Why wasn't a second girl added alongside Tori

[TMC]

I think that everybody knows how the "Tori" episodes came about. The series finale, in which the gang graduated from Bayside had already been shot and was in the can when NBC ordered about ten additional episodes. Kelly and Jessie were conspicuously absent from these episodes because Tiffani Amber Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley had at that point, pursued/been tied up with other projects. So Leanna Creel (Tori) was brought in as a pseudo replacement/fill-in.

Like I said right from the jump, how come another girl wasn't brought in to join Tori and Lisa? Was it because the producers were under short notice or they didn't want to make it so obvious that they were in essence, replacing Kelly and Jessie. In my mind, I would've had Violet as the "third girl", but I suppose that since Tori Spelling was presumably well into 90210, there would've naturally been an issue with her availability.

[rusty spike]

To save $$$

The whole series was done on the cheap.

I like the show for the most part, but the entire production was done half-ass.

[JO Sweet Heart]

The girl in this picture was shown during four of the episodes that also included Tori.



God bless you and the whole cast always!!!

Holly

[irehtman]

Originally Posted by TMC

I think that everybody knows how the "Tori" episodes came about. The series finale, in which the gang graduated from Bayside had already been shot and was in the can when NBC ordered about ten additional episodes. Kelly and Jessie were conspicuously absent from these episodes because Tiffani Amber Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley had at that point, pursued/been tied up with other projects. So Leanna Creel (Tori) was brought in as a pseudo replacement/fill-in.

Like I said right from the jump, how come another girl wasn't brought in to join Tori and Lisa? Was it because the producers were under short notice or they didn't want to make it so obvious that they were in essence, replacing Kelly and Jessie. In my mind, I would've had Violet as the "third girl", but I suppose that since Tori Spelling was presumably well into 90210, there would've naturally been an issue with her availability.

There can be a case that both Leanna Creel and her Tori Scott role might be forced to return as guests to replace the both actor Dustin Diamond and his Samuel Screech Powers role spots, which used to be, in this rebooted-revived Original Saved By The Bell current sitcom version.

Both Tiffani and Elizabeth did right thing commit to other projects that they got hung on, back then, because, not only they both don't like both Dustin and his Screech role, both Tiffani and Elizabeth also don't like Sam Bobrick and his antisemitic-abused real-life along the way, TBH, IMO.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by rusty spike

To save $$$

The whole series was done on the cheap.

I like the show for the most part, but the entire production was done half-ass.

For what it's worth, Peter Engel said in his book that Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley didn't appear in what would become the "Tori episodes" because they simply felt that it was time to move on with their careers and Engel didn't want to stand in their way.

However, in Dustin Diamond's Behind the Bell book, it suggests that Tiffani and Elizabeth weren't in those final episodes because they were asking for more money than Engel was willing to give them. Of course, considering the amount of tall tales and exaggerations that were said to be that book (which in fairness, Dustin himself, claimed was largely ghost-written), it's extremely hard to right away believe that explanation even if it's actually true.

[rusty spike]

I don't doubt that both actresses attempted to negotiate for bigger payouts knowing that they were in demand and getting noticed in Hollywood circles. I also believe that Engel had orders not to give in to such demands. Perhaps they already knew that they were planning to retool the show with another ensemble cast (New Class).