View source for Clarissa Explains It All

{{short description|American television sitcom (1991–1994)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}{{Infobox television
| image                = Clarissa Explains It All Logo.png
| camera               = [[Multi-camera]]
| runtime              = 20–26 minutes
| location             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Universal Studios Florida#Production facilities|Universal Studios Florida]]
* [[Orlando, Florida]]
}}
| creator              = [[Mitchell Kriegman]]
| company              = Thunder Pictures
| executive_producer   = {{Plainlist|
* [[Mitchell Kriegman]]
* Marjorie Cohn
* Brown Johnson
* Geoffrey Darby
* Andy Bamberger
}}
| producer             = Mitchell Kriegman
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Melissa Joan Hart]]
* [[Joe O'Connor (actor)|Joe O'Connor]]
* [[Elizabeth Hess]]
* [[Jason Zimbler]]
* [[Sean O'Neal]]
}}
| narrated             = Melissa Joan Hart
| theme_music_composer = {{Plainlist|
* [[Rachel Sweet]]
* Anthony Battaglia
* Willa Bassen
}}
| opentheme            = "Clarissa Explains It All", {{small|performed by [[Rachel Sweet]]}}
| endtheme             = "Clarissa Explains It All"
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| network              = [[Nickelodeon]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1991|03|23}}<ref name="first_episode_date" /><ref name="LATimesLipton" /><!-- do not change this date to 1991-03-01 -- see Talk -->
| last_aired           = {{End date|1994|10|01}}<ref name="last_episode_date" /><!-- do not change this date to 1994-12-03 -- see Talk -->
| num_seasons          = 5 (see [[#Episodes|note]])
| num_episodes         = 65<ref name="For Final Time">{{cite news|title=Clarissa To Explain It All For Final Time|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=December 17, 1993|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1993/12/17/clarissa-to-explain-it-all-for-final-time/|access-date=September 3, 2010|archive-date=June 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614025709/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1993-12-17/news/9312170769_1_clarissa-nickelodeon-melissa-joan-hart|url-status=live}}</ref>
| list_episodes        = List of Clarissa Explains It All episodes
}}

'''''Clarissa Explains It All''''' is an American [[teen sitcom]] created by [[Mitchell Kriegman]] for [[Nickelodeon]].<ref name="LATimesLipton">{{cite news |author=Lipton |first=Lauren |date=March 17, 1991 |title=Nickelodeon gets inside the head of a 13-year-old named Clarissa Darling |work=The Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-17-tv-1046-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=2010-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703152406/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-17-tv-1046-story.html |archive-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=UP & COMING: Melissa Joan Hart; The Melissa Inside Clarissa Explains It All for Us|author=Witchel, Alex|work=New York Times|date=August 25, 1991|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/25/arts/up-coming-melissa-joan-hart-the-melissa-inside-clarissa-explains-it-all-for-us.html|access-date=2010-08-10}}</ref> In the series, Clarissa Darling ([[Melissa Joan Hart]])<ref name="Hinman">{{cite news|title=Clarissa She's 14, Hip And Hot The Spunky Tv Teen Has Captivated Viewers And Put Orlando-based Nickelodeon Studios On The Sitcom Map.|author=Hinman, Catherine|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=June 22, 1991|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1991/06/22/clarissa-shes-14-hip-and-hot-the-spunky-tv-teen-has-captivated-viewers-and-put-orlando-based-nickelodeon-studios-on-the-sitcom-map/|access-date=2010-09-03|archive-date=2012-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929225811/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-06-22/lifestyle/9106210244_1_clarissa-nickelodeon-studios-sitcom-map|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New Nickelodeon Show To Be Produced Here|author=Minor, Debra K.|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=February 12, 1991|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1991/02/12/new-nickelodeon-show-to-be-produced-here/|access-date=2010-09-03|archive-date=2012-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614025630/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-02-12/lifestyle/9102110174_1_clarissa-darling-clarissa-explains-mitchell-kriegman|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Shrieves |first=Linda |date=January 3, 1993 |title=Melissa Explains Clarissa |work=Orlando Sentinel |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1993/01/03/melissa-explains-clarissa/ |url-status=live |access-date=2010-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928064142/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1993-01-03-9212310300-story.html |archive-date=September 28, 2020}}</ref> is a teenager who [[Fourth wall|addresses the audience directly]] to explain the things that are happening in her life, dealing with typical adolescent concerns such as school, boys, pimples, wearing her first [[training bra]], and an annoying younger brother.

A total of 65 episodes were produced and aired from March 23, 1991,<ref name="first_episode_date">Television section, ''New York Times'', March 17, 1991, and March 23, 1991.</ref><ref name="LATimesLipton" /> to October 1, 1994, with repeats airing until August 19, 2001.<ref name="last_episode_date">''TV Week'' guide, September 29 – October 5, 1994, ''[[Bryan-College Station Eagle]]''.</ref> From August 1992 onwards, the series headlined the popular [[SNICK]] (Saturday Night Nickelodeon) lineup. Reruns of the show have appeared intermittently on [[TeenNick]]'s channel block [[NickRewind|The '90s Are All That]], eventually NickRewind, from 2011 to 2020.<ref name="clutch.mtv.com">{{cite web|title=Nick At Nite For Twentysomethings On The Way|author=Smiley, Brett|date=March 10, 2011|url=http://clutch.mtv.com/2011/03/10/nick-at-night-for-twentysomethings-on-the-way/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313011235/http://clutch.mtv.com/2011/03/10/nick-at-night-for-twentysomethings-on-the-way|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 13, 2011|publisher=MTV.com|access-date=2011-05-22}}</ref><ref name="insidetv1">{{cite web|title=TeenNick goes retro with '90s programming -- EXCLUSIVE|author=Rice, Lynette|date=March 10, 2011|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/10/teennick-goes-retro-with-90s-programming-exclusive/|publisher=EW.com|access-date=2011-05-22}}</ref>

A pilot for a spin-off series was filmed titled "Clarissa Now". It featured Clarissa as an intern at a newspaper in New York City. The pilot was not picked up, and aired once as a special on Nickelodeon.

In 2015, Kriegman released a novel, ''Things I Can't Explain'', which serves as a sequel to the series. In the novel, Clarissa is now in her late 20s and trying to navigate life as an adult.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 23, 2015 |title=Clarissa Darling grows up in novel 'Things I Can't Explain' |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/03/23/take-first-look-grownup-clarissa-darling-novel-things-i-cant-explain |access-date=October 12, 2015 |work=EW.com}}</ref> In March 2018, it was reported that a sequel to the series was in development at Nickelodeon, with Clarissa now as a mother.<ref name="Reboot">{{cite web|last1=Goldberg|first1=Lesley|title='Clarissa Explains It All' Reboot Starring Melissa Joan Hart in the Works at Nickelodeon (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/clarissa-explains-it-all-reboot-starring-melissa-joan-hart-works-at-nickelodeon-1094940|website=Hollywood Reporter|date=16 March 2018|access-date=March 16, 2018}}</ref> In March 2022, Melissa Joan Hart revealed the reboot was not moving forward at the network.<ref name=":3" />

==Premise==
The main characters in the show are Clarissa Darling, her family (consisting of her father Marshall, her mother Janet, and her younger brother Ferguson) and her best friend Sam, all living in a small, unnamed suburban town somewhere in Ohio. Clarissa had a pet baby [[alligator]], Elvis, which she kept in a kiddie-sandbox and appeared sporadically in early episodes.

''Clarissa'' was credited with becoming the first Nickelodeon series to feature a female lead, which led the network to create other shows such as ''[[The Secret World of Alex Mack]]'', ''[[The Amanda Show]]'' and ''[[The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Peitzman |first=Louis |date=December 10, 2014 |title=How "Clarissa Explains It All" Helped Change Television |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/how-the-clarissa-explains-it-all-creator-helped-change-kids |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=[[BuzzFeed]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2014-12-03 |title=27 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Clarissa Explains It All |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60340/27-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-clarissa-explains-it-all |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=[[Mental Floss]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Its popularity among both boys and girls also helped to debunk a myth that a children's series with a female lead would not appeal to boys.<ref>{{cite news|title= Clarissa's Grown Up And Gone // Nickelodeon Sends Off Its Star After 3 Years|last= Holbert | first= Ginny|date=September 29, 1994|work=Chicago Sun-Times|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4249830.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105174641/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4249830.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|access-date=2011-03-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Weinstein |first=Steve |date=February 15, 1993 |title=Against All the Odds, 'Blossom' Is Blooming |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-15-ca-119-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511011900/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-15-ca-119-story.html |archive-date=May 11, 2019}}</ref>

Clarissa dealt with normal adolescent issues such as first [[puppy love|crushes]], getting a [[driver's license]] and preparing for [[college]] and working. These topics were dealt with far less dramatically than they were on other similar shows at the time (such as ''[[Full House]]'' and ''[[Blossom (TV series)|Blossom]]'').<ref name=":0" /> For instance, in one episode Clarissa accidentally [[shoplift]]s a piece of [[lingerie]] but is neither caught by store security nor punished by her parents; she spends most of the episode trying to figure out how to remedy the situation on her own. Although terms like "[[hell]]" and "[[sex drive]]" were occasionally uttered during the show's run, most dialogue was kept family-friendly. One [[running gag]] involved her friend Sam often entering the scene by a ladder (accompanied by a characteristic chord of guitar music) through her bedroom window. A repeating theme during the series was the [[sibling rivalry]] between Clarissa and Ferguson,<ref name=":2" /> showing their repeated attempts to harm or even (as in the series premiere) to "kill" each other.

Unique to the show was Clarissa's tendency to tackle the episode's central theme through the creation of a fictional [[video game]]. The show also integrated some of Hart's real-life likes, such as the band [[They Might Be Giants]].<ref name=":2" />

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Clarissa Explains It All episodes}}
The decision to structure the episodes into five seasons of thirteen episodes each was made after the show ended its original broadcast run. During the original run of the series, the seasons were not well defined.<!-- note: this information is linked to from the infobox above -->
{{:List of Clarissa Explains It All episodes}}

==Characters==
===Main===
* Clarissa Marie Darling ([[Melissa Joan Hart]]) – A smart, witty, sarcastic and realistic teenage girl. Despite her rationalism, she often tends to exaggerate any problem she is facing. She was around 13 years old when the series began and was a freshman at Thomas Tupper Junior High School. Her interests include computer game programming, photography, journalism and rock music. Though she is usually mild-mannered, she can be just as selfish and calculating as her younger brother Ferguson. Clarissa is best known for her unique fashion sense, typically involving very colorful, mismatched clothing. During Season 1, Clarissa had an alligator named Elvis, but in the first episode of Season 2, Clarissa explained that her parents sent Elvis back to Florida when he grew too big. In Mitchell Kriegman's novel, ''Things I Can't Explain'', Clarissa further elaborated that he "disappeared under mysterious circumstances" and "it took years to get mom to confess that she gave away the reptilian Elvis without telling me after Ferguson tried to shove a pocket watch down its throat thinking it would win him the role of [[Captain Hook]] in the school play." In reality David Ellis, who worked as art director in-house on the series, suggested that the show may have been under pressure from the [[ASPCA]] to remove the alligator from later episodes and that it would also represent the idea that Clarissa was also growing older.
* Marshall Darling ([[Joe O'Connor (actor)|Joe O'Connor]]) – Clarissa and Ferguson's father. He is an architect who designs unusually shaped buildings, mostly retail and tourist attractions (such as the "Fryfel Tower"). Clarissa sometimes comes to him for advice, but he is less reliable in this role than Janet. He often calls Clarissa "sport", seldom addressing her by name. He and Janet are former [[flower children]] from the 1960s. In comparison to adult co-star Elizabeth Hess, O'Connor initially had difficulty becoming part of the ensemble and accepting the show was primarily centered around Clarissa and that the rest of the family were more supporting characters. As Kriegman later explained "after a while you kinda have to take a backseat and understand that it's CLARISSA Explains It All, not The Darling Family." In the unaired Pilot, he was played by Terry Layman.
* Janet Darling ([[Elizabeth Hess]]) – Clarissa and Ferguson's mother. She is the only family member Clarissa sees as a voice of reason and thus she seeks advice from her occasionally. She is a teacher who works at a [[children's museum]]. She is also an [[environmentalist]] and an [[organic food]] enthusiast who often cooks bizarre meals using lima beans or tofu. Despite an extensive background in theatre and performing arts, Hess later recalled that Kriegman advised her that she didn't need to use her "very big range as an actress" and that he cast her because he thought she was a "sexy mom". Despite this, Kriegman commented years later that Hess "was always fun" on the set. In the unaired Pilot, she was played by [[Nancy Youngblut]], who also played as Mrs. Cheesebrow the Guidance Counselor in a Season 2 episode.
* Ferguson W. Darling ([[Jason Zimbler]]) – Clarissa's younger brother, a mischievous youngster. He and Clarissa continually antagonize each other. She refers to him with several epithets such as "Ferg-face", "Fergwad", "Ferghead", "Ferglips", "Fergbrains", "Fergbreath." He loves money and comes up with [[get-rich-quick scheme]]s. He is also a [[Young Republican]] who idolizes [[Dan Quayle]] and [[Ronald Reagan]]. He attends school with her and is approximately one or two years younger. In some episodes Clarissa and Ferguson occasionally collaborate, usually to the advantage of both. However, he is somewhat less popular at school than Clarissa. Ferguson's mom gave him her maiden name for a first name. Despite achieving fame relatively early in his career, unlike co-star Hart, Zimbler decided to not pursue an acting career and attended college instead. As Zimbler later recalled, "somewhere on the show, I think I grew up."
* Samuel "Sam" Anders ([[Sean O'Neal]]) – Clarissa's best friend and confidant. Generally more optimistic and upbeat than she is, he often asks "What's the worst that can happen?" He is perhaps best known for entering her second-story bedroom with a ladder after a distinctive guitar chord plays followed by Clarissa's "Hi, Sam" greeting. Creator Mitchell Kriegman explained that Sam entering the house through Clarissa's bedroom window was "a way to get him into her room [...] and start interacting faster" as well as keeping their relationship non-sexual. He is smart and polite and enjoys skateboarding. His parents are divorced (mentioned in the pilot) and it is mentioned early on that his mother left his father to join a [[Roller derby]]. Sam's father works as a sports journalist and later gives Clarissa the opportunity to complete some work experience with him. In the unaired Pilot, he was played by Darren E. Higgins.

===Recurring===
<!-- Note: chronological order by first appearance as per [[WP:TVCAST]]; this list is complete, since no other recurring characters were seen on-screen -->
* Aunt Mafalda ([[Heather MacRae]]) – Clarissa and Ferguson's aunt from Canada whom Clarissa dislikes and tries to get rid of in two episodes in the first two seasons.
* Clifford Spleenhurfer (David Eck) – Originally a bully who harassed Ferguson in Season 1, he developed a crush on Clarissa when she stood up to him. She later misses his affections in Season 2, and they begin a relationship which ends in Season 4. He appeared in a total of five episodes, the most of any recurring character. His defining characteristic was a big appetite, much to Marshall's annoyance.
* Dr. Festerspoon (Bob Noble) – The family doctor, who appears in two episodes in seasons 1 and 4.
* Hillary O'Keefe (Sara Burkhardt) – Clarissa's friend from Thomas Tupper High, who appears in four episodes in seasons 2 and 3.
* Deborah "Debbie" Anders (Susan Greenhill) – Sam's estranged mother who is often on the road with a traveling women's [[Roller derby]] team. She appears in a third-season episode where she tries to take custody of Sam and make him move to [[Seattle]] and again in the fourth season when she stays with the Darlings and becomes a burden.
* Olivia DuPris ([[Nicole Leach]]) – Another one of Clarissa's friends from high school, who appears in seasons 4 and 5.
* The Soapersteins<!-- not sure this really counts --> – The Darlings' mostly unseen next-door neighbors, referred to continually throughout the series. The mother and daughter appear once in season 4, and the family's dog appears in season 5.

===Notable guest appearances===
<!-- Note to editors: only add actors with Wikipedia articles -->
These are other guest appearances, in single episodes by notable actors known for their other work.
* [[Nancy Youngblut]] as Mrs. Cheesebrow, a school guidance counselor who tries to get Clarissa interested in "normal" activities in season 2.
* [[Cassidy Rae]] as Elise Quackenbush, Sam's girlfriend in season 2.
* [[Paul Kreppel]] as Joey Russo, Janet's ex-high school sweetheart in season 3.
* [[JoAnna Garcia]] as Fiona, Ferguson's love interest in season 3.
* [[Michelle Trachtenberg]] as Elsie Soaperstein, Clarissa and Ferguson's neighbor and the Soaperstein's spoiled daughter whom Clarissa must babysit in season 4. She also had a crush on Ferguson and often refers to him as "Fergie".
* [[Jonathan Mangum]] as Clarissa's imagined blind date in season 3 (seen only in a dream sequence); the same actor is credited in the role of a waiter and in the role of a pizza delivery man in a fifth-season episode.
* [[Wayne Brady]] as the second pizza delivery man that crossed Clarissa's doorstep in a fifth-season episode.
* [[Sheeri Rappaport]] as Piper Henderson, Clarissa's globe-traveling friend who comes to visit in season 5.
* [[James Van Der Beek]] as Paulie, a boy whom Clarissa attracts as her punk alter-ego Jade in season 5.
* [[Shannon Woodward]] as Missy, a girl whose lost kitten Ferguson finds in season 5.

==Production==
[[File:Com04901.jpg|thumb|left|''Clarissa Explains It All'' taping at [[Nickelodeon Studios]], 1991]]
Show creator [[Mitchell Kriegman]], who had a background as a short-story writer and video artist, had previously worked on shows such as ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' and ''[[Sesame Street]]''.<ref name=":2" /> He sought to create an offbeat, trendsetting character living a typical teenager's life, but who did not fit the stereotypical representations of teenage girls on television at the time. Kriegman said, "I thought that if other people ... knew what was going on in a 13-year-old girl's mind, it would be cool. They are really experimenting at that age."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Moca|first=Diane Joy|date=1991-04-07|title=Video wizardry and a little make-believe help 13-year-old as 'Clarissa Explains It All'|page=26 A|work=The Courier-Journal|location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]]|url=|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-23 |title='It Was Their Childhood': Looking Back on 30 Years of Clarissa Explains It All |url=https://www.spin.com/2021/03/clarissa-explains-it-all-interview/ |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

''Clarissa Explains It All'' was the second sitcom to premiere on Nickelodeon in 1991, after ''[[Hey Dude]]'' ended its run.<ref name=":2" /> It was one of seven new programs<ref name=":0" /> (three animated and four live-action) to premiere on Nickelodeon that year, as the network began producing more original programming. It outlived the other live-action series introduced that year, ''[[Welcome Freshmen]]'', ''[[Salute Your Shorts]]'', and ''[[Fifteen (TV series)|Fifteen]]'', although ''Fifteen'' (an imported Canadian series) also lasted 65 episodes. Production on the pilot episode took place in September 1990, with Season 1 production beginning in February 1991 and series production wrapping in December 1993.<ref name="For Final Time" />

The show's theme song was sung by [[Rachel Sweet]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Klickstein |first=Mathew |date=2012-02-27 |title=Inside Clarissa Explains It All with Creator Mitchell Kriegman |url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/02/explaining-clarissa-explains-it-all.html |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=John |date=2021-08-12 |title=Clarissa Is Here to Explain It All |url=https://www.theringer.com/tv/2021/8/12/22617757/clarissa-explains-it-all-melissa-joan-hart-interview |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] |language=en}}</ref> It consisted entirely of a melody sung on the syllable "Na," punctuated with the occasional "Way cool!" or "All right! All right!" and underscored by rhythmic instrumentation, ending with a resounding "Just do it!"

A pilot for a follow-up series, ''Clarissa'', was shot for [[CBS]] in 1995, but was not picked up by the network.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2018 |title=13 Things You Didn't Know About 'Clarissa Explains It All' |url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/144559-13-things-you-didnt-know-about-clarissa-explains-it-all |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=[[Bustle (website)|Bustle]] |language=en}}</ref> The pilot was shown on two occasions on Nickelodeon after the original series had ended production. The new series would have involved Clarissa's internship at a New York City newspaper. Comedian [[Robert Klein]] costarred in the pilot as the newspaper's editor. Supporting roles were played by [[Marian Seldes]] and [[Lisa Gay Hamilton]]. In 2002, Hart said that she would not be interested in a cast reunion project: "No. [[Shirley Temple]] taught me one thing. And that was once you finish a career, you move on." In her next television series, ''[[Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996 TV series)|Sabrina, the Teenage Witch]]'', her character actually did become a journalist.

==Broadcast==
After debuting on Saturday, March 23, 1991, at 6 p.m, and repeating twice the next day, ''Clarissa Explains It All'' moved to Sundays at 12:30&nbsp;p.m. and 6:30&nbsp;p.m. starting on April 7, 1991.<ref name="LATimesLipton" /> The following year the show moved to anchor the [[SNICK]] block of Saturday-night Nickelodeon programming, airing at 8 p.m. Saturdays starting on August 15, 1992. New airings continued to be shown at that time (with repeat airings at noon on Sundays) until the end of the series run.

===Reruns===
The series aired in reruns on Nickelodeon from 1994 to 1999, a second time in 2001 as part of the [[TEENick]] block, and a third time in 2004 as part of ''[[U-Pick Live]]''{{'s}} Old School Pick. It also aired on [[TeenNick|The N]] from 2002 to 2003.

The series returned in reruns to ''[[TeenNick]]'' on July 25, 2011, as part of its [[The '90s Are All That]] block. It aired at 10 p.m. Pacific / 1 a.m. Eastern, with the first episode having been 'The Understudy' from Season 2.<ref name="clutch.mtv.com"/><ref name="insidetv1"/>
TeenNick replaced the show with ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'' on September 5, 2011. The series returned to The '90s Are All That from September 26, 2011, to October 6, 2011, when the show was replaced with ''[[Hey Dude]]''. It then returned to TeenNick on December 31, 2011, with the airing of the series finale at a special timeslot, 11:00&nbsp;p.m., to celebrate the end of 2011, and aired on the block again at 1:00am on January 1, 2012, with the airing of the series premiere to celebrate the beginning of 2012. The show aired on The '90s Are All That in a marathon on the night of December 30, 2012, and then a marathon every night from January 21, 2013, to January 27, 2013. On October 6, 2015, the show returned to the block, now known as [[The Splat]]. In 2019, the show is being rerun during the overnight hours on the Nick Pluto TV channel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=April 29, 2019 |title=Viacom Adds Four Flagship Channels To Pluto TV Streaming Service – NewFronts |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/viacom-adds-four-flagship-channels-to-pluto-tv-streaming-service-newfronts-1202602712/?sf211801408=1 |access-date=May 28, 2022 |website=[[Deadline (website)|Deadline]]}}</ref> On March 23, 2020, the show began airing reruns on the [[NickRewind]] block.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-03 |title=Nickelodeon offers three new channels on Pluto TV |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2020/08/03/nickelodeon-offers-three-new-channels-on-pluto-tv/ |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=Broadband TV News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Home video releases==
From 1994 to 95, a number of [[VHS]] tapes were released through [[Sony Wonder]] each containing 2 or 3 episodes alongside other [[Nickelodeon]] shows, usually centered around a certain theme such as school, dating, or sibling rivalry.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Snick, Vol. 1 - Nick Snicks Friendship [VHS] |asin=6302869064 }}</ref> The final VHS release released on March 21, 1995 was the final time that Hart and Zimbler portrayed their respective characters, Clarissa and Ferguson, on screen together.

In May 2005, the show's first season was released on DVD as part of the ''[[Nickelodeon Rewind Collection]]'' by Viacom's corporate subsidiary, [[Paramount Pictures]].<ref name="DVD">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007Y08LK|title=Clarissa Explains It All - Season One (1991)|website=Amazon|date=December 19, 2017 }}</ref> The second season was scheduled to be released a few months later, but it was pulled from [[Paramount Pictures]]' release schedule. To this date, there are no plans to release the series further on DVD.

Season one is also available on [[iTunes]], [[Xbox Live]], and the [[PlayStation Store]].
Many of the various episodes from the 5 seasons of the series are also available on [[Paramount+]].

==Awards==
In 1994, the series was nominated for an [[Emmy Award]] for Outstanding Children's Program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clarissa Explains It All |url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/clarissa-explains-it-all |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=Television Academy |language=en}}</ref> In addition, Hart, O'Neal, and Zimbler also received multiple [[Young Artist Award]] nominations.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101065/awards Awards for ''Clarissa Explains it All'' at IMDB.com]</ref> Hart won three competitive Young Artist Awards during the show's original run,<ref name="Young Artist Awards 13">{{cite web |title=13th Annual Youth in Film Awards |url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms13.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000202175308/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms13.htm |archive-date=February 2, 2000 |access-date=April 25, 2013 |publisher=YoungArtistAwards.org}}</ref><ref name="Young Artist Awards 14">{{cite web |title=14th Annual Youth in Film Awards |url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms14.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000202194940/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms14.htm |archive-date=February 2, 2000 |access-date=April 25, 2013 |publisher=YoungArtistAwards.org}}</ref><ref name="Young Artist Awards 16">{{cite web |title=16th Annual Youth in Film Awards |url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms16.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000711084722/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms16.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2000 |access-date=April 25, 2013 |publisher=YoungArtistAwards.org}}</ref> as well as receiving the association's honorary [[Young Artist Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award|Former Child Star Award]] in 2013 for her role as Clarissa.<ref name="Young Artist Awards 34">{{cite web |title=34th Annual Young Artist Awards |url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms34.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403013454/https://www.youngartistawards.org/noms34.html |archive-date=April 3, 2013 |access-date=April 25, 2013 |publisher=YoungArtistAwards.org}}</ref>

== Revival ==
In March 2018, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' said a revival of the show was "in early development" at Nickelodeon. Hart was reportedly to reprise her role as the title character, who would now be a mother. Hart was also to serve as executive producer on the series alongside original series creator Kriegman, who was in talks to return as a writer. The reports were not confirmed by any of the participants.<ref name="Reboot" /><!-- note: this is a reference for all of the information in this paragraph -->

In March 2022, Hart revealed that the reboot was not moving forward at Nickelodeon.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |author=Gioia |first=Michael |date=March 12, 2022 |title=Melissa Joan Hart Reveals ''Clarissa Explains It All'' Reboot Was 'Squashed' by Nickelodeon: 'We Tried' |url=https://people.com/tv/melissa-joan-hart-reveals-clarissa-explains-it-all-reboot-was-squashed-by-nickelodeon-90s-con/ |access-date=March 16, 2022 |work=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
*The four main cast members competed as contestants for charity on a celebrity edition of ''[[Nick Arcade]]'' during its second season.
*Melissa Joan Hart and Sean O'Neal competed for charity against Chris Lobben and Jocelyn Steiner of ''[[Welcome Freshman]]'' on the final episode of ''[[Get the Picture (game show)|Get the Picture]]''.
*The New York [[electropunk]] group, [[Mindless Self Indulgence]] referred to the show in the song "Clarissa" from their 2000 album ''[[Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy]]''.
*The TV show ''[[Melissa & Joey]]'', which also stars [[Melissa Joan Hart]], the character Lennox has a blog titled "Lennox Explains It All", a nod to the show.<ref>{{cite web |title=Melissa & Joey |url=http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/melissa-joey/lennox-explains-it-all |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521095301/http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/melissa-joey/lennox-explains-it-all |archive-date=May 21, 2012 |access-date=12 October 2015 |work=ABC Family}}</ref>
*The show has been featured in an online [[Internet meme|meme]]-based campaign to bring attention to racism, called "Clarissa Explains White Supremacy".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/12/clarissa-explains-it-all-white-privilege-meme_n_6443048.html | work=Huffington Post | title='Clarissa Explains It All' -- Even White Supremacy | date=January 12, 2015}}</ref>
*In 2012, American post-hardcore/metalcore band, The Paramedic released a song called "Clarissa Didn't Explain This" off of their sophomore album, Smoke and Mirrors.
*In 2015, show creator Mitchell Kriegman wrote a novel, ''Things I Can't Explain: A Clarissa Novel'', described as a "re-imagining" of the show.<ref>{{cite web |title=Things I Can't Explain Publisher Website |url=http://us.macmillan.com/thingsicantexplain/mitchellkriegman |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20151130155337/http://us.macmillan.com/thingsicantexplain/mitchellkriegman |archive-date=2015-11-30 |website=Macmillan Publishers}}</ref>

==See also==
*''[[Bear in the Big Blue House]]''
*''[[The Book of Pooh]]''
*''[[It's A Big Big World]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|last=Hart |first=Melissa Joan |author-link=Melissa Joan Hart |date=2013 |title=Melissa Explains It All: Tales from My Abnormally Normal Life  |url=https://archive.org/details/melissaexplainsi0000hart |location=New York |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=978-1250032836}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0101065}}
*[https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/clarissa-explains-it-all ''Clarissa Explains It All''] at Paramount Plus

{{Former Nickelodeon original series|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:1990s American high school television series]]
[[Category:1990s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s American teen sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s Nickelodeon original programming]]
[[Category:1991 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1994 American television series endings]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Coming-of-age television shows]]
[[Category:Metafictional television series]]
[[Category:Television series about families]]
[[Category:Television series about siblings]]
[[Category:American television series about teenagers]]
[[Category:Nickelodeon sitcoms]]