The BEST episodes of Saved by the Bell season 1

Every episode of Saved by the Bell season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Saved by the Bell season 1!

Teenager Zack Morris and five of his friends spend their days at Bayside High School in Palisades, California devising schemes to fool the gullible principal, Mr. Belding, and their nights at The Max.

Last Updated: 11/13/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
Cream for a Day
star
8.23
87 votes

#1 - Cream for a Day

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/7/1989

The homecoming prom is coming up and Kelly is nominated to be crowned home coming queen, but she refuses to go out in public after discovering that she has a pimple. Zach and Screech accidentally create a zit removal cream only to find out that it has some very unusual side effects.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Fatal Distraction
star
7.85
102 votes

#2 - Fatal Distraction

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/9/1989

Kelly has to choose between Zack and Slater to go to a big dance Bayside is having. Zack wants to make sure that he is Kelly's choice. In order to do that, he places a microphone in Jessie's room before her slumber party, which Kelly will be attending. Soon, Jessie discovers the microphone and Kelly comes up with a plan to play a trick on Zack, making him believe that she is a very dangerous soul.

Writer: Mark Fink
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Beauty and the Screech
star
7.82
55 votes

#3 - Beauty and the Screech

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/21/1989

Kelly is in trouble. If she fails science she can't go to a concert. Screech agrees to tutor her and they become best friends but this doesn't impress rivals Zack and Slater.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Substitute
star
7.79
62 votes

#4 - The Substitute

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/30/1989

Ms. Simpson injures her back. A substitute teacher comes and all the girls including Lisa, Jessie and Kelly fall for the him.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Aloha Slater
star
7.73
59 votes

#5 - Aloha Slater

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/23/1989

Slater has to decide rather or not he and his dad are going to move to Hawaii or stay in Bayside. It is interesting that Slater's dad lets him decide this but seems unconcerned with Slater's thoughts on his future later on (wrestling scholarship or the army.) Zack at first tries his best to convince Slater to move away, so that Zack can get rid of his best rival for babes. Zack changes his mind though and Slater stays in Bayside.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pinned to the Mat
star
7.72
58 votes

#6 - Pinned to the Mat

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 10/14/1989

Slater feels inferior when he can't choose a career on career day. Zach wants to win a bet with a student at Bayside's rival school Valley, only to find out he's caught between a rock and a hard place when Slater quits wrestling.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Save That Tiger
star
7.71
51 votes

#7 - Save That Tiger

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 12/16/1989

It's the annual Bayside vs Valley prank war. Meanwhile the girls try to come up with a new cheer in the annual cheerleader competition.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Zack Tapes
star
7.67
52 votes

#8 - The Zack Tapes

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/2/1989

During class, Zack learns about subliminal advertising and realizes that it could be used to trick Kelly into going to the dance with him. However, Kelly catches on to his scheme and the girls decide to teach Zack a lesson, which leaves him humiliated.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Mamas and the Papas
star
7.62
58 votes

#9 - The Mamas and the Papas

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 11/11/1989

Zach, Slater and Screech are paired up with Kelly, Jessie and Lisa for a marriage project only to find out that it's not as easy as it seems.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Election
star
7.62
47 votes

#10 - The Election

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 11/18/1989

Zack and Jessie are both running for class president. Zack decides to run only because he found out the winner of the election gets a trip to Washington D.C. Slater overhears Zack telling Screech about this, so Slater tells Mr. Belding about it. Mr. Belding tells Zack the trip was canceled--and that the only way Zack can prove he wasn't running just to get the trip is to stay in the election. Zack was ahead, but now he tries to lose. In the end he wins anyway, but Jessie is so upset that he confesses to her and promises to tell Mr. Belding the truth and resign the presidency in favor of Jessie.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Screech's Woman
star
7.60
63 votes

#11 - Screech's Woman

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/16/1989

Zach tries desperately to find Screech a woman so that he will concentrate on their science project but keeps on failing. Zack then comes up with the brilliant idea of posing as a woman over the phone to Screech. Brilliant that is, until Screech wants to meet his mystery woman and things get a little bit out of hand.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Friendship Business
star
7.57
54 votes

#12 - The Friendship Business

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/4/1989

For a class project, the gang comes up with an invention that might go into business called friendship. However when Zach's selfish attitude gets in the way, the gang starts competing against him.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Dancing to the Maxx
star
7.57
304 votes

#13 - Dancing to the Maxx

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/20/1989

A dance contest is hosted by famed Casey Kasem and held at the Max. Zack and Slater both try to obtain Kelly as a dance partner but Slater wins the honor. Zack goes with Jessie. Lisa has someone all lined up for the dance as well, but when she sprains her ankle he backs out. Screech agrees to dance with her in the contest even still. Screech and Lisa win the contest with a new dance known as the "sprain."

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
King of the Hill
star
7.52
46 votes

#14 - King of the Hill

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 12/9/1989

Zack Morris has always wanted to go out with Kelly Kapowski, the prettiest cheerleader in Bayside High. He tries to get near her, but transfer student A.C. Slater makes a play for her. Zack and Slater have their first little tiff about Kelly.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Lisa Card
star
7.52
147 votes

#15 - The Lisa Card

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/28/1989

Because of her good grades, Lisa's dad gives her a credit card; but she goes overboard and her payment is due so she must find a way to earn some money.

Writer: Tom Tenowich
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Gift
star
7.47
134 votes

#16 - The Gift

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/8/1989

Screech is struck by lightning in a freak accident. As a result, Screech can see into the future. Zack and Slater begin to bet on things in the future; Zack uses Screech's ability to see into the future to give him the edge in the bets. Screech tries to predict the questions to a school test but proves unsuccessful in this endeavor.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV