“ | Time out! | ” |
— Zack's catchphrase
|
Zachary "Zack" Morris was one of the most popular students at Bayside High. He’s a charming schemer who often breaks the fourth wall by addressing the audience, sometimes temporarily freezing all of the characters around him in the process by calling "Time out!". Zack's schemes, though amusing, often backfire, resulting in unexpected outcomes.
Following his popularity at school, Zack became an attorney and eventually assumed the office of Governor of California. Zack's term as Governor was complex, however, and he encountered numerous obstacles, none more important than his own son, Macgyver 'Mac' Morris.
History[]
Early Life[]
Zack Morris was born sometime between 1974-1975.
Good Morning, Miss Bliss[]
The one season of the sitcom Good Morning, Miss Bliss took place during Zack's eighth grade year at John F. Kennedy Junior High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Screech and Lisa are among Zack's friends in these episodes. Other friends that are regularly featured are Mikey Gonzalez, a close friend who is often tied up in Zack's scheming, and Nikki Coleman, who often butted heads with Zack on many issues. Mr. Belding was the principal of JFK Junior High, and often had to deal with problems Zack had caused. Zack's homeroom teacher and history teacher, Miss Carrie Bliss, also helped provide a moral compass for Zack.
During his junior high days, Zack was already doing much of the scheming, betting, and manipulation for which he became known. Examples include selling the stock the students had bought as a class project and investing the money in potatoes, setting rats loose in the school in order to get a test postponed, using a relationship between his father and Miss Bliss to get out of doing homework, betting Nikki that he could kiss a rock star who was coming to the school, and getting Screech to write his history report by promising a date with Lisa, even though all he actually does is write love letters to Lisa from a secret admirer, on Screech's behalf.
Saved by the Bell[]
Season 1[]
Zack has entered high school life. Zack demonstrated a flair for business throughout his teen years. However, in many subjects (notably history and literature), he often gets poor grades and displays a lack of interest.
Zack was also constantly pining for the gorgeous and popular student Kelly Kapowski, coming up with new ways to try to win her heart in many episodes and often battling for her affections with his on-again, off-again best friend A.C. Slater. This rivalry ended when it was decided that Zack and Slater were better suited as good friends, not least because of the close friendship between the actors who played them.
Zack was a particularly involved high school student. Athletically, Zack participated in cross country, basketball, and track. He experienced some success in each of these sports. In 9th grade, Zack finished in third place at a cross country meet. He was one of Bayside's better basketball players, and it hurt the team when he sprained his knee in the locker room before a big game. When Zack was possibly not going to compete in a track meet, Mr. Belding and Zack's team members were distressed because they thought there was no way they could win without Zack. Despite this success, Zack sometimes felt athletically overshadowed by Slater, who was the star of the school's football and wrestling teams.
In 9th grade, Zack ran against Jessie for class president. Zack wanted the position only to get a free trip to Washington, D.C.. He defeated Jessie by one vote, but after realizing how much the position actually meant to Jessie (and her college application), he resigned from office, allowing Jessie to become president.
Season 2[]
TBA
Season 3[]
Zack was very musically talented. He was the lead singer and lead guitar player for a band called the Zack Attack. The other members were Kelly (vocals), Lisa (bass guitar), Slater (drums), and Screech (keyboard). While this band never achieved the success that it did in Zack's dreams, it was good enough to get paid to play at local events. The Zack Attack, however, offered to play for free at a school dance so that more money could be spent on decorations. This line-up featured Zack and Jessie on vocals, Lisa on guitar, Screech on keyboard, and Slater on drums. However, when Albert had to take over the lead vocals during the dance because Zack was outside talking to Kelly, Ollie (a minor character) took over on drums. Zack was also the lead singer of a 1950s-style doo-wop group, the Five Aces, that sang during a school sock hop. The other singers were Slater, Screech, Lisa, and Tori Scott. He was also a member of the glee club for a short time. He could play the trombone.
Season 4[]
TBA
College[]
Upon graduation, Zack was slated to go to Yale, having scored 1502 on the SAT, the highest of the gang despite his troublemaking reputation, and he was accepted to "Stansbury University" in his senior year. At the end of Saved by the Bell, Zack is planning on going to Yale but he ultimately attended Cal U with Slater, Screech, and Kelly.
In Saved by the Bell: The College Years, we see Zack attending Cal U, along with Screech, Slater (who had planned on attending Iowa to join their wrestling program), and later on, Kelly (who joined the cast after the pilot episode). Their dorm was a suite, with the three guys in one room, three girls in another room and a common area between. The girls originally assigned to share the suite with them were Alex Tabor (an aspiring actress), Leslie Burke (the daughter of a university donor) and Danielle Marks (the daughter of a federal judge).
Danielle quickly transferred to a different school. This allowed Kelly to move in after she was accepted from California University's waiting list. Screech met with Kelly, and he suggested that she move in to the suite. Assigned to watch over Zack and his friends was Mike Rogers, a former football player for the San Francisco 49ers. He worked as a resident advisor while also working towards a graduate degree. Mike often had to keep Zack in line because Zack was still up to many of his high school tricks. Generally though, Mike and Zack got along well.
Other university faculty and staff that were regularly featured in Saved by the Bell: The College Years were Prof. Jeremiah Lasky and Dean Susan McMann. Zack generally got along well with Prof. Lasky, with the exception of a short period when Prof. Lasky was dating Kelly, which upset Zack because he realized he still had feelings for her. Dean McMann, however, was a more authoritative figure for whom Zac often caused problems.
Saved by the Bell (2020)[]
In 2004, Zack and his wife Kelly's son Mac was born.
Zack decided to become the Governor of California to avoid a Parking Ticket. He runs for Governor of California and wins the election.
Season 1[]
Being Governor of California[]
In 2020, Zack has a troubled and complex term as Governor of California, with controversy surrounding his decision to shut down numerous underfunded and underperforming schools and transfer their students. Zack furthermore has issues with his son, Mac, feeling as though he values his job as Governor over their relationship.
When the news of Douglas High's reopening spreads, Zack agrees to attend the walkout of Bayside students, believing that this will attract the attention of the press. When there, however, he refuses to do anything concrete for the cause despite Mac's pleas. Orchestrated by Mac and Daisy, however, Kelly arrives moments later to convince Zack to do the right thing. As a result, Zack signs an executive order preventing school openings and closing for the next three years until a public enquiry can take place.[1]
Pandemic[]
Zack shut everything down due to COVID-19. He then ended up losing the election to Prince Harry. As the schools reopened after the pandemic, Zack and Kelly met up at The Max with Lisa, Slater and Jessie to toast to the memory of Screech, who had recently died. They toasted with the new spaghetti burgers.[2]
Working as a Sub[]
Without a job, Zack suddenly had a lot more free time. When Mac expressed that he wanted to spend more time with Zack, Zack decided to work at Bayside as a substitute teacher, taking over Mac's Government class when his teacher abruptly quit.
At home that evening, Mac started making fake hall passes to sell to kids at school, something he wanted to do with his dad. Zack showed him some real hall passes and said they could sell those instead for more money and dumped the ones Mac made in the trash. They drew a huge crowd the next day when they started selling. As Zack was teaching their class, Mac pulled a prank on him, but it backfired when he realized that he and his father have the same last name.
When Mac, who had previously told Daisy he'd stay out of the talent contest because no one else would do it if he was in it because his act was so transformative, decided to join the show after all, desperate to one up his father, every other student quickly dropped out. In order to save the talent show, Zack decided to enter and flipped a water bottle on stage, which drew lots of applause.
In another attempt to get back on top, Mac hired an actor to pretend to be the new teacher so Zack would leave. However, the actor was actually Zack in disguise. Through this conversation, Zack learned how Mac really felt about him being at Bayside, so he went to Mac and said it was nice to be back at Bayside, where he felt like a winner, but it was time to hand it over to Mac.[3]
Career Fair[]
Zack came to the Bayside High funeral home with Kelly, who had set up a booth about her Dr. Happy brand. He wasn't doing a booth of his own as he said he wouldn't know what to put on it. He and Albert immediately left Kelly's booth to go hang out. They made a series of bets throughout the day, each of them competing to be the best. During this time, Slater admitted to Zack that he was still in love with Jessie and couldn't tell her. At the end of the day, Zack made one final bet, telling Slater to admit his feelings to Jessie. Slater tried, but then came back and told Zack he couldn't do it because it wasn't the right time because Jessie had just gotten divorced and needed space. Zack and Slater then joined the rest of the group to go to Jessie's for a party.[4]
Spirit Competition[]
As the students of Bayside prepared for the Spirit Competition, Mac refused to ask Zack for help, knowing Zack's class had come the closest to winning, but right before the final event, the Valley competitor whispered something in Zack's ear that led to him losing. Finally, desperate, Mac asked Zack what Valley had said. Zack refused to tell him, despite Mac torturing him by playing the recorder poorly. Mac accused Zack of trying to sabotage him, making Zack realize that Mac was only doing the Spirit Competition to one up his dad. Zack said he just wanted to spend more time with Mac and admitted there was no secret. Valley just said to have a good race. He lied because he was embarrassed about losing.
When Mac decided not to run the final race after all, Zack talked to him about it. He said that Mac never had to prove he was better than Zack because of course he was. He did all kinds of things Zack never did, like thinking about other people. Zack never would have given up the glory of running the final race, even for the good of the school. After the event was over, with Bayside winning, Zack learned the superintendent was retiring and decided to run to replace them at the same time Toddman decided the same thing.[5]
Personality[]
Throughout the series, Zack is shown as an avid proposition bettor who often make bets with Albert on the outcome of his schemes. Zack also occasionally placed bets with students of Bayside's rival school, Valley. He has gambled on football, chess, the future, whether he could skip school, and even on the day that Mr. Belding's baby would be born. However, when Zack went to Las Vegas with Kelly he was not seen gambling.
Throughout season one, "Fake IDs (Season 3) and Slater fought over Kelly's affections. In season two, Zack and Kelly became official after Kelly picked Zack over Slater. They dated for a few months until Kap began to grow feelings for her boss at The MAX Jeff. In the episode "The Last Dance (Season 2)," Kap breaks up with Zack at the annual costume ball as her feelings for Jeff grow and hopes she can still remain friends with Zack. In the episode "Fake IDs" (Season 3) Zack helped Kelly see Jeff as a liar and a cheat, so she broke up with him and her and Zack's friendship grew stronger.
When Kelly returned to the show in Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Zack had to make a decision about who he really loved, as he still had feelings for Kelly. The College Years focused on Zack's efforts to win back the affection of Kelly, who was in love with their anthropology professor Jeremiah Lasky. Eventually, Zack won Kelly over again, and they became engaged.
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas deals with the impending wedding of Zack and Kelly and all of the hijinks and pitfalls that occur on the road to and in Las Vegas.
Relationships[]
Romantic[]
Kelly Kapowski[]
Zack and Kelly had an on-off relationship during their years in high school and college. However they maintained a good friendship whilst dating others but decided that what they had was special and decided to get back together permanently. Later, Zack proposed to Kelly and they eventually got married. They now have one son together.
Stacey Carosi[]
Tori Scott[]
Family[]
Mac Morris[]
Friendships[]
Screech Powers[]
A.C. Slater[]
Jessie Spano[]
Lisa Turtle[]
Appearances[]
Good Morning, Miss Bliss[]
- Summer Love
- Love Letters
- Wall Street
- Leaping to Conclusions
- Parents and Teachers
- Showdown
- Save the Last Dance for Me
- The Boy Who Cried Rat
- Let's Get Together
- Practical Jokes
- Stevie
- Clubs and Cliques
- The Mentor
Saved by the Bell[]
Season 1[]
- Dancing to the Max
- The Lisa Card
- The Gift
- Fatal Distraction
- Screech's Woman
- Aloha Slater
- The Substitute
- Cream for a Day
- Pinned to the Mat
- Beauty and the Screech
- The Friendship Business
- The Mamas and the Papas
- The Election
- The Zacque Tapes
- King of the Hill
- Save That Tiger
Season 2[]
- The Prom
- Zack's War
- Save the Max
- Driver's Education
- House Party
- Blind Dates
- Rent-A-Pop
- Miss Bayside
- Jessie's Song
- Model Students
- 1-900-CRUSHED
- Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind
- Running Zack
- The Babysitters
- The Fabulous Belding Boys
- From Nurse to Worse
- Breaking Up is Hard to Undo
- Glee Club
Season 3[]
- The Last Dance
- Zack's Birthday
- The Aftermath
- The Game
- Operation Zack
- Fourth of July
- Check Your Mate
- My Boyfriend's Back
- Fake IDs
- Boss Lady
- Pipe Dreams
- The Last Weekend
- The Wicked Stepbrother (Part 1)
- The Wicked Stepbrother (Part 2)
- Date Auction
- All in the Mall
- S.A.T.S.
- Palm Springs Weekend (1)
- Palm Springs Weekend (2)
- Hold Me Tight
- No Hope with Dope
- Rockumentary
- Cut Day
- A Home For Christmas (1)
- A Home For Christmas (2)
- Mystery Weekend
Season 4[]
- The Fight
- Student Teacher Week
- Screech's Spaghetti Sauce
- The New Girl
- The Bayside Triangle
- Teen-Line
- Masquerade Ball
- Day of Detention
- Wrestling with the Future
- Drinking and Driving
- Love Machine
- Class Rings
- Isn't it Romantic?
- The Will
- The Teacher's Strike
- Slater's Sister
- The Senior Prom
- The Video Yearbook
- Screech's Birthday
- Snow White and the Seven Dorks
- Earthquake!
- Best Summer of my Life
- Slater's Friend
- School Song
- The Time Capsule
- Graduation
Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style[]
Saved by the Bell: The College Years[]
- Pilot
- Guess Who's Coming to College?
- Zack Lies and Videotape
- Rush Week
- Slater's War
- The Homecoming
- The Poker Game
- Prof. Zack
- Screech Love
- A Thanksgiving Story
- Teacher's Pet
- Kelly and the Professor
- A Question of Ethics
- The Rave
- Bedside Manner
- Love and Death
- Marry Me
- Wedding Plans
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas[]
Saved by the Bell: The New Class[]
Season 2[]
- Goodbye Bayside: Part 2
Saved by the Bell (2020)[]
Season 1[]
Season 2[]
Gallery[]
Zack Morris has a photo gallery. |
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Notes and Trivia[]
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who plays Zack Morris, admitted in a interview that his natural hair color is brown. He had to dye his hair blonde every time he played Zack.[6]
- Also Gosselaar admits that his natural eye color is brown, but wore blue eye contacts as Zack until he developed an allergic reaction to them into season 1. After this, the producers agreed to let him keep his natural eye color.
- Zack was retooled from Adam Moncrief (Brian Austin Green) in Good Morning, Miss Bliss. Unlike Adam, he started off as a class clown and schemer. Zack wouldn't mature until the 3rd and 4th seasons of Saved By the Bell.