Editing Saved by the Bell (section)

==Production==

===''Good Morning, Miss Bliss''===
{{Main|Good Morning, Miss Bliss}}
In 1986, [[Brandon Tartikoff]], then-president of [[NBC]], asked [[Peter Engel (TV producer)|Peter Engel]] to develop the pilot for a new [[prime time]] series, ''[[Good Morning, Miss Bliss]]''. Tartikoff had been inspired by his sixth grade teacher, Miss Bliss, and had long wanted to make a show about someone like her. The series would focus on Miss Carrie Bliss, a recently married sixth grade teacher at the fictional John F. Kennedy Junior High School in [[Indianapolis]]. Though [[Sandy Duncan]] was originally considered for the titular role, the series ultimately became a vehicle for British former child star [[Hayley Mills]]. Veteran writer [[Sam Bobrick]] was brought on to write the episode and the cast included future stars [[Jonathan Brandis]], [[Brian Austin Green]], and [[Jaleel White]].<ref name="Engel 157-159">Engel (2016), pp. 157–159</ref><ref name="E! True Hollywood Story">{{cite episode|title=Saved by the Bell|series=E! True Hollywood Story|network=E!|airdate=December 1, 2002|season=7}}</ref>

The pilot aired on June 11, 1987, but NBC had decided not to pick up the series even before it was shown. Tartikoff did not want to give up on the show, though, and made a deal with the [[Disney Channel]] to air thirteen episodes of the series in prime time. If the initial order did well, Disney was prepared to order an additional seventy-seven.<ref name="Engel 157-159" /> The show was completely retooled, with Mills the sole remaining cast member from the pilot. Miss Bliss's class was changed from the sixth grade to the eighth grade, and the kids would be more central to the story.<ref name="Engel 159-161">Engel (2016), pp. 169–171</ref>

''Good Morning, Miss Bliss'' aired from 1988 to 1989. However, the show failed to pick up a following and did poorly in the ratings. By the time the last episode aired, Disney had already decided against ordering more.<ref name="Engel 164–166">Engel (2016), pp. 164–166</ref><ref name="E! True Hollywood Story" />

===''Saved by the Bell''===
Tartikoff felt there had been strong elements to ''Good Morning, Miss Bliss'' and wanted to try the show again with a different time slot and a different approach. The elements featuring the kids had been well-received, so Tartikoff wanted to drop Miss Bliss from the show altogether and focus entirely on the teens. NBC had been losing the high end of their animated audience, kids from ten to twelve, so the idea was to create a live action comedy to air on Saturday mornings, a new idea at the time.<ref name="Engel 164–166" /><ref name="E! True Hollywood Story" /><ref name = "From Toons to Teens">{{cite AV media | date = November 5, 2013 | title = Saturday Morning: From Toons to Teens | medium = DVD Bonus Feature | publisher = Lionsgate Shop}}</ref>

Engel was skeptical of the new format at first, and did not want to make children's programming. However, his wife convinced him that making the show would be a worthwhile endeavor, and he soon told Tartikoff he would do the show.<ref name="Engel 164–166" /> Engel felt, however, that Indianapolis was not exciting as a location, and moved the show to a fictionalized version of a [[Los Angeles]] neighborhood, "[[Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles|the Palisades]]." The main locations of the show would be the teenager's school, Bayside High, and The Max, a fictional eatery they frequent. In addition, they would film before a live studio audience.<ref name="E! True Hollywood Story" /><ref name="Engel 166-169">Engel (2016), pp. 166–169</ref>

The majority of the cast was replaced, and Tartikoff gave a seven episode commitment for the show. In a meeting with Engel and Tartikoff, senior producer Tom Tenowich suggested the name ''Saved by the Bell''. Though Engel hated the name, Tartikoff loved it. The name stuck, and filming commenced, with the first episode, "Dancing to the Max," airing in prime time on August 20, 1989.<ref name="Engel 166-169" /><ref name="Engel 184-187">Engel (2016), pp 184–187</ref>