Original air date: November 13th, 1992
Clover and her parents are waiting for Meadowlark to arrive at the train station. When she does, some reporters question her about the tour she's going to be on to participate in The Nutcracker. Though happy to see her sister, Clover feels overshadowed by her sister's dancing talents.
At a ballet class Clover attends, Meadowlark thanks the students for being understudies for the play. The teacher has the students show Meadowlark the jeté, but Clover fails at it, dampening her confidence even further.
At the ice cream shop with the girls, Clover tells them she'll be playing the harlequin... but only if the actual harlequin performer can't perform, as she is the understudy.
At a rehearsal the day before the show, the pony playing the harlequin falls and twists her ankle, forcing Clover to take her place. Though her family are happy for her, Clover is suffering from stage fright, and resorts to faking amnesia to get out of performing. Her friends escort her home and tell Meadowlark about Clover's amnesia, but Meadowlark sees right through it and goes to comfort her younger sister.
At the show, a new understudy has been chosen to play the harlequin. Clover's parents are disappointed to not be seeing Clover, but are glad that they will see Meadowlark. Clover runs backstage and asks to play the harlequin. Fortunately for her, the new understudy is all too happy to give Clover the part. When it's time to perform, Clover's family recognize her in the costume, and contrary to her fears, Clover, while she does almost lose her footing at one point, pulls off her part with aplomb. Everyone applauds and she takes a bow.
"Send in the Clown" provides examples of:
- An Aesop: Don't let baseless fears prevent you from achieving.
- Bouquet Toss: In Clover's song, Meadowlark tosses a bouquet of flowers above her.
- Bucket Helmet: Clover has a pot on her head after landing in a pile of trash during her song.
- Dude, Not Funny!: When Clover claims not to know her own name, Miss Hackney tilts her head and sternly asks, "Are you trying to be funny?"
- Escort Mission: Clover's friends take it upon themselves to guide Clover home when she's pretending to have amnesia.
- Faking Amnesia: Clover does so in order to get out of performing due to her stage fright. Her friends buy it, but Meadowlark doesn't.
- Famed In-Story: Meadowlark receives a lot of attention from the press for her contributions to ballet and theater.
- Game-Breaking Injury: The harlequin performer falls and twists her ankle, so Clover must replace her.
- Innocently Insensitive: The sisters' parents talking about how famous and beautiful Meadowlark is deflates Clover's self-esteem.
- Melancholy Musical Number: "She's So Much Better Than Me", in which Clover is sad about the attractive qualities Meadowlark possesses that Clover does not.
- Performance Anxiety: Clover tries to get out of being the understudy for the harlequin for this reason.
- Public Domain Soundtrack: A performance of the Tchaikovsky ballet The Nutcracker is put on.
- The Show Must Go On: Invoked; understudies have been selected for the play should anything happen to the intended performers.
- Steam Never Dies: In spite of just about every other piece of technology being appropriate for The '90s, a steam locomotive brings Meadowlark to the station.
- Successful Sibling Syndrome: Meadowlark is a famous and talented ballerina, while Clover is well aware of being The Klutz. As a result, she feels like she's The Unfavorite and in her older sister's shadow. Turns out the former isn't true and her sister is very encouraging to her in her own pursuits.
- Tears of Joy: Meadowlark cries them after Clover pulls off her performance successfully to a round of applause.
- Titled After the Song: Lop the "s" off the end of the title and you have the song from the 1973 musical A Little Night Music.
- Train-Station Goodbye: Inverted; the episode begins with Clover and her parents greeting Meadowlark at the train station, making this a Train-Station Hello.
- Trash Landing: Clover's song "She's So Much Better Than Me" opens with her falling into a pile of trash, then resurfacing with a pot on her head.
- The Watson:
- Sweetheart asks what an understudy is.
- Bon Bon asks what amnesia is.
