Cover Photo: A screencap of the characters Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski, a high school–aged blonde boy and brunette girl, holding hands and wearing matching jerseys that say "husband" and "wife." Zack's jersey is red and Kelly's is dark purple.
Screencap via Peter Engel Productions/NBC Productions

Strange Lessons in Sex and Power from ‘Saved By the Bell’

As a preteen, I’d absorbed this dynamic—a teen girl dating adult men—as totally normal because it was embedded in the show’s wholesome package.

Saved by the Bell

pow

Saved by the BellSBTB SBTB

Amber

SBTB Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs

SBTB

The College Years

bossSBTB

SBTB

Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian StyleSBTB

Lolita SBTB

Wedding in Las Vegas

SBTB

American Psycho

SBTBWell, Kelly dated Jeff, so I guess I’ll go with this guy

The College Years

yacht

SBTB

Abigail Weil is a culture writer currently working on a book about Jaroslav Hašek. Her essays have appeared in Electric Literature, Alma, Contingent Magazine, and Serious Eats. She lives in Philadelphia with her cat, Schmutzy.