Was Weasel (Isaac Lidsky) intended to be the breakout character of "The New Class"? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

EccentricGenius · 07-07-2023, 04:59 PM

While rewatching the abysmal--and misbegotten--first season of Saved By The Bell: The New Class a while back, I noticed that approximately a third of the episodes (at least four) telecast on NBC's TNBC block on Saturday mornings during its thirteen-week run between September and December of '93 focused mainly on Blossom-obsessed computer nerd--and ersatz Screech wannabe--Barton "Weasel" Wyzell (portrayed by Isaac Lidsky).

The four Weasel-centric episodes, in chronological order, are "A Kicking Weasel" (Weasel is promoted from hapless waterboy to placekicker on Bayside's struggling high school football team), "Love Is On The Air" (Weasel creates an alter ego, Dr. Love, for Bayside's radio talk show and becomes a sensation), "Swap Meet" (Weasel discovers, and attempts to sell, a Defender Dog comic book with a rare misprint to no avail), and "Weasel Love" (Weasel meets his computer pen pal in person and is heartbroken and devastated after she undergoes a makeover and transforms herself into a stunning beauty).

As we already know, Lidsky--and Weasel--didn't survive past The New Class' mediocre freshman season and was given his walking papers at season's end, along with fellow newbies Robert Sutherland Telfer (Scott Erickson) and Bonnie Russavage (Vicki Needleman). Luckily, Lidsky rebounded from his termination by abandoning the entertaining industry altogether in his mid-teens and ultimately becoming a motivational speaker, lawyer, and even a law clerk on the famed U.S. Supreme Court for legendary Supreme Court justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg after graduating magna cum laude from Harvard a few years earlier. (Remarkable.)

During (or following) production of the horrible first season of The New Class, Lidsky was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of thirteen which subsequently led to him completely losing his eyesight by the time he had reached his twenties; despite his disability, Lidsky has overcome his affliction and become the person he is today. (Way to go, bro.)

Do you believe Weasel would've become the breakout character of The New Class had Engle not s**tcanned Lidsky at the conclusion of its lackluster first season and retained him for season two along with his costars Jonathan Angel (Tommy "Tommy D" DeLuca), Bianca Lawson (Megan Jones), and Natalia Cigliuti (Lindsay Warner)? I've always theorized that had Lidsky remained a cast member (and Weasel continued to be a regular character) on The New Class, Dustin Diamond's much-ballyhooed and unfortunate return to Bayside as Samuel "Screech" Powers at the beginning of season two ("The Return Of Screech") probably wouldn't have happened. I could be wrong, though. (I had actually mentioned this topic on a previous thread I had started a while back, and I even criticized Lidsky's overall performance as Weasel while also noting the comparisons between both Weasel and his predecessor, Screech.)

I'd love to hear your two cents...feel free to drop me a line or two (or even three) on this thread anytime and express your opinions on this subject.

Enjoy your fantastic Friday, as well as your weekend!

Superswiper · 07-12-2023, 01:17 AM

I've always wondered that of all the original characters, why they made Screech Mr. Belding's assistant in The New Class. It should have been Slater or Jessie, to be honest. They would be much better fit for the role than Screech.

DJM77 · 07-12-2023, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superswiper

I've always wondered that of all the original characters, why they made Screech Mr. Belding's assistant in The New Class. It should have been Slater or Jessie, to be honest. They would be much better fit for the role than Screech.

I doubt at that point that Mario Lopez or Elizabeth Berkley would've wanted the job.

EccentricGenius · 07-12-2023, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superswiper

I've always wondered that of all the original characters, why they made Screech Mr. Belding's assistant in The New Class. It should have been Slater or Jessie, to be honest. They would be much better fit for the role than Screech.

You and me both, Superswiper. Engel must've been really desperate to placate critics, reviewers, and viewers following SBTB: The New Class' lackluster debut season. Even after terminating half of the cast of The New Class--Robert Sutherland Telfer (Scott Erickson), Bonnie Russavage (Vicki Needleman), and, of course, the aforementioned Isaac Lidsky (Barton "Weasel" Wyzell)--things were still bleak for the struggling Saturday morning sitcom, so Engel decided to extend an invitation for the late Dustin "Screech" Diamond to join The New Class at the beginning of its second season in the autumn of 1994 following the cancellation of SBTB: The College Years earlier in the year...and the rest is history.

As for both Slater and Jessie being possible additions to the cast of The New Class, even as recurring characters, I doubt that scenario would've ever happened, although Slater would've been interesting as a mentor to the six teenaged characters (Tommy D., Megan, Lindsey, Rachel, Bobby, and Brian), as well as a straight man to Mr. Belding. Truth be told, I could've pictured as Slater as a junior substitute gym teacher instead of Belding's administrative assistant.

As for Elizabeth Berkley, she had already begun filming the infamous box office stinker Showgirls around the same time The New Class began taping its second season, so she was definitely unavailable.

As we all know, Mario Lopez appeared in two episodes during The New Class' interminable seven-season run, the conclusion of the second season finale "Goodbye, Bayside (Part 2)" as well as the second half of the season four finale "Fire At The Max (Part 2)."

EccentricGenius · 07-12-2023, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM77

I doubt at that point that Mario Lopez or Elizabeth Berkley would've wanted the job.

You're probably right, DJM77. Elizabeth Berkley was knee-deep in the middle of production of the notorious cinematic stinkbomb Showgirls by the time The New Class returned for its second season in the autumn of '94, and Mario Lopez (along with his former castmates Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani Thiessen, Lark Voorhies, and the aforementioned Ms. Berkley) was struggling to distance himself from the SBTB franchise.

EccentricGenius · 07-13-2023, 10:45 AM

Shortly after Saved By The Bell: The College Years wrapped up its unsuccessful nineteen-episode run in the spring of '94 (following production of SBTB: Wedding In Las Vegas, which aired seven months later that October), Tiffani Thiessen landed the role of troubled teen Valerie Malone on Beverly Hills, 90210 that autumn, so she was already unavailable.

07-07-2023, 04:59 PM	#1
EccentricGenius Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2015 Posts: 767	Was Weasel (Isaac Lidsky) intended to be the breakout character of "The New Class"? While rewatching the abysmal--and misbegotten--first season of Saved By The Bell: The New Class a while back, I noticed that approximately a third of the episodes (at least four) telecast on NBC's TNBC block on Saturday mornings during its thirteen-week run between September and December of '93 focused mainly on Blossom-obsessed computer nerd--and ersatz Screech wannabe--Barton "Weasel" Wyzell (portrayed by Isaac Lidsky). The four Weasel-centric episodes, in chronological order, are "A Kicking Weasel" (Weasel is promoted from hapless waterboy to placekicker on Bayside's struggling high school football team), "Love Is On The Air" (Weasel creates an alter ego, Dr. Love, for Bayside's radio talk show and becomes a sensation), "Swap Meet" (Weasel discovers, and attempts to sell, a Defender Dog comic book with a rare misprint to no avail), and "Weasel Love" (Weasel meets his computer pen pal in person and is heartbroken and devastated after she undergoes a makeover and transforms herself into a stunning beauty). As we already know, Lidsky--and Weasel--didn't survive past The New Class' mediocre freshman season and was given his walking papers at season's end, along with fellow newbies Robert Sutherland Telfer (Scott Erickson) and Bonnie Russavage (Vicki Needleman). Luckily, Lidsky rebounded from his termination by abandoning the entertaining industry altogether in his mid-teens and ultimately becoming a motivational speaker, lawyer, and even a law clerk on the famed U.S. Supreme Court for legendary Supreme Court justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg after graduating magna cum laude from Harvard a few years earlier. (Remarkable.) During (or following) production of the horrible first season of The New Class, Lidsky was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of thirteen which subsequently led to him completely losing his eyesight by the time he had reached his twenties; despite his disability, Lidsky has overcome his affliction and become the person he is today. (Way to go, bro.) Do you believe Weasel would've become the breakout character of The New Class had Engle not s*tcanned Lidsky at the conclusion of its lackluster first season and retained him for season two along with his costars Jonathan Angel (Tommy "Tommy D" DeLuca), Bianca Lawson (Megan Jones), and Natalia Cigliuti (Lindsay Warner)? I've always theorized that had Lidsky remained a cast member (and Weasel continued to be a regular character) on The New Class*, Dustin Diamond's much-ballyhooed and unfortunate return to Bayside as Samuel "Screech" Powers at the beginning of season two ("The Return Of Screech") probably wouldn't have happened. I could be wrong, though. (I had actually mentioned this topic on a previous thread I had started a while back, and I even criticized Lidsky's overall performance as Weasel while also noting the comparisons between both Weasel and his predecessor, Screech.) I'd love to hear your two cents...feel free to drop me a line or two (or even three) on this thread anytime and express your opinions on this subject. Enjoy your fantastic Friday, as well as your weekend!
	Last edited by EccentricGenius; 12-29-2023 at 06:47 PM.

07-13-2023, 10:45 AM	#6
EccentricGenius Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2015 Posts: 767	Shortly after Saved By The Bell: The College Years wrapped up its unsuccessful nineteen-episode run in the spring of '94 (following production of SBTB: Wedding In Las Vegas, which aired seven months later that October), Tiffani Thiessen landed the role of troubled teen Valerie Malone on Beverly Hills, 90210 that autumn, so she was already unavailable.
	Last edited by EccentricGenius; 12-29-2023 at 06:48 PM.

07-12-2023, 01:17 AM	#2
Superswiper Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 14, 2016 Location: United States Posts: 192	I've always wondered that of all the original characters, why they made Screech Mr. Belding's assistant in The New Class. It should have been Slater or Jessie, to be honest. They would be much better fit for the role than Screech.