Originally, the six main characters on the show were Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez), Screech Powers (Dustin Diamond), Leslie Burke (Anne Tremko), Alex Taber (Kiersten Warren), and Danielle Marks (Essence Atkins). After the pilot, Tiffani Thiessen decided to return to play the role of Kelly Kapowski. Essence Atkins was fired and the plotline said she transferred to an unnamed college.