Nickelodeon fills up Saturday’s prime time with four for the family

This week, families may soon agree with the Bay City Rollers, who once sang, “Keep on rollin’ to the rock and roll, it’s Saturday night, Saturday night, I just can’t wait,” as Nickelodeon introduces “SNICK” (Saturday Night Nickelodeon), from 8 to 10 p.m., with four original shows, two of them new.

The family-night block starts with Clarissa Explains It All (8-8:30 p.m.), starring Joan Hart as Clarissa Darling, who offers her point of view on everything from rock ‘n’ roll to radical relatives.

Roundhouse (8:30-9 p.m.), a new variety show with music, dance and sketch comedy, features an ensemble cast of a dozen young actor-singer-dancers. The show’s creator, Buddy Sheffield, is the former head writer for “In Living Color.” The show is taped before a live audience at Nickelodeon studios in Orlando.

New episodes of the animated Ren and Stimpy (9-10 p.m.) also will premiere Saturday. The popular show follows the wacky adventures of the ornery asthma-hound Chihuahua and his trusting feline friend. “Ren and Stimpy” will also continue to air on Sunday mornings at 11.

The new anthology suspense series Are You Afraid Of The Dark? (9:30-10 p.m.) begins each episode with a group of kids known as “The Midnight Society.” They gather around a campfire to tell scary stories from American folklore that have been passed down by kids for generations. Nick promises suspense and dramatic tension without resorting to violence, blood and gore.

“SNICK,” Saturday, 8-10 p.m. Nickelodeon. For 9 and up.

MORE KIDS’ SHOWS

Famed child-star Shirley Temple is among the featured stars in Going Hollywood: The Thirties (Sunday 9-10 p.m. the Disney Channel), which--through film clips and in rare backstage moments--portrays the parade of celebrities who helped make Hollywood the world’s “Dream Factory.” For ages 8 and up.

The colorful and lavish Samuel Goldwyn production of The Adventures of Marco Polo (Monday 10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. American Movie Classics) stars Gary Cooper as the 13th-Century Venetian explorer, who survives snowstorms, shipwrecks and avalanches on his way to the Orient. As the first white man in China, he encounters Kublai Khan and a beautiful princess. For ages 9 and up.

Invention (Tuesday 9 p.m. the Discovery Channel) focuses on the daring, fascinating, scream-fest roller coasters, the latest telescope technology and people who are donning polarized cellophane every day. For ages 12 and up.

A musical celebration, Sea World Summer Night Magic (Friday 9-10 p.m. the Family Channel) from Sea World of Orlando, will be hosted by Ann Jillian. Guest performers will include Tony Award-winning actor Ben Vereen, Academy Award-winning music conductor-composer Bill Conti and magician Franz Harary. Shamu and his Sea World associates will present amusing arias including “Ridi Beluga,” “Salmon Chanted Evening,” and “Clair de Tuna.” For ages 8 and up.