What are the episodes of "Saved by the Bell" actually about, when you remove the subjectivity Zack imposes on the stories?
Today's episodes:
Ostensible storyline #1: A "Snow White" play where Zack has to kiss Jesse. There is an ambient concern that Zack and Jesse are falling for each other.
Actual story: Zack is obsessed with Jesse and date rapes her. Jesse comes close to telling someone about it.
Ostensible storyline #2: Zack invites Kelly to a costume dance. Kelly needs to get a job at The Max, where her manager is a man who conforms to traditional notions of masculinity. Lisa is a bitch to everyone. Zack's band plays. Zack and Kelly "win" the costume ball. Kelly breaks up with Zack.
Actual story: Zack, admiring Kelly from afar, is crushed to see her hugging someone. Despite having no mutual relationship with Kelly, he causes a scene in a public space - possibly striking her and taken away by the police.
In these 2 episodes you can see a lot of influence of "Revenge of the Nerds" on Zack's thinking. Zack sees himself as a latter day Stan Gable, president of the Alpha Betas. And social status is solidified through very explicit performance - songs/plays/etc. The costume ball, with the Zack Attack playing, is a wonderful catastrophe of the confluence of a number of performance rituals.
Also, in the 2nd episode, the two people in black leather jackets are mean to Kelly in her waitressing job. In the super-narrative, they are perfectly normal black people. Lisa is dressed as a "flapper" at the costume ball. A flapper is a slut from the early 20th century. How did they let a show this racist stay on the air for so long?!?!
