We're going back to Bayside!
Peacock's reimagined version of Saved By the Bell is almost here and Elizabeth Berkley is spilling exciting season one scoop ahead of the Nov. 25 premiere.
"It was so surreal to be back at Bayside. From the graduation episode, the last time I had the gift of being in those hallways with red lockers was on Jimmy Fallon when we did a skit with him," Berkley told E! News exclusively. "In that skit a few years ago, we were in the garb that we wore as kids. There was somethign really magical about dropping back into these hallways now. It is what you would call a full-circle moment, for sure."
She added, "To get to come back with a whole new generation of kids and to get to kind of usher them in to this new experience in this new role was really, really profound and amazing."
It's been over 30 years since Saved By the Bell premiered on TV. The new version will be a mix of old and new with a crop of young hight school students joining original stars Berkley, Mario Lopez, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen.
"To the O.G. fans of the O.G., the great news is we've been very protective of what people loved about the original. So embedded in the DNA of this reimagining you will see things that you were in love with, that you loved, that you still quote," Berkley promised. "I don't want to give too many things away but there are a lot of Easter eggs. So we really in this reimagining wanted to maintain and still celebrate and embrace and then weave in something that's a little more progressive and relevant to now. And bring it to the now."
Lopez also recently teased lots of Easter eggs and references back to the original series in the reimagined version.
"I'm not going to give away anything about caffeine pills," Berkley smiled when asked about the infamous episode where her character Jessie Spano gets addicted to caffeine pills. "We'll leave it at that."
As for the show's long-lasting legacy, Berkley promises the Peacock series will give O.G. fans all the feels.
"It is a gift that is not lost on me. There has never been a moment that people stopped watching the original show. So through the years, it's multi-generational. People have come up to me also that are extremely emotional about the show and what it has meant for them in their childhood," Berkley gushed. "Our childhood is sacred and for a lot of people it holds something really innocent and reconnects them to the joy in their life and that's what I think right now is so great about this moment. We could never have planned the timing of it coming out and launching when people most need a little joy, escaping, reconnection to good memories and making some new ones. At the heart of it it's about friendship, relationships and 'friends forever.'"
Saved By the Bell season one launches Wednesday, Nov. 25 on Peacock.
For more Saved By the Bell scoop, scroll down for everything we know about the Peacock series!
(E! and Peacock are both part of the NBCUniversal family)
Mark-Paul Gosselaar initially wasn't involved in the series despite Zack Morris factoring into the plot. However, the mixed-ish star ultimately heard from the powers that be and signed on—according to the Hollywood Reporter he'll appear in three episodes and have a producer credit. The best part? Zack is now the governor of California.
Fans were initially uncertain whether or not Tiffani Thiessen would be joining the reboot, but thankfully, Kelly Kapowski is back! Making her return even sweeter is that she's now married to Zack and serving as California's first lady.
Mario Lopez is reprising his role as A.C. Slater, who's now Bayside High's athletic director! He's at a point in his life where he really wants a win, so he sees this new group of kids coming in as that potential opportunity.
Like Slater, Jessie Spano, played by Elizabeth Berkley, is back at Bayside as an employee. She's the school counselor, and her son, Jamie, is a student and current captain of the football team.
Lark Voorhies is set to make a special appearance, reprising her role as Lisa Turtle.
Bye-bye Belding—Principal Toddman, played by John Michael Higgins, is the new sheriff in town, which means he's constantly being pranked by his privileged students and yelled at by their entitled parents. But this all changes when Bayside gets an influx of new students and Toddman gets a second chance to really make a difference.
Mitchell Hoog, whose credits include Harriet and Richard Jewell, will play Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski's son, Mac. He's described as handsome, charming and privileged.
Belmont Cameili is Jamie Spano, son of Jessie Spano. Jamie is the captain of the Bayside football team and described as a "sensitive man-child." His other credits include Empire and My Evil Stepdad.
Haskiri Velazquez will play Daisy, an ambitious sophomore who is excited to attend Bayside High after her local school gets shut down. Velazquez's other credits include Blue Bloods, The Birch and The 40-Year-old Version.
Dexter Darden, who starred in all three Maze Runner films, is Devante, another new student at Bayside. A bit of a loner, he might just end up using the fresh start as an opportunity to reinvent himself.
Josie Totah is Lexi, the most popular girl and cheerleader at Bayside. She's as loved as much as she's feared. Her other credits include The Other Two, Champions and No Good Nick.
During Peacock's TCA summer press tour, Totah expressed, "Getting to play just a transgender role on screen is obviously very rare. There is almost zero representation of people in the trans community. Which, growing up as a young trans girl, I feel like never seeing myself made me never feel truly accepted by the world."
The trans actress called the role an "incredible opportunity," especially since Lexi's identity isn't all about her being transgender. "My character is so many things. She's in theater, she's like evil. She's the popular girl in school," Totah added. "But she just happens to be transgender."
Alycia Pascual-Pena plays Aisha, Daisy's ultra-competitive best friend who grew up playing on boys' sports teams and causes a stir when she tries to play football at Bayside. Her other credits include MOXIE on Netflix.
Luckily for O.G. fans, it looks like we'll get to see all four original co-stars perform a number together as their group Zack Attack during season one!
Much like the original, the new students at Bayside spend every day eating at Saved By the Bell's favorite hangout The Max! And yes: owner and original co-star Ed Alonzo still works there.