TV | Pop Culture | Celebrities | 90s
5 Facts About Melissa Joan Hart's Other Show That You Need Clarissa To Explain To You
Everyone seems to know Melissa Joan Hart from her spell-casting role in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. But truth be told, she should be getting mad props for her hilarious performance in this cult classic 90s show.
Clarissa Explains It All had it all, witty performance humor, cool video effects, and it was one of the first shows that young girls could relate to as they were finding their way in the world.
So check out these facts on the show that you've likely forgot and get ready to fall in love with this child starlet all over again. Just do it!
What's In A Name?
The show's producer, Mitchell Kriegman, said he came up with the name Clarissa Darling for a particular reason, but it's one that he will never reveal.
“That’s a secret that’s going to go to my grave with me,” he says. “The only thing I can say is that I intentionally picked a name that she could say that she hated.”
He did confirm that her last name is from the beloved children's book Peter Pan.
Swear On The Bible
Many producers leave character details up to actor interpretation or allow the writing team to handle the nitty gritty of nuanced directions on set. Not so with Kreigman, he actually wrote a 52 page "Bible" as to how certain characters would act, or segment formats.
For instance, Clarissa was to control all the video effect, and should usually say "OK" just before starting an effect. Go back and see for yourself!
Color Me Surprised
This one is going to blow your mind. Remember her wacky wardrobe and really out-there bedroom? Guess what: There was almost never any purple in there.
One of the rules from the "Bible" said there was never going to be purple in the scenes, ever. Apparently, there was no good reason for it either, he just wanted to assert himself on set. But Melissa definitely snuck in some purple here and there we're sure.
Start A Fight
We all knew that sibling rivalry was a major theme in the show, but did you know that writers were actually rewarded for coming up with really good fights?
Her annoying younger brother, Ferguson, was the exact opposite of Clarissa and what her character was meant to be about. It spawned so many hilarious scenes that we could all relate to!
Time To Go...
When the show was cancelled in it's fourth season, it left many fans confused. At the time, everyone loved the show, why would it just end?
Turns out, Nickelodean and MTV had firm rules in place for broadcasting to their age groups, and as the audience was getting older, they decided to end on a high note.