MovieChat Forums > Daria (1997) Discussion > Your Top 5 Episodes

Your Top 5 Episodes

posted 12 years ago by LadyN1
24 replies | jump to latest

Which episodes do you rank as the greatest episodes and why?

for me 5) Fair Enough- Daria and Jane's reaction to Stacy's boyfriend trouble is spot on. Also the food fight/ riot in the theatre is rediculous. I also love the pay off that the episode has Ms Li's manipulative scheme turns into a violent mess while Daria and Jane the misanthropic outcasts are forced to take on a position of authority at the information booth and actually are a hit with the kids.

4) Jake of Hearts- Having a serious issue like a heart attack on a comedy show is one thing but it's a really good insight into Jake's character and the moment when Daria confronts those annoying radio dj's live on radio is the epitome of Daria epicness.

3) Lucky Strike- it's just a great episode overall. You have trent and mr o neil which is a brilliantly strange combination you have mr de martino using his repressed rage sucessfully and you have the relationship between Daria and Quinn coming full circle with her actually admitting Daria is her sister.

2) Art n Crass- the tug of war between Daria and Jane vs the school is hilarious and is IMO the best Helen moment of the series when she calls out Ms Li on the phone

1) Tie between Boxing Daria and Write Where It Hurts. Both are really good examples of getting into Daria's head. Boxing Daria which I think is one of the greatest examples of intelligent, emotional yet still witty comedy is perhaps the best insight we get into Daria's alienation and the truth behind her feelings behind being an outcast. It's a great step away from the usial format of the show where Daria and Jane are being bored/annoyed by the stupidity of Lawndale High and is almost like a character study.

And Write Where It Hurts has some of the greatest parodies/tributes to classic literature and films but again it ranks as my top episode not just because of the humour butthe pay off at the end. I love the Daria's final story and what it shows about her as a character and the relationship with her family. It's sweet but it never loses it's edge.

So yeah that's mine what about you guys?

beauty freedom love truth

[–] TateDGibbs 8 years ago

5) My Night at Daria's-
Only a show of this magnitude could discuss sex in such a mature and straightforward fashion, never telling you that you must either whore yourself around for social credit or physically abstain until marriage or whenever. It walks a fine line and lets the story tell itself. Daria took much thought into how she felt about contact and intimacy and made her decision accordingly, a moral that should be tackled more often (and properly, like in this episode) in shows aimed towards an older audience.

4) The Lost Girls-
Alongside "Malled," this episode expertly targeted the issues with focus groups and artificial popularity. Daria absolutely crushes MTV (amongst other things) when asked what the word "edgy" means. Absolutely hilarious and eye-opening to say the least. A must-watch for teenagers.

3) Arts N' Crass-
I have gone through almost exactly what happened with Jane in that my school had tried to censor artwork that had an unpleasant message for the benefit of the student body. Helen's brutal legal takedown of Mrs. Li is among the most satisfying moments in the show. All-in-all, one of the funniest and most honest episodes.

2) Through A Lens Darkly-
One of the earliest shining examples of Daria's surfacing humanity, which she had been trying to avoid almost entirely up to this point (aside from the obvious "Pierce Me"). Brittany's "human speech" at the end is possibly her most significant moment as a character, enough to make Daria feel better and less conscious about herself once more. Added bonus for the episode revolving around contacts, making it incredibly relatable.

1) Boxing Daria-
Words cannot express how I feel about this episode. Not only is it undoubtedly my favorite episode of the show, but probably my favorite episode of any TV show I've seen in my life. As an individual with Aspergers, I have always been COMPLETELY different from just about everybody I've ever known. My parents would argue over how different and difficult I was when I was young, and it was something that would occasionally persist through the years, because no matter how hard they tried, it wouldn't work out. "Boxing Daria" was heartbreaking in all the right ways. I curled into a ball and started to cry the first time I saw it, not necessarily from sadness, but overwhelming joy and realization that I was equally difficult to my parents and peers. It felt as though the episode was created specifically for my viewing, it was so relatable.

This show got me, had been with me the entire time I was watching it, and always would be. It changed my perspective and life.

Honorable Mentions:

Monster-
Thoroughly entertaining not as much to see a day in the life of Quinn, but to watch Daria and Jane brave following Quinn around. Brittany cocking her head in clueless irony while watching the finished documentary is one of my favorite moments in the whole show.

The Daria Hunter-
We needed an episode loaded with references to "Platoon," "Apocalypse Now," "The Deer Hunter," and others. Hilarious episode. Personal favorite Mr. DiMartino appearance, also showed that Brittany is more than meets the eye.

That Was Then, This Is Dumb-
Frank Zappa acknowledgement. Enough said. Plus, the hippie sideplot I found immensely amusing.

The Old And Beautiful-
"WHAT SQUEAK?"

Fizz Ed-
A principal trying way too hard to raise money for the school is no exaggeration where I'm from. Hilarious to watch Lawndale High's favorite soda turn on the one's who loved it most.

In all honesty, just about every episode aside from "Depth Takes A Holiday" would be in my honorable mentions (a weak episode, but not what I would call "horrible").