The Tori Paradox
“…the character of Tori Scott (Leanna Creel) was added in later episodes as an initial sparring partner and later girlfriend for Zack. Originally, the final season consisted of thirteen episodes featuring the original cast and the cast members’ contracts with the show expired after those episodes were completed with the final graduation episode. However, NBC ordered more episodes of the show and Thiessen and Berkley refused to sign new contracts. Rather than producing new episodes with only four cast members, a new character, Tori Scott, was added to serve as a replacement for Kelly and Jessie.
Oddly enough, the promos for the final season of the show featured Kelly, Jessie, and Tori together, despite the fact that the actresses never actually appear in an episode together. Rather, the network alternated between “Kelly and Jessie” and “Tori” episodes each week.
During the “Tori” episodes, it was never explained why Jessie and Kelly were not present and likewise for the “Kelly and Jessie” episodes, no mention was made of Tori. When the season aired in the UK, the episodes tended to be reordered so that the Tori episodes and the Jessie and Kelly episodes were shown together. This was scarcely less confusing, since no mention was ever made of Tori’s sudden disappearance and Kelly and Jessie’s equally sudden reappearance partway through the season.
Notably, Lisa wears her hair differently in the Tori episodes.
The term “Tori Paradox” is derived from Chuck Klosterman’s essay about the show in his book, Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto.” (via Wikipedia)
And that, ladies and germs, is The Tori Paradox.
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