Daria (TV Series) The Lost Girls (1999) User Reviews

Daria...the anti-teen!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 7 March 2011]

Mr. O'Neill submits one of Daria's stories to "Val" magazine and the editor, Val herself, is coming to Lawndale to pal around with Daria and hang out at the high school. Val is a narcissistic middle-aged jerk who tries to dress and act hip--too hip in the way she talks, using words like 'whack', 'edgy' and 'jiggy'. Additionally, she is oblivious to how badly she treats others--and doesn't seem to care. As a result, Daria is miserable having this idiot following her around campus--but bites her tongue for most of the episode. However, holding it in can only be done for so long and eventually she puts the over-aged teen-queen in her place--and it feels great to see it!

While I have no idea what Jane Magazine is, apparently this episode was based on it and its founder. All I know is that it is very funny and well written once again. And I am jiggy with that.

Daria: teen icon!

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 11 December 2012]

Daria is surprised to learn that she has won an essay competition in teen magazine 'Val' as she didn't know she had entered it. Mr O'Neill had entered her essay and the prize is to have Val herself spend a day with her at school. The visit is meant to me a secret so that everything will be normal but Ms Li has arranged 'school colours day' and Val's people have made sure that the press will know she is going to be there. Jane sees it as an opportunity for Daria to get an invitation to spend a day with Val at the New York home of her magazine. Daria doesn't particularly enjoy spending her day with Val; she claims to be in her twenties and in touch with edgy teen culture but is just obsessed with herself and looks considerably older than she claims. Eventually Daria can take no more of this vacuous woman and tells her exactly what she thinks of her... blowing any chance of a trip to New York; not that she cares.

This was another enjoyable episode; largely because 'teen icon' Val was clearly out of touch with real teens and was totally self-centred... it was fantastic to see Daria demolish her character at the end... even the fashion club have a dig at her. The way Ms Li made sure that it wasn't a typical day at Lawndale High was fairly predictable and the subplot where Jane was trying to get Daria a trip to New York didn't really go anywhere but it didn't detract from the story.

More relevant now than then, I think

[Rectangular_businessman · 10/10 · 18 March 2013]

I just love this episode. It is simply one of my favorite chapters since it shows perfectly well everything what is wrong with the so-called "youth culture" and makes a brilliant satire of the people who made money with vapid stuff which is(supposedly) aimed at teens, which promote shallowness and judging other people according the psychical appearance.

The contrast of Daria's sarcasm with Val's vain attitude is more than effective, making it one of the funniest and most interesting episodes in the entire series.

In the recent years, with stuff like "Twilight", Justin Bieber and the Jonas Brothers, the message from this chapter remains being not only important, but necessary.

I seriously think that we need intelligent animated shows like "Daria" now more than ever, instead of the dumb and offensive garbage what passes these days for "adult animation".