Past, Present, Future: Melissa Joan Hart Has Them Covered

It’s official: Melissa Joan Hart can join the ranks of Beanie Babies, the Sony Discman and grunge fashion as one of the 1990’s pop culture icons.

The show that launched her career, “Clarissa Explains It All,” has been selected by viewers to appear on TeenNick’s late night programming block called “The ‘90s Are All That,” aimed at 20-somethings who want to relive their formative years.   

Patch caught up with Hart, who says that she is excited that the show is back on the air.

“ 'Clarissa’ has not been on the air in 13 years. It’s the first time people have seen it in more than a decade,” she said.

Although the world has changed since “Clarissa Explains It All” first hit the airwaves in 1991, the concerns of the American teenager haven’t – dating, grades, drinking and sibling rivalry were all topics the sitcom addressed in a contemporary way during its run on Nickelodeon.

“I’ve been watching it, and although the graphics look a little dated, the show is still relevant,” Hart said. “I’m wearing Keith Haring T-shirts, and I quote Queen Latifah and Gandhi. The writers were really brilliant people. They were really smart about who they referenced. It’s holding up to the test of time. Even some of the clothing trends have come back; leggings, Converse sneakers, Doc Martins. It’s come full circle.”

Hart said the revival of the show has also inspired some personal nostalgia.

“I’ve had a lot of calls and emails from the crew of the show which has brought back memories,” she said. “Our oldest son’s Godparents worked on the crew of ‘Clarissa’ and were part of the reason that we moved to Connecticut. We were at the Stamford Yacht Club with them recently, sitting at the pool and reminiscing about the show.”

In a society that embraces celebrity culture, the influence that TV and movie stars have on teenagers can be profound. Hart is proud that shows like “Clarissa” provided positive role models for teens.

“I’ve had people tell me on Twitter that they became a journalist because Clarissa wanted to be a journalist, someone else told me they became a stylist because they were inspired by Clarissa’s sense of style," she said. "Someone even told me that they aced a science exam on mitosis because of the show – Clarissa was having trouble learning about it — I love hearing how the show affected people so much.”

Hart said that seeing “Clarissa Explains It All” back on the air has been “amazing,” and proudly says that she worked very hard to make the show a success.

“The hard work really paid off,” she said. “It’s a cult hit and that’s a huge bonus for anyone in this industry.”

Her hard work has paid off in other ways as well. In an industry that is notoriously fickle, Hart has is one of the fortunate few who has been able to establish a career that’s spanned more than 20 years.

“It’s been wonderful to have three different shows in three decades,” she says.

Hart is, of course, referencing her other iconic hit, “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” that aired during the late 90s and into the early part of 2003, and her current show, “Melissa and Joey,” on ABC Family.

“Melissa and Joey,” co-starring her friend and 90s heartthrob Joey Lawrence, is a half-hour situation comedy that made its debut last summer. The hardworking duo taped 30 episodes of the show, and the first 12 were broadcast in 2010. The remaining episodes in the first season began airing on June 29 and will continue through the summer and early fall.

A family show, the focus is on Melissa, a single fun-loving politician in Toledo, Ohio, who takes custody of her teenage niece and nephew.  Enter Joey Lawrence, a recently unemployed business executive, as manny she hires to help out. The show follows the unconventional family as they attempt to navigate the sometimes murky waters of parenting and teen life with a dash of will-they-or-won’t-they romantic tension.

She said that this summer’s shows will hold some surprises for fans. 

“With any show, during the first episodes you’re getting to know the characters, you’re just scratching the surface," she said. "Now we’ve really got our footing and the wheels are greased. You’ll see a lot more teasing, a lot more of the kids, more bickering and clashes having to do with living in the same household. Joey’s two brothers show up in a couple episodes and Scott Michael Foster from 'Greek' appears as a younger man I’m dating. That causes a little tension."

ABC Family recently signed “Melissa and Joey” for a second season and the show is currently in pre-production. Hart says they start taping in Los Angeles in three weeks. She is an executive producer of the show and is also slated to direct one of the first 15 episodes, “I’m a little scared,” she confides, but says that it’s, “better to be more involved creatively, than just an actor-for-hire.”

What else is in store for Hart? She’s working on an outline for a feature film, getting her eldest son ready for kindergarten and working with the Westport Theater Initiative in their quest to bring a movie theater to town. She’s also been promoting her short film, “Mute,” which she directed while she was expecting her first child. The film has won acclaim at numerous film festivals and she hopes to bring it to a wider audience soon.

If this isn’t enough, Hart finds time to Tweet (follow her @MellyJHart) and rock out to her singer/songwriter husband Mark Wilkerson’s band – if you’re lucky you can catch them at Bobby Q’s!

“Clarissa Explains It All” is on NickTeen, Monday through Friday, midnight to 4 a.m. (see programming lineup for details).

“Melissa and Joey” airs on ABC Family, Wednesdays at 8 p.m.