Without question, "The Fabulous Belding Brothers" is one of this reviewer's favorite episodes of Saved by the Bell. Simply put, the episode works on several different levels. Unfortunately, many of the levels in this rich tapestry did not fit neatly into the previous post's central thesis. Accordingly, the Son of Feeney presents these Musings and Commentary as an addendum to fully explore this pivotal episode.
Most significantly, practically the entire first act of the episode, including the regrettable antics of actor Raf Mauro as Mr. Dickerson, ended up lost in the editing process. The episode opens with a rather inane farce regarding Mr. Dickerson’s history class. Apparently there is nothing Mr. Dickerson loves more than failing students, even his own son. No one has passed the midterm in three years. Strangely, even though the gang needs to pass the midterm in order to go on the class trip and the odds of passing are negligible, plans move forward to hold the trip. It seems like a cruel hoax. Even more bizarre, even though Dickerson’s midterm has presumably ruined the trip for three consecutive years, Mr. Belding holds a class trip planning meeting during Mr. Dickerson’s final class before the midterm.
Later, the gang holds a study session in Zack’s room to prepare for the midterm. In a truly bizarre and embarrassing scene, the group, panicked by the prospect of missing the class trip, has a joint hallucination in which Mr. Dickerson appears in various places in Zack’s room to taunt them. He shows up in Zack’s book to tell him that he will fail. Kelly sees him in a Magic Johnson poster where he informs her that her "looks won’t help her this time” – the first overtly sexual reference of the episode. Jessie and Slater then both see Dickerson in their book where he sings a strange tune (“F, F, F, you’re both getting an F”). Finally, when the gang takes a study break to watch the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Mr. Dickerson appears in the television. In an awkward and reprehensible display by actor Raf Mauro, Mr. Dickerson raps about the gang’s impending failure ("You think you're cool, you think you're hip; well put your books away because there's no class trip."). It is simply terrible and surely set back the development of hip hop music by several decades.
Another confusing and insensitive aspect of the story involves the gang's reaction to Mr. Dickerson's abrupt descent into madness. As explained by Mr. Belding, Mr. Dickerson stormed into the faculty lounge and attempted to flunk the teachers and send Mr. Belding to detention. This regrettable news is met not with concern, but with rapturous applause. Ostensibly the gang values the class trip far more than a man’s sanity.
Furthermore, prior to this episode this reviewer had never noticed the rather bizarre, and seemingly lurid, pictures on the wall in Mr. Belding's office. When Mr. Belding is seated, the picture over his left shoulder seems to be a man on a military airfield. The picture over his right shoulder can only be described as depicting a grown man with a receiving line of prepubescent boys. What these pictures mean is beyond the comprehension of this reviewer.
Finally, this reviewer would be remiss if he failed to point out that Rod Belding is apparently played by the drummer from Hootie and the Blowfish. See the below exhibit. 
As for the upcoming week's television schedule, some key episodes are scheduled to air. On Monday, June 22, 2009 at 7:00 a.m. EST, TBS will air the prescient but heartbreaking SBTB "Pipe Dreams." As argued here, this reviewer has taken a harsh stance that this episode depicts bigotry at its most base and has demanded that the FCC investigate the meaning of the reprehensible dream sequence. No such investigation seems to be forthcoming and the episode is clearly still part of the syndication schedule. An open letter to the FCC may follow Monday's airing.
Finally, be sure to submit your questions to sonoffeeney@gmail.com for the first ever TSOF Reader Emails on June 25, 2009. The mailbag is already full of promise and insight.
Posted by: |