Daria (TV Series) Esteemsters (1997) User Reviews

Not actually the first appearance of Daria....but an exciting start to the series.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 6 March 2011]

While this is the first episode of the series "Daria", it is actually not the first appearance of this title character. Back in "Bevis and Butthead", Daria starred in a few episodes--such as the one where she was forced to do a class project with these two idiots.

Here in episode one, Daria and her family have just moved to a new town. Daria's dad is worried that, like in her old town, she'll have no friends and be a loner. He encourages her to make an effort to fit in but he's fighting a losing battle. Mrs. Manson (great name) is the school psychologist and has Quinn and Daria takes a variety of tests. While Quinn's answers are superficial and stupid, this is NORMAL for a teen and she's seen as well-adjusted. Daria, on the other hand, is seen as having low self-esteem, though as Daria says "I don't have low self-esteem--I have low esteem for everyone else"! And in a stupid effort to boost Daria's esteem, they put her in a 'special class' with Mr. O'Neill--exactly the sort of thing that will be sure to crush anyone's spirit! At least she meets a cool girl in the class (Jane), so it's not a total loss.

This first regular episode is exciting to watch. Although not all the voices have yet been set in stone (there were a lot of changes in subsequent ones), the characters they have in the show are well-developed and are very representative of who they will be in the show. The humor and style are pretty good as well--unlike many 'first episodes'. It's a great sign of things to come in this particular episode--and the show is firing on all cylinders.

The Morgendorffers move to Lawndale

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 26 January 2013]

This opening episode introduces us to most of the series main characters while focusing on eponymous protagonist Daria Morgendorffer, a high school student who moves to a new town at the start of the episode. She is a clever girl who doesn't really fit in; and she doesn't really see why she should try. At her new school this unwillingness to act like somebody she isn't in order to fit in is taken as low self esteem and leads to her being put in a special class to boost her self esteem. It is clear that the teacher means well but he clearly doesn't understand the psychobabble he is spouting. The class isn't a total waste of time though; here she meets Jane Lane and the two become friends. Daria's sister Quinn is the polar opposite; she makes friends as soon as she gets to school and is somewhat ashamed of Daria's antisocial and totally uncool persona... of course this gives Daria the perfect opportunity to embarrass her at the end of the episode.

This is a great introduction to the series and the characters. Daria is a great protagonist with her acerbic wit and her refusal to try to be somebody else just to fit in. Jane makes a great friend for her as she is quite similar although more obviously cool than Daria. Most of the other characters are deliberately less sympathetic; Quinn is self obsessed, the teachers are either bitter or ineffective and the other students seem to be idiots; especially football player Kevin and his cheer-leader girlfriend Brittany. People familiar with the series will notice that some of the characters' voices aren't fully developed yet but that isn't a problem.

From Beavis and Butthead...

[safenoe · 9/10 · 16 November 2016]

With the world wide web in its infancy, Daria debuted in 1997 and contrary to public opinion Janeane Garofalo did not voice Daria. It was Tracy Grandstaff (what would we do without Google?)

Here Daria and her family move to Lawndale, with Jake anxiously hoping Daria fits in. Daria and Jane meet in a self-esteem class taught by Mr O'Neill, and clearly Daria doesn't want to be there. Quinn immediately gets an invitation to the Fashion Club, so she fits in.

The Pizza Forest features here, when the Morgendorffers (prompted by Daria) go there for dinner. Sick Sad World also features, with Daria and Jane watching it.

At the self-esteem graduation ceremony Daria thanks her sister Quinn, and two of the Fashion Club folk were in the audience.

Perfect Opener to the Series!

[injury-65447 · 10/10 · 1 June 2020]

I don't have low self esteem, just low esteem for everyone else - Daria.

I actually forgot how amazing and quotable this episode is. So many years later and I still managed to remember most of the hilarious lines.

This episode does an amazing job of not only introducing the cast of characters and their individual personalities and quirks, but also manages to serve as a succinct mission statement for the entire series and Daria as a character. The cynicism, the misguided and unhelpful authority figures, the school hierarchy etc

Still holds up all these years later as an amazing piece of television. I wish more people could see how masterful this is.