Ramblings: Collected musings about the series

How Clarissa Talks To Us

One of the unusual things about Clarissa Explains It All is the way in which Clarissa talks to us the viewer, and discusses with us the various things that are going on. The majority of characters in Clarissa Explains It All seem to have no idea of the interface between us (the viewers) and Clarissa. Clarissa can speak and gesture to us without having any effect on most of the people around her. In fact she can present images and dreams to us through the interface.

Sam is certainly aware of the interface and has used it to talk to us in the past (Revenge, Urge to Drive, New Addition and Sam.....Darling). Also in the episode School Picture, Clarissa's friend Jody reacts to things that Clarissa is saying to us.

In Ferguson Explains It All, Ferguson takes over the interface, but of course it turns out to be the dream Ferguson rather than the real one.

Changing With The Years

Over the years of the series, a number of characters have come and gone without a mention. Every now and then though the writers have slipped in references to people we'd met way back. For example, we meet Clarissa's friend Jody in School Picture and while we don't ever see her again, Clarissa does mention going shopping with her two years later in Life of Crime.


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Bevis King <B.King@ee.surrey.ac.uk>
24th July 1995