Editing Clarissa Explains It All (section)

==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===
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* 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===
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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.