Mark-Paul Gosselaar Watching 'Saved by the Bell' For First Time, Trying to Get Back into Outdated Sociopathic Character For Reboot

Mark-Paul Gosselaar, aka Zack Morris on Saved by the Bell, claims he’s never watched an episode of the teen sitcom that made him a ‘90s heartthrob. Now, he’s bingeing all 16 episodes of the show’s first season for a podcast called Zack to the Future.

“For years I have been asked by the dedicated fans of Saved by the Bell to revisit the show,” Gosselaar said in a statement. “I couldn’t wrap my head around an idea that would keep the audience entertained and celebrate the beloved series we created over 30 years ago, mostly because I can’t remember a thing about making it, and I am thrilled to say I have found the answer.”

Gosselaar sounds pretty excited about this endeavor, but we’d proceed with caution. It’s a different world now than when the series debuted in 1989, and his character has not aged well. He’s immature, entitled, and manipulative. He expects sexual favors from females in exchange for his kindness. One blogger accurately dubbed him “the ancestor of fuckboys everywhere.”

Morris is such a douchebag, Funny or Die created a YouTube series called Zack Morris is Trash in his honor, which highlights Morris’ assholic behaviors throughout the show’s run in 5 – 10 minute increments. Dashiell Driscoll, the creator and narrator of the YouTube series, will join Gosselaar on the podcast to dissect each SBTB episode.

It’s unclear how Driscoll, who is penning the SBTB reboot, and Gosselaar, who will reprise his iconic (if odious) role, will use whatever insights they glean to change the course of the character before the reboot debuts on NBCUniversal’s Peacock later this year. We’re hoping for some sort of “come to Jesus” moment that’ll reform Morris and make him more appropriate for 21st-century culture — all while retaining his sense of humor, of course.