Good Morning, Miss Bliss

1 9 8 8 – 1 9 8 9 (USA)
14 x 30 minute episodes

This Disney series featured recently widowed Carrie Bliss (Hayley Mills), an eighth-grade schoolteacher at JFK Junior High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Richard Belding (Dennis Haskins) was the principal.

Zack Morris, Lisa Turtle, Samuel “Screech” Powers, Nicole “Nikki” Coleman and Mikey Gonzales were featured students. Featured teachers were Mylo Williams and Tina Paladrino.

Carrie had been teaching history for 11 years, cared about her students (“Their problems are my problems”) and used innovative teaching methods that sometimes backfired. Her classes were held in Room 103.

She was voted “Indiana Teacher of the Year” by School Days magazine.

Zack was a schemer who was always trying to impress girls. Lisa was a fashion-conscious student who wore makeup to school without her parents’ knowledge. Nikki, the crusader of the group, stood up for what she believed in and was also a pitcher on the school’s baseball team.

Lisa was trying to bring out Nikki’s feminine side(“But it isn’t an easy job”), while Screech, the nerd, was the glue monitor (“Believe me, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds”) and had two pet mice (Spin and Marty).

The Cosmos was the after-school hangout.

When Disney cancelled the show, the concept was rebirthed on NBC as Saved by the Bell with just four cast members surviving the transition: Dennis Haskins (Mr Richard Belding), Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris), Dustin Diamond (Screech), and Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle).

Several episodes of Good Morning, Miss Bliss were added to the Saved By The Bell syndication package. They featured a new introduction and closing by Zack Morris, reflecting on his years in Junior High.

Miss Carrie Bliss
Hayley Mills
Mr Richard Belding
Dennis Haskins
Zack Morris
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Lisa Turtle
Lark Voorhies
Samuel “Screech” Powers
Dustin Diamond
Nikki Coleman
Heather Hopper
Mikey Gonzales
Max Battimo
Ms. Tina Paladrino
Joan Ryan
Mylo Williams
T.K. Carter