Daria (1997–2002) User Reviews

A great high school comedy that just happens to be animated

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 1 February 2013]

Daria is an unlikely protagonist; an unpopular high school girl who moves to a new town in the opening episode. To make matters worse she speaks in a constant monotone. She may be an unlikely protagonist but she is a good one due to her biting commentary on those around her. Her only friend is Jane an artistic girl who shares Daria's disdain for those around her.

The rest of the cast might sound like a collection of clichés; the cute popular sister, mother who lives for her job, blonde bimbo cheer leaders dating an equally stupid football star... but they are hilarious. Her teachers are equally funny; a history teacher with anger issues, an overly sensitive English teacher, a man-hating science teacher and a principal who only cares about making money.

The episodes each focus various aspects of a teen's life; for the most part these are fairly typical events that are taken just a little bit further than likely in reality for amusement. Some episodes are a little far fetched but it is very rare that it goes too far... the 'holiday' episode being the only real failure I can think of.

I first watched this when it aired on a main channel many years ago and thought it was great; I had given up hope of ever seeing it again when I founding hidden away on Viva (UK Freeview Channel 21, which belongs to MTV); they clearly value it as it appears to show on a constant loop two episodes per week night. Watching again I was reminded just why I enjoyed it so much; the animation is decent and the writing is consistently sharp; even though I suspect the target demographic is teenaged girls it can be enjoyed by people of either gender and almost all ages; while there is nothing really offensive there are a few discreet jokes of a sexual nature. Overall I'd say that this series is well worth seeking out as it is consistently funny without resorting to gross out immature humour.

MTV's Smartest Show, Spun-off From Its "Dumbest!"

[DeanNYC · 9/10 · 6 February 2007]

Daria Morgendorffer began as a minor character on the iconic MTV animated series, "Beavis & Butthead." She was briefly the super smart foil for the doofus stars of that program in a couple of crucial episodes. But it was clear there was much more to explore in her mind and her world and she graduated to her own series in short order.

In a perfect sense of reversal, the resulting program was arguably the most brilliantly crafted program ever offered by MTV, save perhaps some of the documentary news programs they occasionally presented.

Daria moved with her family to Lawndale, a suburban Everytown U.S.A. setting with her overachieving, overworking parents and her spoiled brat and scholastically challenged fashion plate sister, Quinn. Where Quinn had no problem finding a place to fit in at this new locale, with new pals and boyfriends aplenty, Daria was instantly marginalized, even from her younger sib, who denied even being related to her as they both attended the same high school! Luckily, she found a friend in "self esteem" class, artistic outcast Jane Lane, and the instant simpatico created meant a case of permanent bonding between the two, which stood them in good stead throughout the run of the series.

The intelligence of the show was rooted in the constant annoyances created by the situations Daria faced and her matter-of-fact methods of reasoning her way out of them. There were a series of stock characters, from faculty to fellow students, but this only added to the appeal of the program, as they could be relied on to provide actions and reactions that moved the stories in different ways, and gave a certain stability to the plots.

Daria's severe sense of irony and her withering view of what the world was all about was fodder for nearly every episode of the program and provided most of the truth and the humor for it. Kudos to the two lead voices: Tracy Grandstaff who gave v/o to the bespectacled title character, and Wendy Hoopes who was talented enough to portray Daria's mom, her friend Jane, AND her main nemesis, Quinn!

The show had something to say about families, dysfunction, sibling rivalry, the school system, athletics, mall culture, trendiness, television, greed, love, entertainment, friendship and our country's values as a whole, and maybe that was all summed up in the title of the popularly watched television show within the show: "Sick Sad World." Still, they somehow managed to perform a musical episode, so how sick or sad could it truly be?

There's still a need for Daria... and looking at the current programming on MTV, perhaps now more than ever! Any chance of new episodes for our favorite critic/genius?

An extraordinary show I identify with.

[Ken-120 · 9/10 · 21 March 2000]

I heard a few things about this show and I finally took advantage to see it. I'm one of those viewers who watched "The Simpsons' for Lisa, and I thought that this would be a show that focused of a similar character.

Well, this show goes beyond that. Daria is a character that feels more like me than any other I have ever encountered. I went through three high schools and the first two were a hell with morons who thought it was the height of entertainment to harass a bookish outsider like me. Well, Daria is the same kind of person, but with a difference. She usually has an way of responding to abuse with her wit and intelligence in ways I could not pull off. And yet, she has her flaws that make her so human like her hidden insecurities and her softer side that she submerges. She is facing her own life and its troubles in much the same way I did and I cannnot turn away from seeing her fight to achieve the happiness she secretly wants.

Best of all, this show has the courage to show her story in a subtle continuity minded show that allows her to grow. You can see the whole series as one story, and yet you can still jump in part way to her development.

In short, this series is about a person I wish I could have been as a teen and a girl who I wish I could have met as one myself. If I could have earned her respect, then teenage life would have passed easier with her company.

"Daria" epitomizes ironic ingenuity

[morphion2 · 10/10 · 4 January 2006]

The self-defeating world of MTV began as a spark in the mind of one perceptive demographics adviser or another, but soon it grew to epidemic proportions, numbing and sugarcoating all things rebellious in a depressingly successful attempt to convince the masses that nonconformity is all about styles and fads. Any sensible teenager will tell you that it is an unwitting mockery of the things it believes it is making available to an already converted audience, but amongst the throngs of bright colors and loud-but-not-too-loud noises that essentially is MTV, you will occasionally find a gem; an intelligent, insightful, informed show of independent thought, sincerity and sardonic subtlety. "Daria" is one such example.

Anybody who used to watch "Beavis and Butthead" (no comment) will recognize Daria already, as the plain girl with glasses and the monotone voice that would often foil the titular duo's moronic and half-baked plans. When the show began to think about packing it in, MTV approached the creators with the offer of giving Daria her own show. And thank heavens for that. Not only is "Daria" up there with "Frasier" as one of the greatest spin-offs of all time, but it threatens to take a place as one of the greatest stand-alone shows of all time.

Daria Morgendorffer, our bland anti-heroine, is not your average teenage girl. Smart, sarcastic, opinionated but highly unmotivated, her life revolves around observing the actions of others with her best friend Jane Lane, a misfit artist from a family of unconventional thinkers. Together Daria and Jane see fit to mock the sea of stereotypes that is their suburban hometown of Lawndale, mainly the student body of their high school. Daria's deep loathing of all things superficial is regularly tested by the presence of her shallow and materialistic sister Quinn, while her workaholic lawyer mother Helen and her perpetually stressed out and slightly unbalanced father Jake struggle to do the right thing by their daughters in the interactive jumble that is life in Lawndale.

At a mere glance, one might perceive "Daria" as a children's show, due to its animation. However, even the slightest exertion of further examination would reveal that it is no more a children's show than "The Angry Beavers" is a sophisticated portrayal of American Wildlife. Where a lot of shows sell their credibility for cheap laughs and mold their characters on popularity polls, "Daria" is firm in its subtlety, never wavering in its belief that, given time, its audience will get the joke. Some may take longer than others, but all that do never turn back.

The genius of the show lies in its ironic reflection of a culture that would never allow a show like this to get off the ground. Surrounded on all sides by the trivial and materialistic values she lives to hate, Daria takes refuge in the companionship of Jane, the isolated safety of her own room and the glow of the television (which will probably be tuned in to dissocial ironathon news program 'Sick Sad World'), emerging now and again for a futile attempt to significantly impact the alienating world around her. And perhaps the experience might be alienating to us, the audience, if it weren't for the shows strategic and successful ploy to get us to see the world through Daria's eyes. Once there, we're completely hooked, and all the rest of the show's intrinsic jokes fall into place.

Arguably the most enviable quality of animation is its freedom to let characters be exaggerated without being unrealistic. The most brilliant thing about this is that eventually, characters that are truly only meant to serve as tired clichés perversely become beloved, unique personalities. Trent, Jane's lazy soft spoken musician brother with delusions of future stardom with his garage band Mystik Spiral, Kevin and Brittany, quarterback of the football team and head of the cheerleaders respectively, two blissfully ignorant airhead lovers with no aspirations beyond their current high school status, Mr. O'Neal, the hypersensitive English teacher, balanced in the extreme by the borderline psychopathic Mr. DeMartino, an irate History teacher who has lost the will to educate. Even the unbearably shallow and conceited Fashion Club, four fashion-victimized teenage girls who believe their undeservedly elitist circle is doing the world around them a world of good, gradually grow on you until, like it or not, you couldn't imagine Lawndale without them.

It is because of this paradoxical attachment to the characters that serious plot developments towards the end of the series are able to engage the audience on a level that is more than just honesty for the sake of mockery. Once we've grown accustomed to Daria's detached and cynical attitude, the show begins to admit that perhaps it has been having us on a little bit, at least concerning the rigid personalities of our beloved caricature personas. Therefore, once Daria has opened up a smidgeon , so does her/our view of her world, in an event suspiciously symptomatic of personal growth. And from there it's a small step to actually caring about the students, teachers and residents of Lawndale as we farewell them in the "Daria" movie finale "Is It College Yet?", in which we see our little high-schoolers graduate and move on. It says a lot about the show that it is able to gradually soften its bite enough to let us feel for the characters without ever feeling inconsistent.

If one were to only catch a few episodes of "Daria", then they might like what they see, and they'd be well justified. But they'd ultimately be missing out. Because as entertaining as the self-contained half-hour segments of the show can be, the world of Daria is not about separate jokes, separate characters, separate stories or separate anything. Everything within the show works to build to a greater understanding about teenage life, indeed about life in general, and everything it entails; a simple masterpiece that's value only increases when put into social context.

One of the best cartoons of the 90's

[Idolprincess · 11 July 2004]

I've read the user comments for "Daria" and I noticed one thing. All the bad reviews are written by elitist goth kids who disliked that an "alternative" show like it was aired on a "mainstream" TV channel like MTV. Don't let yourself fooled by these comments.

Sure, this show aired on MTV. Doesn't it seem a bit weird that it bashes everything MTV is all about? Sure, it is trendy to be different and artsy to some extent. Didn't MTV just want to take advantage of this? Personally, I think that Daria is one of the best and funniest shows that I've ever seen.

This show might seem like it's about teen angst. It might seem like Daria is your typical high school outcast with her artistic friend who are proud of being "different" yet aren't that much different after all. But this is not at all what it's like.

First, this show isn't particularly aired at teenagers. It's aired at any young people, I'd say anyone from 12 to 35 but people in their late teens and 20's can enjoy it more since they've gone through high school or are still in high school. Daria criticizes high school life. Aside from the "be yourself and screw what others think" moral, the goal of the show is to make it's watchers laugh. Daria lives in an exagerated version of reality where teenagers and adults are completely brainwashed by society and often act in ridiculous ways. This is what is so funny. Even though the show is so realistic, the fact that it's exagerated reminds us that it doesn't take itself too seriously and that the goal isn't to be preachy but to be humorous.

As I said earlier, Daria is not your typical rebellious teenager. Daria and her friend Jane are spectators in the show and their only roles are to let us see the world through their eyes. However, Jane and Daria are two completely different characters. Jane is a lot less negative than Daria about a lot of things, by example. This only makes the show more interesting because they aren't just two goth teenagers whining about the world around them. Daria is a realistic character while not being a stereotype. Many people view her as a person who's unconfident but I think she's more confident than most characters in the show. She just views things as they are, with a tint of bitterness, without falling into the "gothic" category, yet she still treats her surroundings with respect.

If you disliked the superficial world that is high school, I suggest this show for a lot of laughs.

This serious show oozes 90s MTV and it's awesome.

[highnemonkey · 10/10 · 19 January 2018]

Back in the 1990s MTV used to be a driving force in world wide subculture. This show is a timeless container for the spirit of grunge, early internet, high school-horror and teenage angst. The characters are so well-crafted, it is actually shoking and surprising throughout the whole series. Many cartoons tried character development, more mature narratives and reoccuring themes but in Daria it feels unforced and fits so well. I would not even describe the cartoon with a "serious tone", its simply not a quirky kids show. The relationship between Daria and Jane, which has its ups and downs, is beautifully displayed and closer to real human experience than I have seen in almost anything. Daria is the cynical teenage proto-hipster that might have inspired many after her (when College Humor made a fake real-action-trailer Aubrey Plaza was an unsurprising casting) but has moments that make her more vivid, self-reflecting and plastic than most of the Simpsons. Even the stereotypes like Quinn show depth at times that catches you by surprise and make you forget you're watching a teenage cartoon.

Entertaining, serious, poetic, rewatchable, funny, cool - Daria has it all.

Daria and My favorite Phrase of Her.

[leandrocastillo · 10/10 · 19 July 2020]

"You can Have intellectual Skills and Still be Morally bankrupt". I Love this.

"You're Standing on My Neck"

[Rectangular_businessman · 10/10 · 5 January 2013]

Daria" is simply one of the best shows about teens that I've seen in my entire life. More than being just a good spin-off of "Beavis & Butthead", "Daria" was a great series with its own merits. It was funny, clever and ironic, but at the same time managed to have many sincere heartwarming moments. It was even cute occasionally, without being corny.

What made "Daria" so good (Besides of the excellent jokes) were the characters, which were much more complex that one could expect: At first sight, each one of them seems like the classic cliques and stereotypes from many other teen stories (The dumb blonde cheerleader, the Gothic girl, the dumb jock and the eccentric teachers) but a closer look showed that each one of them had a much more interesting and well developed personality, being each one of them very funny and likable. I have to admit, that at first, I didn't like Daria (I mean the character, not the show, which I liked from the first episode) but as I saw more episodes, I started to understand why she was sarcastic about almost everything, and the way in which she interacted with her family and the other students.

I miss animated shows like this. Now, almost all the recent "adult" animated shows are way too much focused in shock value and mean-spirited jokes, but "Daria" remains to be one of the best series from all the history of television, being a witty and honest portrayal of teen life.

10/10

If you're a teenager, "Daria" is the best you can see

[ExD3ath · 10/10 · 20 June 2020]

As a typical teenager with a lot of problems, i can recommend this masterpiece certainly to everyone. Despite the fact that the series takes place in the 90s, the problems of society and teenagers haven't changed so much. Generally, the cartoon doesn't feel outdated at all. If I hadn't seen the release date, I wouldn't have assumed that the cartoon is already 20 years old. I have no friends, but Daria and Jane replaced them more than completely. The cartoon has an unusual fleur that allows you to feel as comfortable and warm as possible while watching. Most episodes are ordinary stories of ordinary teenagers that can happen to everyone, which adds a few more points to the atmosphere. Problems with parents, first love, quarrels with friends, the difficulty of choosing your future and constant moral pressure, all this is familiar to almost everyone. Sarcasm, irony, and humor are some of the few things that can help deal with all this. And if you feel unwell due to problems, Daria can help you accept the fact that you shouldn't worry so much with her example. A separate point should be noted music. It is really breathtaking.Even guitar riffs between scenes sound cooler than a lot of soundtracks from other cartoons.

Daria, i love u <3

One of the best cartoons ever

[atomius · 10/10 · 23 December 2005]

This would have to be one of my all time fave cartoons, and i have seen plenty. It would rank about third place, and thats pretty good when you consider that second place is Futurama and first is The Simpsons.

This is, put it simply, a hilarious look into the idiocies of modern American life and an exaggerated portrayal of stereotypical figures within youth culture. It was cancelled in 2002 after a movie, but i reckon it should've continued. The characters were really developing well. That is one interesting point, the show is almost overly realistic, what keeps it fun and watchable is the humour of Daria as observant one.

The show is generally shown as Daria and her friend Jane sees it. Generally the other characters, either stupid teenagers obsessed with their friendships (social people) or unimportant things and with no intelligence, or middle class workers unaware, or trying to forget, that the society has more than just a few hairline cracks in it's cement foundations. Daria and Jane, however, are, relative to their 'classmates', more rational, or at least more intelligent to a certain degree. The humour is very well made and it doesn't feel like a sitcom as the Simpsons or Futurama do, but rather an observation of life, a bit like a true 'reality show'. My favourite plot is when the cola company UltraCola takes over the high school and corrupts it's principal. That to me is the perfect mix of satire and humour. Exaggeration is necessary for this mix.

The main characters apart from the two aforementioned include Daria's sister, Quinn, who tries to alienate herself from Daria and pretends she isn't related for much of the series before becoming more 'mature', Daria's parents, her father a 'stressed out' middle class man and her mother a work-obsessed businesswoman. Also there is a broad range of exaggerated American stereotypical characters including the fashion club who are obsessed so much with clothes and social status it's like a cult of some sort.

The animation itself is very good quality, and the jokes about four thousand miles in front of many of it's cartoon brethren. All in all, it is a pity it ended so soon, it'll soon be in that nostalgic valhalla where seinfeld, fawlty towers and other shows cancelled before their time reside.

All in all i give the show ten out of ten. One of the 90s best cartoons.

The only bright spot of MTV, not that it is saying much

[reddragonhero17 · 6/10 · 1 April 2014]

I recall my high school years with plenty of ups and downs and Daria tries to do just that. On the surface the idea of going through high school's many realistic twists and turns and the diversity would make it a fun, interesting, and thought provoking premise. However, one with a genuine common sense would then be disappointed for following the plot is not so much fun, the jokes (if any) are not very funny, I may have chuckled at a few jokes but for the most part I know there were plenty I should not be laughing at. The biggest problem for me is the main character, while she broadcasts individualism and integrity well, this however is a double-edged sword of a message as she believes that this gives her the right to treat almost everyone around her including her own family members like garbage. As if teenagers don't need any more negative influences in this world, it would only seem that Glenn Eischer is a graduate of BABU (Beavis and Butthead University), where they claim they are criticizing society only to give hypocritical messages. While I don't blame her attitude for the society that she faces (if the rest of everyone is portrayed as caricatures of startling stupidity or self-righteousness), that doesn't excuse it. Even worse, Daria acts more like a Greek Chorus type character rather than an actual protagonist, though she does say something good for her scholarship. Contrary to what the fans say, I believe Tom was a good character for a boyfriend as he added something that was lacking in Daria, Humanity.

All in all while I am partly grateful that MTV did try to redeem themselves a bit, I am glad that I can live on without this show.

Watched it again 8 years later and its still great

[migee_castaneda · 10/10 · 15 November 2008]

I first watched Daria when i was in high school (up to the first part of college). I just finished watching the whole series again ..after finishing undergraduate and realizing how much working sucks. but it still rocks (unlike the Simpson's which feels a bit stale once you get older) What I liked best about this series is how much balanced the characters are. The producers definitely took time to develop them that you really feel empathy (well except for sandy ..hehe) Despite all their quirkiness and faults (including Daria) all the characters had redeeming values at certain points of the series.

Cheers to one of the great cartoons ever!

Witty but Overrated... Wasted Potential

[fawn_jane · 7/10 · 21 August 2013]

Back in the day, the premise of a cartoon about a brainy, outcast, independent girl in high school seemed exciting and promising, I loved watching this show.

The show is refreshing in that it features an assertive, independent, intelligent protagonista who is in high school but doesn't do the lame, hackneyed "boo hoo, I'm so pathetic and desperate to be cool" shtick. Daria's dry sarcastic and blunt wit is a drink of cool water, and draws plenty of laughs and entertainment.

But as the show goes on, it slowly disappoints as you realize that when you get down to it, Daria is dull and a killjoy. They should have made the show about her fighting crime or solving mysteries, or something... anything! Instead the show dwells on the mundane. Daria is supposed to be clever, but we never see her do anything clever. For me the lowest point was when they had a whole episode about... brace yourself... her trying on contact lenses. The show wavers between mediocre satire, and taking itself way too seriously, and it does neither one very well. There are too many cringe-worthy after-school-special moments and preachy monologues.

When the show tries to be deep and coming-of-agey, it falls flat, and lacks basic insight. Daria lacks self-awareness, and inadverdently represents a young person in a sad state of arrested development, like that chick who goes around scowling and cranky, and when called on it claims "this is my natural resting face!". This point is driven home in later episodes, like the one where Daria remembers being a little kid and not getting along with the other kids at school. The show just frames it as "she just didn't like them, the end."

Then the show COMPLETELY jumps the shark with the Daria-gets-a- boyfriend-storyline. That plot arc is just like... what is this? I don't even... What in the world were the writers thinking? I am baffled as to how they managed to go through the whole process of putting that plot arc into the show, and no one along the way realized it was terrible. The show tries to be too many things at once. This is a cartoon, it should've have just stuck being a cartoon and not try to be a teen-drama soap opera.

Despite my harsh criticism, it is a good show to watch, it paves the way for similar shows in the future to someday do it right.

My, what a terrible time high school was

[zwoabaet · 3/10 · 16 February 2017]

After having seen a few episodes of this show's first season, it is clear that the writers bear a grudge towards high school. I don't know if all the writers experienced extreme bullying, but it seems to me they felt they were on some glorious revenge path, when making the show.

All the side characters are parodies of something you've seen in high school, and little more than that. We have the sports jocks, who are stupid - not just a little stupid but straight up retarded. Then there's Daria's sister, who is very popular with the boys. So she is of course a complete attention whoring psycho, loving to see boys fight for her, while also being an idiot.

I can just imagine the writers feeling that they finally got back on their high school bullies who excluded them for all those years, by misrepresenting them on a TV show. But to be honest, anger alone does not make a good show.

And let's not forget our main character: Daria. She seems to just know everything, have everyone figured out and maintain her cool attitude 24/7. That may be cool, but it's not entertaining. In season 1 she is just making fun of everyone, never really showing any other emotion than disdain. I guess if you're a teenager feeling excluded in high school, you can relate to Daria because she is smarter than everyone and feels misunderstood. In my view, it would have been far more interesting and/or believable, if some characters were able to trigger Daria. A onesided cool girl may be cool as a side character, but not as the main character in a show.

I am giving this a 3 out of 10, mostly because there is something nostalgic about the art style, and some of the teachers was a little funny.

Perhaps the best written American cartoon ever

[pacmanfan4evr · 19 September 2004]

Considering multiple aspects, this is a wonderful show. Every character has a very specific personality, and most all of them actually develop as the show goes on. The humor can be dry, but is incredible if you actually get it. If you were expecting Beavis and Butthead, sorry, you will be disappointed. I've noticed that most of the negative comments talk about how Beavis and Butthead was so much better. I think it can be best said that you have to be able to appreciate intelligent humor to laugh at this. If you think, say, that Jackass is the greatest show ever, then you will most likely hate this.

However, if you like a humorous show that's incredibly well developed for a cartoon (the character development, themes, etc.), then you will enjoy this.

Killing it.

[dariaforlife · 10/10 · 10 October 2020]

It's funny, it's awesome, it's awkward, it's simple and my life in a tv show.

relatable

[zoewongnz-23116 · 8/10 · 27 April 2020]

Daria is very relatable and sarcastic. It all I need in a good tv show.

People should stop comparing this to where Daria came from

[ggarmatr · 9/10 · 2 December 2019]

Sure, Daria was first introduced in Beavis and Butt-Head (1993). Sure, in that series, she was only a supporting character. But, this is totally independent of B&B. For one thing, B&B focused more on the moronic exploits of two moronic characters (Don't get me wrong, I love B&B. But in a totally different level.) while Daria focuses on someone whose brain actually functions. For another, this series can easily stand on its own, with practically nil reference to its "origin" series. A third reason is that the characters are not as predictable as they are if we are to compare them to other similar series (that is, if we can take any other series to have a similar premise). Fourth, most of the characters are not as one-dimensional as could be expected of a cartoon. I mean, even the characters generally portrayed as dim-witted actually provide have some sensible insights every now and then. Fifth, you have to enjoy the not-so-subtle socio-econo-political commentaries that abound the episodes. I'm one happy viewer that the creators/writers decided to have Daria move from Highland to Lawndale, and to eradicate (or at least minimize) any connection to the B&B series. Daria can easily hold her own, as a character, and as a series. That unfilled star in my ratings? Just a jack-ass comment that Daria's own series should have at least used different animation styles for the backgrounds. Otherwise, this is a 10/10.

Must-watch for teens and beyond

[aang-86886 · 9/10 · 27 July 2021]

Daria is incredibly accurate to the teen-experience, even at my time of writing in the year 2021 (the year I graduated high school).

This show was ahead of its time. Incredible writing, comedy, and sincerity. Daria lays it straight out on the table.

Watching this show throughout my high school life allowed me to parallel my own experience with Daria's and has given me the realization that nothing has changed about the school system or the youth generation in 20 years. The generic cliques portrayed by the cast of Daria are still prevalent in modern day society, to the dismay of the "brains" and "weirdos" of the school. Families everywhere will always have some dysfunctionality, friends may betray you, and relationships are arduous to maintain.

Daria sheds light on these truths through and through, and leaves room for self-discovery, all while sustaining an impeccable comedic sense along with moments bursting with emotion (believe it or not, from Daria herself).

So go out there and watch it and stop reading reviews. The best way to know if a show is for you is to sample it. No harm in doing so.

Relaxtainment type of show

[ThunderKing6 · 8/10 · 24 March 2021]

I remember watching Daria as a snot nosed kid when it came on during late nights. Daria was one of those laid back adult cartoons. It was mellow and funny at the same time. Each episode knew its place and it didn't become whacky.

The lead character was chilled and I liked the person.

What can be learned? Not to give a Blip.

Verdict: Calm.

Daria

[rwlsn-70017 · 10/10 · 25 May 2021]

You're standing on my neck.........OK. I guess that review was too short to conform to the imbd guidelines. Is this long enough yet?

Could've been better

[kikiboo_8 · 6/10 · 8 March 2021]

It's pretty fun to watch and Daria is likable enough. Watchable, but not really that good. Cause Daria is cold and flat and doesn't exactly make one want to keep up with her and watch what happens next. Quinn is even worse. With zero compelling characters, how does a show succeed?

Why does this look so much like my life?

[ViewingBoch · 8/10 · 23 November 2021]

This show perfectly represents what's wrong with today's society.... With the insane people you meet in life, to the adults who couldn't possibly care less about you.

This show isn't overtly political, despite what some people say, there are some jokes about it mixed in, but not too preachy.

This is also a very quiet show, which some people might think is bad, but it's a lot better than Family Guy, and it's honestly relaxing not having a loud slapstick show for once...

It involves Daria Morgendorffer, a smart sarcastic girl in highschool. Who tries to fly under the radar from the idiots she's surrounded by.

Her chemistry between Daria and her friend, Jane Lane is literally the (but not the only) best thing about this show.

Her teachers are also hilarious, (Mr. DeMartino being one of the best in my opinion).

Her parents Helen and Jake, who are completely blindsided by the fact Daria is an social-outcast. Also have great chemistry between each other.

With Helen being a lawyer who is always looking forward to helping her family.

To Jake who is paranoid about the things around him due to having issues with his father during his childhood, several episodes are dedicated to this.

I could talk about the other memorable characters and how great they are, but there's one issue with one of these characters who I dislike.

Daria's sister Quinn is so annoying, her voice is very pippy and squeaky and very hard to listen to sometimes. And she's always about the latest fashion with her being vice president of the fashion club.

Although, despite some not good episodes.

You always stay for Daria's sarcastic humor, and I couldn't be any more pleased...

It's hard to get hooked, but it's worth it.

[thesonny · 7/10 · 1 June 2023]

I wasn't a big fan at the beginning, but I must admit that the show has its charm. I liked a lot the last 2 seasons and the movies, it has good humor, pretty funny characters plus good social criticism. It's not for everyone but it's worth a watch. Only problem is lack of character development, it's minimal and doesn't usually carry much weight, but it's passable for the era of television in which it was born. My rating is 7/10 because the first few seasons weren't that great and it took me a while to get hooked on the premise, plus Daria isn't the most endearing character until you get deeper into the series. Still not a big fan but I enjoyed my watch, I don't know if I'll rewatch though, maybe only a few episodes.

Jane Lane best character <3.

Not a good spin-off show

[daschund_fan · 1/10 · 23 August 2016]

There's something off-putting about this show. It's as though the intent behind the writing was to depict a typical perspective of a pessimistic teenager coming to grips with the sometimes-hypocritical world. This isn't a new concept, as some shows pull this off well. However, this show didn't. It doesn't quite fit in the comedy genre, either. What does this show offer? Not much.

Even considering the fact that Daria is in the teen phase of her life, she seems very, very miserable for someone who lives in a first world country with well-off parents. Daria doesn't appreciate all the comforts in her life, is incapable of feeling a normal range of emotions, and thinks she's above everyone else. Is Daria supposed to have a personality disorder?

Instead of a glorified brat, it would have been more fitting for someone of a different (hardened?) background to have that dark personality. Lots of inconsistency as well - she's supposed to be unsociable, yet she's able to make a close friend.

When you get down to it, Daria's arrogance makes her not that different compared to the popular people. It's annoying how Daria substitutes sarcasm and humor with uppity snark (mixed in with some irony to prove some sort of moral high ground). Maybe this show only appeals to those who share Daria's traits.

An unsociable and/or unpopular character doesn't have to be a downer constantly. Key word: constantly. Although some ironic situations were depicted clearly, and the show doesn't have to be happy all the time, the writing could have used some humor - it doesn't have to be either/or when it comes to positivity/negativity.

Even when interesting things happened in the show, it was dulled by Daria's monotone voice and overall bitterness. Usually in other shows, the other characters add something to the episodes. With Daria, that doesn't happen. The other characters could be replaced and not missed. They exist to make Daria look good, which should not be considered an option in any show. The flat, uninspired, overly-simplified animation look rips off another show, and seems lazy for a show with "deep" commentary.

Would not re-watch.