Nickelodeon's 'Clarissa Explains It All' Reboot: Melissa Joan Hart To Reprise Role As Clarissa Darling
Clarissa Darling of Nickelodeon's Clarissa Explains It All is set to return on a reboot series starring Melissa Joan Hart in her original lead role.
Clarissa Explains It All is a popular family-oriented show that went on a three-year run from 1991 to 1994. The younger Hart starred as Clarissa who would speak the truth about life issues such as adolescence and relationships.
Hart went on to play another lead role in Sabrina The Teenage Witch after Clarissa Explains It All concluded its airtime. Mitchell Kriegman will also possibly return as the writer and producer of the reboot. Kriegman is the original creator of the Clarissa Darling show.
In 2015, Kriegman wrote a sequel to Clarissa in a novel titled Things I Can't Explain. The book featured Clarissa in her 20s dealing with adult issues.
If Nickelodeon is closing in deals for Clarissa Explains It All, it will have to compete for airtime with Fuller House.
Clarissa's All Grown Up
It has been 24 years since Clarissa Explains It All wrapped up, so it is possible that the lead character is taking on a more mature role. Nickelodeon is yet to comment on the plot, but reports hinted that Hart could be playing a matriarch character this time.
Hart is also reported to act as an executive producer of the show, although no deals have been set in stone as of yet. Sources said that the network is trying to create a comeback of the 90s teen show for its 25th anniversary.
Netflix's Take On Sabrina
Meanwhile, Hart's other character, Sabrina, is in the works for a reboot on streaming service Netflix. In an interview in February, Hart said that she had thought Clarissa Explains It All would make a comeback on Nickelodeon because it did have an abrupt ending.
"I like the way we left Sabrina. I think Sabrina ended on a really great note, and I don't think you want to go back and explore that. At the same time, I think Clarissa ended on a note that could be explored again because it didn't really have an ending - it sort of ended," Hart said.
The decision to revive Sabrina happened as Viacom announced they are planning to have a reboot of Blues Clues with a 20-episode show order on an indefinite release date. Viacom is the TV cable company that backs up Nickelodeon as one of its stable kids-centric channels.
Nickelodeon's ratings have also performed well versus Disney Channel, which garnered a 24 percent drop in viewers last year.
