The adult animated sitcom Daria was on MTV and our screens from 1997 to 2002. The sarcastic high school teenager Daria Morgendorffer had her first appearance on the show Beavis and Butt-Head. Her character made a lasting impression, which resulted in her getting a series spinoff.
Even though the series ended back in 2002, it still left its mark on fans. I think Daria appealed to a higher female demographic because of the titular character, and the fact that the show criticized and made fun of modern culture. Also, Daria’s appearance was refreshing. She wore thick-framed round glasses, oversized clothes, combat boots, and no makeup. That mixed with the feminist views of the character made her and the series relatable.
Now, 17 years later, the character Jodie will be getting her own series. Voiced by Tracee Ellis Ross, Jodie is sure to be a hit with current and new fans.
In anticipation of the new series, I am going to recap the movie that served as the Daria series finale: Is It College Yet?
Is It College Yet?
Is It College Yet? focuses on Daria characters as they enter the next stage of their lives. While the main focus is usually on Daria and Jane, there are glimpses into each character’s journey and struggle based on their social and financial situations.
Daria lives in a fictional suburb called Lawndale. She is a smart, jaded, and sarcastic high school senior who loves to read and write short stories. She doesn’t interact with many people except her family, the occasional classmate, her best friend and artist Jane Lane, and her boyfriend, Tom Sloane.
Daria applies to the prestigious Bromwell University, the same school her boyfriend attends, and Raft College. Jane is working on her portfolio requirement for Boston Fine Arts College (BFAC). Things don’t run smoothly for either of them.
After not getting accepted to her two safety schools and struggling to create art pieces for her BFAC portfolio, Jane decides she is not going to go to college anymore. Daria receives a letter informing her that she has been waitlisted at Bromwell but received an acceptance letter to Raft. Daria tells Tom that she is okay with being admitted to Raft and not Bromwell. They argue about this, and Daria hangs up on Tom.
Later, Jane and Daria make a deal. Jane will submit her portfolio to BFAC if Daria lets Toms’s parents write a recommendation letter to Bromwell on her behalf. Ultimately, Daria doesn’t get into Bromwell and she decides to break up with Tom.
Daria wins the academic award of excellence at their high school graduation ceremony. In true Daria fashion, she gives a speech about her philosophy on life and what she thinks of school, ending it by thanking her family and Jane. At Jodie’s graduation party Jane finally tells Daria that she got into BFAC. The two best friends will be in the same city for college, Daria at Raft and Jane at BFAC.
Daria stuck to her values and belief that education should be something respectable and not exploited for sheer greed and nepotism. This philosophy was present during the trip to visit Bromwell with Tom and his mother and then delaying the trip, so there was only time for a drive-through tour of Raft. Even with the application and admissions interview, Tom knew he would get in to Bromwell due to the influence his family has on the school. On the other hand, I think Daria was only applying to Bromwell because her boyfriend was. It seemed as though Raft College was actually her first-choice school. It explains why whenever someone brushed over the fact that she was accepted there and felt terrible about Bromwell’s response, she became upset.
Is it College Yet? and Daria as a whole both analyze Daria’s cynicism and her morals. I also think the series also approaches the teenage experience more accurately than shows like Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill while still keeping the audience engaged.
In the wise words of Daria, always remember, ” . . . there is no aspect, no facet, no moment of life that can’t be improved with pizza. Thank you.”
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