns that her dad owns the club and he worries about that.

Stacey is an important character since she allows the others to think about money, class, and privilege, which is something that they rarely do at Bayside High. It’s also entertaining seeing Zack have a love interest.

6 Jeff Hunter

Jeff is a jerk and treats Kelly badly, but he’s an important part of her romantic history, and his presence on the show makes Zack jealous, creating necessary drama.

Kelly is drawn to Jeff since he’s older than her, and she leaves Zack so she can explore her feelings for Jeff. But after he kisses someone else, she realizes that he’s a bad influence and that she has to move on. This experience is crucial for Kelly, who learns that she has to stand up for herself, find someone who treats her well, and maybe even see Zack in a more positive light as he genuinely cares about her.

5 Screech

Screech’s friends treat him badly, which allows fans to see that he’s a kind, vulnerable, nervous person who just wants to be popular.

Screech is always in character as he’s the nerdy person in his friend group, and while it’s hard to always watch him be the butt of jokes, it’s impossible to imagine the show without his positive attitude and hopefulness.

4 Richard Belding

Bayside High’s principal may not be the most popular member of the school staff, but he’s one of the most significant Saved By The Bell characters and his impact can’t be ignored.

Without Mr. Belding watching over Zack and trying to help him succeed at school and become a better person, the show wouldn’t feel as heartwarming as it does sometimes. While Zack doesn’t appreciate the detention or ways that Mr. Belding tries to help him, fans can see that he does care about Zack.

3 Zack Morris

Although Zack is definitely trouble, as he lives for pranks and doesn’t think about his actions beforehand, he can’t be ignored as he’s the main character. The show’s storylines would go very differently without Zack, and even if he’s not the nicest person all the time, he’s the person who fans most associate with the show.

Zack is one of the show’s better characters since he has a friendly, social, and cheeky personality and that makes his scenes fun to watch. While fans do hope that he will learn from his mistakes and show some growth, his actions do make for some entertaining, lighthearted storylines.

2 Lisa Turtle

While Saved By The Bell characters have strange outfits in some scenes, Lisa is the most stylish and fashion-conscious character, and that’s one reason why she’s such a strong part of the friend group.

Lisa is one of the most compelling characters on this beloved show as she’s strong, stays true to who she is, and her scenes display her compassion and great sense of humor. Unlike Kelly, who is obsessed with personality, or Zack, who gets into too much trouble, Lisa seems to have a good head on her shoulders.

1 Jessie Spano

Of all the Saved By The Bell characters, Jessie is the most well-written and developed. She’s a feminist, politically interested, and sure that she’s going to change the world (or at least whatever town or city she ends up in).

In the season 2 episode “Jessie’s Song,” Jessie becomes addicted to caffeine pills, which allows the series to tell a key lesson and also shows fans that Jessie is vulnerable, insecure, and relatable. She just wants to succeed in high school so she can succeed in life beyond Bayside High’s walls.

About The Author

Aya Tsintziras
(1730 Articles Published)

Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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