Mr. Dickerson's history class is every teenager's worst nightmare. It's worse than four zits on a first date! Tomorrow is the midterm, and no one has passed it in three years. It also happens to be class trip time, and it's the highlight of the school year.
The gang is studying in Zack's room, and the pressure to pass the midterm is mounting. Dickerson is everywhere...literally. He's in Zack's text book, on a Magic Johnson poster, and even on tv! He assures everyone that there's no way they can pass, and there's no way they're going on the class trip.
It's test day, and Dickerson is nowhere to be found. Zack invokes the "5 Minute Rule." If the teacher doesn't show up within five minutes of the bell, the students are free to go. (I tried this once. It didn't work). Belding shows up and informs the class that Dickerson is mentally ill, and that the test will be given by the substitute teacher, Mr. Rod Belding.
Rod Belding is one cool dude (one of my favorite characters in television history). He's unorthodox and has the kids tear up their history midterm, and he wants the kids to call him Rod! And he believes teacher-student relationships should be based on trust, and lets the students decide their grade on the midterm.
Belding has decided where they're going on their trip. They're going to campout under the stars at Yosemite! But while in Belding's office watching the Dodgers game, Rod tells Zack about his class trip. They went whitewater rafting, and that sounds badass. Rod volunteers to chaperone the trip.
The kids go to Belding's office, and he's sitting there looking at Yosemite brochures. The gang breaks poor Richard's heart by telling him they don't want to go on his boring nature trip. They'd rather go rafting with Rod! A heartbroken Belding throws the brochures in the trash.
In the gym, Rod is leading a rafting class. While practicing mouth-to-mouth lifesaving techniques (read making out), Belding walks in and cockblocks. Zack tells him not to be mad at Rod, because no other teacher has ever cared about them. And maybe he's jealous of his own brother.
Tonight, the class heads to the Colorado River for the class trip. The busses are here, but Rod's nowhere to be found. Zack goes to find him, and he's in Belding's office. It seems that Rod wants to blow off the class trip to spend time with a stewardess, Inga (and she's not just some stewardess. She's a ten!). Belding gets pissed off and kicks Rod out of his school.
Belding announces that Rod is sick and has the flu. Class trip is off, right? Wrong. Belding offers to take the class on the rafting trip in his brother's place. Zack wants to know why Belding didn't tell everyone the truth, and says "We got the better Belding."
QUOTES!
Screech: Wow. A building with two Beldings, one of whom is balding!
Rod: So, I said to to the head of the airline, "Make somebody else president. I need my summers off to follow my dreams."
Slater: I'm an expert on mouth-to-mouth, right mama?
Jessie: Don't flatter yourself. You're just okay.
Slater: Well that's not what you said Saturday night!
WHAT DID WE LEARN TODAY? Rod Belding taught us a lot. Mainly, that we need to grab life and embrace the rapids. Follow your dreams. Having an unorthodox style isn't a bad thing, and you have to be true to yourself first and foremost. Godspeed, Rod Belding.
(Editor's note: I firmly believe that Rod did indeed have the flu. There's no way he would let all those kids down for a weekend fling. Rod Belding is a tragic hero, and doesn't deserve these false accusations. If you are with me, view the documentary).
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