Dimples To Die For: Reflecting on A.C. Slater, my Childhood Crush

Dear Reader, let me give you some insight on my adolescent self growing up.

I spent every waking moment during childhood with my eyes glued onto the TV. I would try to stay up on a school night because Ghost was on. I identified with Sophia Petrillo when I was 8 years old. I had a physical TV Guide and highlighted programs I anticipated watching because this would potentially be the only time I'd be able to watch Dumb and Dumber until it aired on TBS again - We have a connection, you see! The movie released the same year I was born so I have to watch it!

My teachers marveled at how a child knew the entire filmography of Audrey Hepburn and that she had no relation to Katharine because the film experts mentioned it once during a "Classic Movie Facts You Didn't Know!" special. Although I was hip with the (then) contemporary TV shows my fellow peers were watching, I also gravitated toward the shows and films of the past.

... And now, this is where I wake up in the morning and the 'larm gives out a warning.

Saved By The Bell was a sitcom that aired on NBC from 1989-1993. There was a previous series entitled Good Morning, Miss Bliss that featured a number of characters from SBTB that truly is more of an "elseworlds" situation. It took a bit of retooling to get from Miss Bliss to Bell and damn it, the end result is a legitimate masterpiece of the genre.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar led the series as Zack Morris, a popular blonde high school student who is great at track and is also trash. It followed Zack's wacky antics and adventures with his group of friends including perpetual love interest (until an episode when she's not) Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen), Samuel "Screech" Powers (Dustin Diamond), Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies), Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley) and principal Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins).

Zack Morris was king of the hill. Everyone fawned over him and he seemingly had no competition in every aspect of high school life... That is until A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez) showed up and Team Zack vs. Team Slater rose to prominence.

For me, dimples beat out preppies any day of the week.

How my unhealthy watching habits led to my childhood crush awakening

Saved By The Bell concluded before I was born and experienced a resurgence in popularity through television syndication which was where I discovered it.

During all of elementary school through to possibly middle school, there would be something like a four-hour block of Saved By The Bell airing before I went to school. I would wake up around 6:50 am, to be sat in front of the TV by 7:00 am, and I'd watch three half an hour episodes until I would leave at 8:30 am...

I would wake up early just to get my Bayside High fix. Honestly how did I even sustain life during this time?

This incredibly healthy TV-watching schedule lasted for years. When I encountered an episode I never watched before, I would be ecstatic because there's a "new" episode! When the same episode would air the following month, I would be elated because I can watch it again and embed it into my memory for future watches in my brain!

Eventually I grew infatuated with the show and since a total number of zero people around me watched it, I would be alone with my own thoughts of 1) why Kelly deserved better (she easily could've made a Kapowpire with those Buddy Bands, Zack only slowed her down) and 2) how anyone could possibly think Zack was superior to Adonis himself, A.C. Slater?

While looking back on Saved By The Bell through a modern lens, there are... a number of problematic aspects of it that will certainly raise an eyebrow upon rewatching.

What remains, however, is the pure joy felt when watching this product of the early '90s that undeniably features genuine laugh-out-loud and heartfelt moments.

(Rest in power, Artie the Lizard.)

A.C. "Albert Clifford" Slater (we learn what his initials stand for in the Season 4 episode "Love Machine") worked as a solid counterpart to Zack. While they shared similarities in that they both competed for high school societal dominance, Slater was not as insufferable as Zack was.

Slater upheld this misogynistic "macho pig" exterior throughout his arc while remaining devoutly loyal to outspoken feminist Jessie Spano. The banter between these two was simply captivating because for every moment Slater declared Jessie should finally go out with a "real man", she would retort that she'll go find one.

Meanwhile, Zack exhibited sociopathic tendencies on an episodic basis.

They were teenagers so there are obviously infuriating traits within both of them because teens are... teens. However when comparing the two, A.C. Slater will consistently surpass Zack in my eyes.

College Years Slater? Yes, please

"I'm supposed to play pool with my shirt off?!"

Again... Problematic. (Always ensure your model is comfortable with a gaggle of horny college students ogling them as they play an unassuming round of billiards.)

Having prefaced with that, he looked amazing during its 19 episode run.

Saved By The Bell: The College Years ran for one season following the gang's high school graduation and followed the original crew consisting of Zack, Screech, Slater (and later, Kelly) as they continued their adventures at the fictionalized California U.

Although the zany antics persist because it is Saved By The Bell after all, we actually learn more about Slater's background in the episode "Slater's War" which added a deeper appreciation to his character for me because of its subject matter. The episode explores Slater's Hispanic heritage as a Chicano man and learning to embrace this side of him both the viewer and Slater himself never really knew about prior to the episode.

As a second generation Canadian whose parents immigrated from Afghanistan, watching this episode specifically at the time was quite eye-opening because I certainly struggled with balancing my cultural identity as an Afghan and a Canadian and striving to accept how I would embrace both cultures. While it may not be an intense exploration of the issue, it was rather nice to see the topic briefly featured on the show.

... We also have yet another instance of Zack Morris being trash because he berates Slater for not accompanying him on a skiing trip. He's experiencing an enlightenment, Zack, the "babes" can wait!

The more Slater, the better

There is an upcoming reboot of my beloved series set to release on the Peacock streaming service (hopefully) sometime this year.

I must admit: a tiny part of me is hoping we get a moment where he lovingly nudges a new pet lizard's nose. I guess you could even say I'm.. so excited at this prospect...

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