Towards the end of "Saved By The Bell: The College Years'" short run, Holland Taylor was added to the cast as Dean Susan McMann, the humorless and unsympathetic dean of California University. Taylor's performance as Dean McMann was quite menacing...she always scared the s**t out of me whenever she appeared on screen.

I've always wondered why Dean McMann was added to the cast for its last five episodes...my guess is that the writers needed a Belding-esque authority figure to put Zack in his place.

What is your overall opinion of Dean McMann? Drop me a line...I'd love to hear from you.

Enjoy your day, everyone!

Others have suggested (https://www.reddit.com/r/SavedByTheBell/comments/q24mok/comment/hg9zjss/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) that the intent on Dean McMann's character (https://web.archive.org/web/20190227055303/http://www.savedbythebellreviewed.com/category/all-the-college-years-episodes/) was to desperately recreate the dynamic with Mr. Belding. It doesn't make sense in the larger shape of things because think about it this way, why would a dean of a major university, who has thousands of students, suddenly become intimately involved in their lives and hang out in the cafeteria and stuff? Don't you think that realistically, a dean would've had "bigger fish to fry" regarding his or her daily priorities? It just came across as an '80s movie cliché of the stuffy dean (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeanBitterman) and the kids trying to not get caught with their wacky antics (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WackyFratboyHijinx).

I never liked her and when I saw that woman's appearance on the TV show named Perfect Strangers, I only resented her even more.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

I never liked her and when I saw that woman's appearance on the TV show named Perfect Strangers, I only resented her even more.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

Holland Taylor had a supporting role on the crossdressing early eighties Tom Hanks sitcom Bosom Buddies, not Perfect Strangers. Though Bosom Buddies and Perfect Strangers are both "buddy" sitcoms from the eighties (and practically interchangeable), you were incorrect. Just thought you should know.

And though Holland Taylor is an accomplished, Emmy Award-winning actress, she still scares the living s**t out of me to this very day whenever I kick back in my cowboy boots and watch her menacing performance as California University's ("Cal U") tough-as-nails dean, the humorless and unsympathetic Susan McNann, on the last five episodes of Saved By The Bell: The College Years.

Thanks for commenting, JO Sweet Heart! Enjoy the remainder of your fantastic Friday, as well as your New Years' Day weekend! Happy holidays!

Others have suggested (https://www.reddit.com/r/SavedByTheBell/comments/q24mok/comment/hg9zjss/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) that the intent on Dean McMann's character (https://web.archive.org/web/20190227055303/http://www.savedbythebellreviewed.com/category/all-the-college-years-episodes/) was to desperately recreate the dynamic with Mr. Belding. It doesn't make sense in the larger shape of things because think about it this way. Why would a dean of a major university, who has thousands of students, suddenly become intimately involved in their lives and hang out in the cafeteria and stuff? Don't you think that realistically, a dean would've "bigger fish to fry" regarding his or her daily priorities? It just came across as an '80s movie cliché of the stuffy dean (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeanBitterman) and the kids trying to not get caught with their wacky antics (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WackyFratboyHijinx).


Interesting observation, TMC. I always thought Dean McNann was a far more menacing--and far less sympathetic--adversary for Zack and his cronies than Belding ever was.

Thanks for commenting! Enjoy the remainder of your fantastic Friday, as well as your New Years' weekend! Happy holidays!

Holland Taylor had a supporting role on the crossdressing early eighties Tom Hanks sitcom Bosom Buddies, not Perfect Strangers. Though Bosom Buddies and Perfect Strangers are both "buddy" sitcoms from the eighties (and practically interchangeable), you were incorrect. Just thought you should know.


She made a guest appearance in an episode of Perfect Strangers.

She made a guest appearance in an episode of Perfect Strangers.

Whoops. While I was skimming through Holland Taylor's entry on IMdb (The Internet Movie Database) yesterday afternoon, I completely overlooked the fact that she did indeed make a guest appearance on the long-running buddy sitcom Perfect Strangers in the fall of 1987 (season three's "Sexual Harassment In Chicago"). My bad.

Thanks for commenting, DJM77! Enjoy the remainder of your sensational Saturday, as well as the rest of your New Years' weekend! Happy holidays!

I never liked her and when I saw that woman's appearance on the TV show named Perfect Strangers, I only resented her even more.

God bless you always!!!

Holly


Turns out I was dead wrong when I commented on your initial comment that I had no recollection of Holland Taylor appearing on Perfect Strangers. She did indeed have a guest-starring role on the long-running buddy sitcom in the fall of 1987 (season three's "Sexual Harassment In Chicago"). I had completely overlooked the fact that she had guest-starred on Perfect Strangers while I skimmed frantically through her profile on IMdb (The Internet Movie Database) yesterday afternoon. My bad.

I'd like to express my humblest apologies to you for being incorrect. And while I'm at it, I also want to thank one of our fellow members, DJM77, for correcting me late last night.

Enjoy the remainder of your sensational Saturday, as well as the rest of your New Years' weekend, Jo Sweet Heart! Happy holidays!