25 Shows: Daria

Show 3 of 25: DARIA
(1997-2002)

it’s about:
Daria Morgendorffer… her daily observations and commentary of Lawndale and its residents. This animated series is a hilarious satire of high school life.

my earliest history with the show:
I couldn’t remember exactly when I started watching Daria. I know I was in high school. It was the height of the bubble gum pop era where Britney, Christina and boy bands pretty much ruled MTV. I usually tune in to the channel for background noise; but I only chance upon Daria episodes. I never knew when exactly it aired during the week. I just know I enjoyed it; and i loved its dry humor and wit.

why it sticks:
Daria’s voice by itself is so distinct. Add to it her commentary on high school life and you’ve got one smart show. Sarcastic statements uttered one after another never gets old. The characters around her are heightened versions of high school cliches, which were fresh bait for the cynical, jaded and opinionated Daria. She loved making fun of them. I loved watching her make fun of them.

At its funniest, she speaks the truth in her observations… and we get it. Most of the time, I don’t understand why she’s among these people and just get out of town. This is where the show reveals some heart in the sense that no matter how superior Daria may be compared to the others, she cares about the school, her family and her classmates. Daria encounters a lot of moral dilemmas in the span of the show; and here we see the constant struggle between her head and her heart. The satirical social commentary is just a bonus.

I wasn’t able to watch the series in consecutive order when it originally aired. Like I said, I never knew when its exact schedule was. Recently, I re-watched the series and I found even more layers to the show, which made it all the more special. Daria encountered some problems with her friend Jane because of a love triangle. That was news to me. That story arc revealed another side of Daria. She’s more than the monotonous voice and constant sarcasm. She actually fell in love. It was a simply awesome thing to watch.

best memory:
Watching and re-watching the series was a blur. So nothing else stuck out other than the iconic, never to be forgotten opening credits of the show… La la la la la…