Saved by the Bell may have premiered over 30 years ago, but the love for the franchise is stronger than ever. This is part of the reason why viewers have now flocked to the revival series that’s now airing on Peacock. However, fans also expressed that same love when Dustin Diamond, the actor who famously played Samuel “Screech” Powers, passed away at the age of 44 after a battle with lung cancer. Before news of the actor’s illness became public, many wondered if he might reprise his famous role in the reboot. Although Diamond didn’t pop up in Season 1, it turns out he was actually working on another Saved by the Bell project of his own.
It would appear Dustin Diamond was planning to revive Screech’s robot sidekick, Kevin. Diamond was friends with Dan Block, the president of Insurance King, and, following Diamond’s passing, Block revealed that the two of them had been building their own version of Kevin over the past year. Their hope was to use the robot in a series of insurance ads that would also feature Diamond, who had already appeared in a number of marketing campaigns for Insurance King.
While Dustin Diamond tragically didn’t live to complete the robot, Dan Block also explained to TMZ that it should be finished shortly. He also wants to offer it to the producers of Peacock’s Saved by the Bell to potentially be used on the show.
Kevin the Robot was originally introduced in the first season of Saved by the Bell. As Screech’s personal artificial intelligence device, Kevin would assist the nerdy genius on several occasions. He also wasn’t opposed to dishing out a one-liner here and there. Ultimately though, the character didn’t stay around long, as he only appeared in three episodes during the first and second seasons.
Despite Screech’s absence in Saved by the Bell Season 1, the character’s status was revealed. In “The Todd Capsule,” Slater mentions that Screech currently lives on the International Space Station with Kevin.
Bringing Kevin into the reboot would be a nice treat for longtime SBTB fans. Not only would it serve as further connective tissues between the revival and its iconic predecessor, but it could also serve as a way to pay tribute to Dustin Diamond and his beloved character.
Dustin Diamond and Dan Block had a nice idea on their hands, as it honestly would have been delightful to see Diamond and Kevin back together again. Although we won’t get to see it happen, the project will still remain a part of the late actor’s legacy. And with any luck, Kevin will cross paths with Bayside’s new generation of students in Saved by the Bell’s sequel series.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Dustin Diamond during this time.
