The WORST episodes of Clarissa Explains It All

Every episode of Clarissa Explains It All ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Clarissa Explains It All!

Clarissa is an active girl with a unique perspective on teenage life who must deal with an annoying brother and wacky parents.

Last Updated: 5/15/2025Network: NickelodeonStatus: Ended
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#1 - Ferguson Explains It All

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 4/23/1994

Ferguson reads a book on mind control then uses the included glasses to hypnotize friends and family. Clarissa counters Fergs attempts to control her mind by fighting fire with fire.

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star
4.00
2 votes

#2 - Involunteering

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/12/1992

Janet recruits the whole family to participate in Volunteer Day at the Children's Museum. Clarissa desperately wants to get out of this assignment and lucks out when the museum closes because of boiler problems.

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star
4.00
2 votes

#3 - Sam's Swan Song

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/19/1992

Sam's mom comes to town to play in a roller derby match. Although she is the "Most Valuable Slayer," she announces that she wants to quit the derby and take Sam back to Seattle to live with her for good.

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star
4.00
2 votes

#4 - Janet's Old Boyfriend

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/26/1992

Marshall becomes jealous when Janet's ex-boyfriend, a successful writer, pays the Darlings a visit for dinner.

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star
4.50
2 votes

#5 - Educating Janet

Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 10/16/1993

Clarissa and Ferguson face difficulty when their mother starts teaching at their high school.

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star
5.00
2 votes

#6 - The Zone

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/10/1993

Clarissa develops stage fright when asked to play a flute solo at the school music recital.

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star
5.00
3 votes

#7 - Poetic Justice

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/1992

Clarissa turns to her computer to help her finish an assignment for which she must write a poem. Not only does the computer "write" a strange but well-loved poem, but also Clarissa is chosen to represent her school at a banquet for young poets.

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The Understudy
star
5.00
2 votes

#8 - The Understudy

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/22/1992

Clarissa is the understudy for the lead in the school play but is suddenly pressed into action.

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star
5.33
3 votes

#9 - The Darling Wars

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/24/1992

After being left alone for the night, Clarissa and Ferguson take turns scaring one another. Over the course of the evening, the Darling war continues escalate until an unexpected guest frightens them both.

Directors: Liz Plonka
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Can't Buy Love
star
5.33
3 votes

#10 - Can't Buy Love

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 8/29/1992

Ferguson's rich new friend uses him to get to Clarissa.

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Cool Dad
star
5.33
3 votes

#11 - Cool Dad

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/8/1991

Marshall is invited to speak at Clarissa's school's career night, which she finds embarrassing. Clarissa tries to convince him not to go, unsuccessfully. Marshall decides to become 'cool' to fit in.

Directors: Chuck Vinson
Watch Now:Amazon
star
5.67
3 votes

#12 - Take My Advice... Please

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/19/1992

Ferguson has fallen in love and is asking everyone for advice, including Clarissa, who wants to give him the worst advice possible. Yet every bad idea she gives him works in his favor and all the girls go crazy for him.

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Parents Who Say No!
star
5.67
3 votes

#13 - Parents Who Say No!

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/15/1991

Clarissa wants a job at the Baxter beach carnival but her parent's think she is too young and say no. She then sets out to get them to change their mind. They finally say yes, but the job doesn't quite work out how she expected.

Directors: Chuck Vinson
Watch Now:Amazon
star
5.67
3 votes

#14 - Punch the Clock

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/21/1992

Clarissa is broke and decides to get a job. She declines to use Ferguson's job placement business, but lets the librarian help her with her resume and job search. Clarissa gets multiple job offers, all of which she accepts.

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star
5.67
3 votes

#15 - The Silent Treatment

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/28/1992

Ferguson has decided to torture Clarissa by giving her "The Silent Treatment." Clarissa retaliates by devising a software program designed to gross him out when he steps into the bathroom.

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star
5.67
3 votes

#16 - Tale of Two Moms

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/28/1993

Trouble ensues when Sam's messy mother comes to stay with the Darlings.

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star
5.67
3 votes

#17 - Don't I Know You?

Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 9/11/1993

Clarissa turns to a distant relative's journal for tips to help her win the school talent show.

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star
5.67
3 votes

#18 - Babysitting

Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 9/25/1993

Clarissa babysits for a troublemaking girl with a crush on Ferguson.

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star
5.67
3 votes

#19 - A Little Romance

Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 8/14/1993

Clarissa and Sam go out on a date but decide they're better off as friends.

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star
6.00
1 votes

#20 - Sam's Dad

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/8/1994

Problems arise after Clarissa and Sam are respectively assigned internships under the other's father.

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star
6.00
1 votes

#21 - Marshall's Midlife Crisis

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/26/1992

During a midlife crisis, Marshall decides to move the family to a small South Pacific island. Clarissa does her best to change his mind before the house sells.

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star
6.00
1 votes

#22 - Football Fever

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/23/1993

Ferguson tries out for the football team in an effort to win Marshall's bet with a neighbor. Clarissa uses exercise to get Ferguson into shape.

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star
6.00
1 votes

#23 - Life of Crime

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/30/1993

Clarissa fears a future life of crime after accidentally stealing some lingerie from a store. Returning the merchandise proves to be harder than taking it.

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star
6.00
1 votes

#24 - Marshall's Parents Visit

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/13/1993

Sam scores two tickets to a Pearl Jam concert. Clarissa wants to attend the concert but also feels obligated to DJ her grandparents' anniversary party.

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star
6.00
1 votes

#25 - Blind Date

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/27/1993

Sam sets up himself and Clarissa on a double blind date. Clarissa is besieged by visions of a blind date from hell. But after Sam describes how cool her date is, she begins to think that she might be the geek.

Directors: Chuck Vinson
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