Let's be honest. If you went to high school with a guy like Zack in Saved by the Bell, you wouldn't want to be his best friend. You’d probably be terrified of him. Or, at the very least, you’d be checking your locker for hidden cameras every five minutes.
Back in the early 90s, we didn't see it that way. Zack Morris was the king. He had the brick-sized cell phone, the bleach-blonde hair that somehow stayed perfect during track meets, and that magical ability to "time out" the entire world just to vent to us, the viewers. He was the ultimate "cool guy" template for a generation of kids who thought wearing two polo shirts with popped collars was the peak of sophistication.
But looking back? Man, Zack was kind of a monster.
The "Zack Morris is Trash" Reality Check
The internet eventually caught up with him. A few years ago, the "Zack Morris is Trash" web series basically blew the lid off the nostalgia. It pointed out stuff we totally ignored as kids. Like the time he literally sold a "Girls of Bayside" calendar using secret photos of his friends without their permission. Or when he bugged the girls' sleepover to hear their secrets.
Honestly, his rap sheet is longer than a Bayside detention slip.
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- He once tried to pimp out Lisa Turtle to pay off a credit card bill.
- He faked being Jewish to skip school and catch a Dodgers game.
- He even orchestrated a car accident to sabotage A.C. Slater’s chances with Kelly.
It's wild. We watched this guy manipulate his way through four years of high school, and we cheered for him! Mark-Paul Gosselaar, the guy who actually lived in Zack’s skin for years, has even gone on record saying some of those old episodes are "morally abhorrent" and hard to watch now. He’s been super vocal on his podcast, Zack to the Future, about how some of those storylines—like the "Running Zack" episode where he wears a Native American headdress—just wouldn't (and shouldn't) fly today.
Why We Still Can't Help But Love Him
So, why isn't he canceled? Why does a character who is basically a teenage Machiavelli still hold a spot in our hearts?
It's the charm. It’s that "incorrigible kid" energy that creator Peter Engel was looking for during casting. Zack wasn't a bully in the traditional sense. He didn't shove kids into lockers. He was a schemer. He was the underdog who used his brain (and occasionally a cardboard cutout of himself) to outsmart the system.
Plus, the show had this weird, internal logic. No matter how much of a jerk Zack was in Act 1, he usually—usually—learned a lesson by the end of the 22 minutes. Usually after a heart-to-heart with Mr. Belding or a tearful apology to Kelly Kapowski. We bought into the idea that deep down, he was a good kid who just wanted to win.
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The Evolution: From Schemer to Governor
If you haven't seen the 2020 reboot on Peacock, you're missing out on the ultimate meta-commentary. They didn't try to pretend Zack had become some saint. No, they made him the Governor of California. And naturally, he's a terrible governor who only ran for office to get out of a $75 parking ticket.
It’s the perfect evolution. It acknowledges that the "Zack Morris" brand of entitlement doesn't just go away. It just moves to Sacramento. Seeing him and Kelly (now the First Lady of California) acting like snobby elites while Slater and Jessie are still grinding away at Bayside as faculty is both hilarious and surprisingly grounded.
The Zack Morris Legacy: What Most People Get Wrong
People think Zack was just the "popular jock." He wasn't. He was a nerd who figured out how to act like a jock. If you look at the early Good Morning, Miss Bliss episodes, he was already scheming, but he was much more of a social outcast. He built his "cool" identity from scratch.
That’s why he kept Screech around. A lot of fans think Zack was just mean to Screech, but they were actually inseparable. Zack needed a sidekick, sure, but Screech was the only person who truly knew how the "Zack Morris" machine worked.
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What You Should Do If You're Feeling Nostalgic
If you’re planning a rewatch, don't go in expecting a moral compass. That’s not what Bayside was about.
- Watch with a sense of humor. Treat it like a satirical look at 90s excess rather than a guide on how to treat your friends.
- Look for the "Time Outs." Notice how he uses them. It's the ultimate power move. He literally stops time to explain why he's about to lie to his girlfriend. It's sociopathic, but it's brilliant television.
- Appreciate the fashion. The neon colors, the oversized sweaters, and the hair. It’s a time capsule.
Zack in Saved by the Bell represents a very specific era of television where the "hero" didn't have to be a "good guy." He just had to be the most interesting guy in the room. Whether he was winning Kelly back for the tenth time or trying to hide a giant inflatable dog from Mr. Belding, he kept us watching. And honestly? We’d probably still take his call today—just maybe don't lend him any money.
Check out the original series on streaming platforms to see if his schemes still hold up, or dive into the reboot to see the "Governor Morris" era in all its narcissistic glory. Just remember: when he looks at the camera and says "Time Out," you're about to see a master at work.