It's getting scary. "Reality" television has gone too far and then some. First "Survivor" riveted us, then "The Bachelor" and "Joe Millionaire" had us hooked. Banking on the success of "American Idol" and the ability of Americans, people just like you and me, to actually vote for the winner of a show, "Am I Hot?" has debuted, offering us opportunity to pass physical judgment on strangers as we please. I thought it should win the prize for worst ever until I heard of the newest series, "Married By America." Get this: viewers will vote for two complete strangers to marry over the internet and then, after taking the vows of holy matrimony until death do they part, these lucky (and might I add clearly intelligent) people will meet and get to know each other. Brilliant. I'll admit that I have indeed watched parts of these shows. Yet, I can never seem to really get very involved with them, because I myself prefer a different genre of television. It's one of my secret (or not so secret, if you know me) guilty pleasures. I am still hooked on "Saved by the Bell," the hit Saturday morning show that many of us watched in syndication during middle school. Every weekday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Channel 3, episodes are shown in order. If I am ever graced with a free half-hour around this time, you can be sure I'm glued to my TV.

"Saved by the Bell" began in 1987 as the Disney Channel series "Good Morning, Miss Bliss," set in a middle school in Indiana. The show featured the teacher Miss Bliss (Hayley Mills), a group of six friends and their principal, Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins). Although "Miss Bliss" didn't last more than one season, NBC saw potential and in 1989 created the show "Saved by the Bell." They kept Mr. Belding and three of the original six students: Zach Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), the constantly scheming ladies' man, Samuel 'Screech' Powers (Dustin Diamond), Zach's nerdy sidekick, and Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies), the fashion-queen diva. These "Good-Morning, Miss Bliss" alumni were joined by three others: Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen), the popular cheerleader and object of the boys' attentions, Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley), the quintessential overachiever and the new transfer student and A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez), the mega-jock. These six created a well-rounded, completely unrealistic group of friends. Set at Bayside High in Pacific Palisades, Calif., the series followed the students from their freshman to senior year. How and why three students would go to middle school in Indiana and then to high school in California will forever remain a mystery, as will Zach's ability to freeze time at his will. These are some of the questions that you may ask, but never expect to receive true answers. This isn't "reality" TV, after all.

The show, much to the networks' surprise, was a success. "Saved by the Bell" appealed to parents as a clean-cut representation of our nation's youth, and pre-teens became obsessed with their beloved Bayside idols. Watching in syndication one decade later and, supposedly, one decade more mature, the appeal lies not just in the fashion taste of the late '80s or the roaring "woooos!" that ensue after any display of affection between characters. The individual personalities and plot lines of this show make it special and are what gave rise to its cult-like following among children of the '80s.

The issues were never complex. Zach and Kelly were together, or Zach and Kelly were apart. Lisa spent too much of her parents' money. Casey Casem hosted a dance marathon at The Max (as often happens at small high-school hangouts). It's difficult to think back to a time when the most controversial issue that a show would dare tackle was caffeine-pill dependence. Jessie singing in hysterics, "I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I'm so ... scared!" will forever be one of my favorite TV moments. If that didn't have meaning for you, watch and you'll understand.

So, I offer a recommendation. While one may scoff at the very concept of watching "Saved by the Bell," consider what substitutes are available. Experience the show again or for the first time, have a few laughs at the absurdity of it all, and rest assured that no one will ever get voted out of The Max.