"The Big House" Turns Eleven

Okay, we still don't know where Daria was or who she was with before she returned home at the start of "The Big House," which first aired eleven years ago on MTV. It appears that the creators of the show meant to keep that a secret. The show has been favorably reviewed (SSW1, SSW2, OD) and has a nice page on DariaWiki. I've added a few new links to the latter regarding fanfiction that spins off from this episode.

Today is also the 100th anniversary of the Tunguska Event, which has never once ceased to grip the imaginations of geeks and mundanes alike. Current explanations of the megaton-range explosion focus on a cosmic collision with a small asteroid or large meteoroid (e.g.: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), but people have also suggested the explosion was caused by geophysical events, a nuclear bomb, a UFO, a UFO being hit by a comet, or a UFO being shot down by Nikolai Tesla's experimental energy weapon. The FBI has investigated the event, as have many gamers. The only known consequences of the biggest interdimensional cross-rip in history are a flattened forest, a growing cottage industry of people trying to connect the event to an alien invasion (for fun and profit), and a new dietary drink that gives you a "blast" of energy.

The real question is, how can a fanfic writer connect Daria to the Tunguska Event? More importantly, how can we connect the Tunguska Event to "The Big House"? Both occurred on the same day of the year. Coincidence? I think not.

Fanfic update later. Party on.

Intellectually Gifted & Morally Bankrupt

Ten years ago today, "Gifted" first aired on MTV. The episode is reviewed and discussed in a number of places: SSW1, SSW2, OD, and DW. "Gifted" gave us a closer look at Jodie Landon and her family, Grove Hills, Grove Hills' snotty students, Sandi Griffin's mother ("that witch") and siblings, mass serial puppy kickers, and a failed Jane/Quinn ("Take... her... now").

What I thought was nicest about this episode is the AU potential. What if Daria had gone to Grove Hills? What if both Daria and Jodie had gone? The latter option seems more likely if Jane had not been in Lawndale when Daria arrived, but Daria still disliked Grove Hills' students. Why didn't Daria mention that she would not be able to see Jane if she went to Grove Hills? Why didn't Jane mention it? Maybe Daria and Jane already knew Daria wouldn't attend and so weren't worried. Or neither was brave enough to mention it.

Today is also the day when, ten years ago, the fan website alt.lawndale.com was last updated. It was abandoned thereafter. Win some, lose some.

Almost 30,000 hits on this site! Thank you! Come again soon!

Now 860 fans at the Daria Fan Club, plus new quiz questions, and I finally get one wrong. Damn! Some of these are hard!

Three new Iron Chefs on PPMB, having to do with racial issues (from Szcz), religion (from Hazazel), and dating breakups (from Richard Lobinske). Thank you! Much food for creative thought here.

PPMB

• Falling Into College 63: Broken Star, by Richard Lobinske (Part 5): Karen learns the full extent of Derek's injuries, which incidentally sparks a long debate in the thread about the spleen. I like the foreshadowing with Amy and Reese at the start, nice touch. This is a great chapter.

More updates as the day goes by. Stay tuned!

Mental in the Morning (Afternoons Optional)

"Psycho Therapy" first aired nine years ago today. This episode opened some cans of worms that were never fully dealt with later (especially the comment Helen makes about not knowing what went wrong with Quinn, which Helen has alluded to in earlier episodes—perhaps Quinn reminds Helen too much of her sister Rita).

What was interesting to me was Daria's pep talk to her mother near the episode's end, where it appears Daria is attempting to salvage the family in the disastrous aftermath of the family role-playing over dinner. Did Daria really believe her mother was committed to the family, or was she making it up so her mother would feel better? Daria has made many previous comments to the effect that Helen is uninvolved in the family, or at best is making a superficial effort to appear involved. It might be that Daria, who obviously recognizes her family's grave dysfunctions, prefers the familiar turmoils of dysfunction to the unknown terrors of real change. As the shrinks would call it, she is enabling, helping to perpetuate destructive behaviors. Which I guess is what family is all about, isn't it?

On the good side, at least we got Jane-Cam. Essays and writings on "Psycho Therapy" can be found here, here, and here.

On PPMB, S.C. has more to show of his Cast Portrait (WIP) masterwork. Mr. Orange has discovered some nice Daria fan art on a French website. Wouter has issued an Iron Chef challenge for artwork showing the children of the show's main characters.

Derek wonders if it is possible to have an Internet domain called ".daria" (thanks to a new rule passed by ICANN). I am totally jiggy with it.

The discussion thread on Irredeemable Daria Characters goes longer by the day. Is there such a thing as evil in Daria's universe, or just many shades of gray? You decide.

Brother Grimace and Doggieboy are going great guns on DariaWiki. Now 1,877 articles. Thank you!

FF.net

• Box to the Future, by Smileyfax (Part 2): This is really funny! Damnation! MOAR!!!
  

PPMB

• But What About the Baby (Sitter)?! by Kristen Bealer (Part 4): Daria learns an important lesson from Quinn: make the man do it.
• Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (continued): Perhaps the title of this story should have been, "There Will Be Blood."

Stay tuned, moar 2 come.

Daria's Inferno Coming Soon! (Eight Years Ago)

Another anniversary! Yes, the release of Daria's Inferno was announced eight years ago today! Hooray! Only you still had to wait until fall 2000 for the game to come out. Bummer. But just put yourself in that long-ago time, hearing for the first time that there was a game coming out with Daria's name on it. Oh, the excitement! The thrills! Whatever. At least you can get it cheaply now. (See the Lawndale Mall section at left.)

If you are looking for interesting Daria-ish things to download, check out this old site: The Daria Goodies Page. Not sure how much of it is still good, but try it out anyway.

On Wikipedia, the article on "Lawndale (Daria)" was merged into the main Daria article. More consolidation of Wikipedia entries on OH is probably in the works.

PPMB

• Screw You, Mary Sue! by durgarox (Part 1): A newly appearing fan offers an intriguing metafic with the promise of MOAR!!!

Moar l8r.

"I Did"

THIRTY-THREE YEARS AGO TODAY...

. . . Helen Barksdale and Jake Morgendorffer recited their commitment vows and were married, or whatever. If it wasn't official, they're common-law spouses so it doesn't matter anyway. They celebrated their 23rd anniversary in The Daria Database, and ten years later, we must ask: Are they still alive, together, and as much in lust as they were when we last saw them? Or have they finally ditched each other and gone on to hotter and better things?

FF.net

• Box to the Future, by Smileyfax (Part 1): Ooooooooo, this one had better be finished soon, it is sooooo good. DO IT!!!

PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Part 14): "What happened?" "We call it a world extinction event."
• False Starts, by thatLONERchick (COMPLETE!): Three gripping views of alternate Darias and their very alternate situations.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): Anthony DeMartino has an idea for a way to help students concentrate. (Oooo, this was evil.)
• Stage Fright, by NightGoblyn (Part 2): Oh, mercy, that was evil. Bad Jane! Bad! And poor Anastasia! (But she deserved it.)
  
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (COMPLETE!): "Of course, the very next day Ms. Li held an assembly to talk about the glory and honor Sandi was bringing to Lawndale High as a world leader.”

And the latest DariaWiki entry: Kyle Armalin's ex-wife. Why do you think they got divorced? Put your answer in Comments. Bonus points awarded for originality and questionable taste, as always.

Peace out.

Daria-in-a-Box

"Boxing Daria" first aired on this date seven years ago. In addition, nine years ago today, the last names of Fashion Club members Stacy Rowe and Tiffany Blum-Deckler were revealed on MTV's Daria website. A historic day all around, I think.

The script of "Boxing Daria" is on Outpost Daria. Reviews and plot synopses can be found on Outpost Daria, Sick Sad World (here and here), and TV.com. The DariaWiki page on "Boxing Daria" is incomplete. This episode was once rated as the second-best one ever aired in the series.

But . . . what didn't you like about it? Other than it being the last episode and all, I mean.

Here are the bones I have to pick with BD:

1. Daria has no idea she's been a gi-normous pain in the ass all her life? Seriously? I complained about this once before and still cannot believe it. As Bugs would say, "What a maroon!"
   
2. Jane doesn't hug Daria when Daria hugs her. This isn't explained. Why? Was she remembering how Daria stabbed her in the back? Was MTV trying not to prove they were lesbians? What was up with that?
   
3. Daria is being a total bitch to Tom. Why does he put up with this smart-assed abuse? Why doesn't he dump her and check out Quinn instead? I'd have totally forgiven him for DDMD if he had done that. Daria is the worst girlfriend in the universe. She must have the most raging monstrous case of chronic PMS in history.
   
4. Where were the jokes? The funny stuff? Daria is anything but triumphant here, and she's barely even funny.
5. Jake acts like he's so perceptive and understanding of Daria's intentions and feelings AFTER FIVE YEARS OF BEING A TOTAL SPACE CADET WHO DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIS KIDS WHATSOEVER GAHDAMMIT!!! And he's obviously got some kind of psychiatric disorder. Why did Daria think he was such a hero in "Of Human Bonding"? He should have been eaten by squirrels.
   

There, I feel better now. Thank you for listening. More later.

And the Answer Is . . . !

Yesterday this question was posed:

Which of the following episode titles is correctly written, as shown at the start of the episode itself?

1. The Lawndale Files
2. Speed Trapped
3. The Road Worrier
4. Dye! Dye! My Darling!
5. That was Then, This is Dumb
6. Aunt Nauseum
7. Through a Lens, Darkly
8. Café Disaffecto

The answer is . . .

. . . none of them are correct. All answers above contain at least one spelling or punctuation error each. The following is how each title actually appears at the start of the corresponding episode. (I checked every one only moments ago.)

1. The Lawndale File (no plural for "File")
   
2. Speedtrapped (one word)
   
3. Road Worrier (no "The")
   
4. Dye! Dye! My Darling (no exclamation mark)
   
5. That Was Then, This is Dumb (capitalized "W" but not, for some reason, capitalized "i" —which is an error!)
   
6. Aunt Nauseam ("-am," not "-um")
   
7. Through A Lens Darkly (no comma, "A" is capitalized though it shouldn't be)
   
8. Cafe Disaffecto (no accent mark)
   

In case you were wondering, the correct as-shown title for episode 201 is: "Arts 'N Crass" (capitalized "N" and one apostrophe coming immediately before it). I was quite surprised that two titles were incorrectly written, but these things happen even in a show about smart people. Alas.

And, yeah, this quiz is very obsessive-compulsive (I don't like calling it "anal"), but that's what editing is all about. It is interesting just how many different ways I have seen these titles written by fans. I've screwed them up, too, so I'm no better. It pays to check the facts, and check them often, even if you are POSITIVE you have it right. I do this all the time (screw up, I mean). Don't do like I do.

FF.net

• The Lawndale Manifesto, by Smileyfax (Part 1): Now, this is one meeting I've never heard of before. MOAR PLZ!!!!

PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Part 13): The turtle sniffed the air. "I think we're not in Kansas anymore."
• Falling Into College 63: Broken Star, by Richard Lobinske (Part 4): Daria closed her phone and slipped it back into her pocket. It's going to happen one way or the other, so I'd better make it happen under the best terms I can get and I better do it now.

Yo, Pablo!

Just over a century ago today (107 years, to be exact), the first major exhibition of Pablo Picasso's work was held, in Paris. If Picasso had painted Brittany Taylor in a Cubist style, the picture at right would have resulted.

While adding a couple of quiz questions to the Daria Fan Club site, I came up with a question that had too many options. I'll offer it here for your amusement.

Which of the following episode titles is correctly written, as shown at the start of the episode itself?

1. The Lawndale Files
2. Speed Trapped
3. The Road Worrier
4. Dye! Dye! My Darling!
5. That was Then, This is Dumb
6. Aunt Nauseum
7. Through a Lens, Darkly
8. Café Disaffecto

Put your answers in the Comments area. The correct answer will be given later.

The 1,875th post at DariaWiki is right here. Congratulations, Doggieboy!

Finally, here's a news article that I was totally completely positive had to do with Daria fandom, just from looking at the title and knowing that the word "Daria" was in it. I was wrong.

Happy Birthday to Your Keyboard!

You typed on a keyboard to access this website. The keyboard is, of course, derived from the one on a typewriter, which was patented 140 years ago today. Your input device is almost a century and a half old! Technology really speeds along, doesn't it? Thank you, Christopher L. Sholes, for all things QWERTY.

Remember Quinn & co. taking their "P-STATs" for college, in Is It Fall Yet? The actual SAT (on which the PSAT was based) was first administered 82 years ago.

The latest alt.lawndale.creators interview is with CINCGREEN and Ruthless Bunny, and they have a lot to say about their involvement with Daria fandom (and about the fandom itself). See the full-length interview on PPMB or SFMB. The next artist interview will be with Kemical Reaxion; the next author interview with MMan. Send in your questions today!

Portland Dariacon Deux was held recently, attended by cynigal and NomadX. Once again, yes, two Daria fans who meet for any reason whatsoever are considered to form a Dariacon. We don't have the membership numbers to be picky about it. See here for all the PDD news.

Densely written commentary is being posted about the latest Legion of Lawndale Heroes chapter (LLH 13.1: "Where Do We Go From Here?"), by Brother Grimace. Go thou, read, and post some more.

Derek has issued an Iron Chef on PPMB: "Write a scene where a character utters the line, 'Release the supersonic murderous psychic android squirrels that can smell fear!'" Do it to it.

PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Part 12): "Yes, I am Leonardo Hamato," said the humanoid turtle. "I am here to be your sensei for the next two years."
• But What About the Baby (Sitter)?! by Kristen Bealer (Part 3): I think I'm actually getting dumber every minute I spend around Trent, Daria thought. The Crush Lives!
  
• The Cynic and The Defender, by Doggieboy (Part 4): "One time I tried to do a straight portal from Fostoria to Mammoth Caves in Kentucky. I ended up in a women’s locker room at Baylor University.”
• Stage Fright, by NightGoblyn (Part 1): A new story on the Evil Jane thread, with the welcome promise of much evil wicked badness in middle school.
  

A last historical note, which Jodie Landon would tell you about if no one else did: The first black American to be nominated for the presidency of the United States of America was . . . Frederick Douglass, who gained the nomination 120 years ago today. Party on.

Anniversaries, Left and Right

It's a long list, but here we go:

Daria's second-ever appearance on MTV was a mere 15 years ago today, in the Beavis and Butt-head episode, "Babes 'R Us." If you have the DVD Is It College Yet? you can watch Daria's appearance by unlocking the Easter egg hidden on the disk. (See the link for instructions.) I've seen this film clip and... she looks weird.

The first part of Brother Grimace's "The Sun Will Come Out, Tomorrow" was released eight years ago this month.

Kara Wild posted DWU #20, "Memory Road," six years ago this month.

"Silver Lining," the 24th story in the Falling Into College series by Richard Lobinske, takes place eight years ago at this time, following the events of "Through Lenses Most Bright."

Producer, director, and screenwriter Joss Whedon was born 44 years ago today. He was the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which we know for a fact (thanks to "Speedtrapped") was one of Quinn Morgendorffer's favorite TV shows.

Want to know about the Trentmobile? Click the link. Want to add more information on it to the DariaWiki? Ditto. A picture would be nice, too.

More later!

Daria: Left, Right, Center, or Nowhere?

Who would Daria vote for? What were her political leanings?

Thirty-eight years ago today, President Nixon signed the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which lowered the voting age to 18. The amendment became law the following year.

Daria and Jane turned 18 by the end of their senior year at Lawndale High. Assuming they graduated in the spring of 2000 (per Richard Lobinske's most excellent chronology of the series), Daria was eligible to vote in the 2000 presidential election that fall. How did that turn out? What effect would the tumultuous election have on her, then and in the future?

Food for thought.

P.S. Just because I put Daria's picture on the right doesn't mean she's right-wing.

FF.net

• Daria: The Two Equals, by MrPowerpuff (Part 2): “A killer book. . . . Why would they forge such a thing?”

PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchello (Part 11): The new Avengers aren't ever going to get a break as the crossovers multiply. Good luck, kids.
  
• Falling Into College 63: Broken Star, by Richard Lobinske (Part 3): Derek begins his long journey home from Afghanistan. Karen, Daria, and the others begin their own long journey as well.
• The Lawndalian Candidate, by mman (Part 2): "Daria!" said Jane. "Hey, are you in the Oval Office? Maybe you could press the nuclear button. I've always wanted to paint a mushroom cloud."
  
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes 13.1, by Brother Grimace (COMPLETE!): Stacy blows a fuse. Daria is the target. And an old acquaintance reappears. . . .
• New Life, by legendeld (Part 7): Quinn discovers something Daria knew long ago. Oh, boy.
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 9): “Was sollen wir mit den Gefangenen machen, eure Majestät?” Amy asked, keeping her pistol aimed at the kneeling men.
  

Stay tuned.

The Man Who Tried to Tutor the Fashion Club

Remember the guy who was the voice of David Sorenson, in Is It Fall Yet? He's MTV personality Carson Daly, and today is his 35th birthday. Yo!

Not that Sandi cares.

More later.

Sk8 yr H3@rt owt

I was, as usual, unaware that today was Go Skateboarding Day, but it is. Hard to believe what people will celebrate, but knock yourself out. Not literally, though.

JennaUsername has drawn Jane Lane as an assassin, with more Daria characters in similar lines of work on the way, we hope.

PPMB

• But What About the Baby (Sitter)?! by Kristen Bealer (Part 2): The nightmare continues, with one of the best-ever lines in Daria fanfiction.
  
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes 13.1, by Brother Grimace (Part 2): “If I ever find the sadist who caused me to torch a sweet potato pie . . .!”

Not much here, but I will add more to this particular post as the day goes along, so stay tuned. Feel free to add your own comments, especially if you are a Cancer. Celebrate the mega-hyper-awesomeness that is we us.

got crabs?

Yes, today, with the help of Butt-head, we celebrate the arrival of the best-loved zodiac/astrological sign, Cancer. The most famous Cancer in Daria fandom is, of course, me, followed by Helen Morgendorffer, which we know for a fact thanks to The Daria Diaries. If you are a Cancer, give yourself a high five right now. I knew you could.

We will have more to say about Daria fandom as the day progresses.

This has been a public service announcement.

P.S. Oh, and Kara Wild is also a Cancer and having a birthday shortly, if not right now. Oh, and Kristen Bealer also claims to be a Cancer, but Kristen says a lot of things.

(Heh heh heh, you said ass-trological, heh heh heh.)

Queen for a Day

A mere 171 years ago today, Jake . . . er, Victoria became Queen of the United Kingdom. I honestly have no idea why the MTV artists thought Jake should be queen. Maybe you can tell me why.

YES!!! S.C. does it again, with a marvelous work in which Daria and Jane do Donnie Darko.

Almost 28,500 hits on this blog. Nice. Thank you!

I discovered a previously unmentioned UK Daria website (no longer updated) called Daria Morgendorffer at the Last Stop Cafe. It might be of interest.

Some good entries are showing up in the Iron Chef called, "Join the Book Club."


FF.net

• Coming of Age, by Deep Metal (COMPLETE!): Yes, the epic is done! And it has lots of Daria in it, as well as Beavis and Butt-head, who are of course the stars. The epilogue closes it out. Three cheers!

Lawndale Online

• Band of Bothers, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!)
• Falling Into College 62: Run It Up the Mast, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!)

PPMB

• But What About the Baby (Sitter)?! by Kristen Bealer (Part 1): Helen gave Daria a choice between baby-sitting and a summer job at Cluster Burger. Daria was beginning to think the phrase "Do you want fries with that?" might have a nice ring to it, after all.
• The Other Side of Time: The Nightmare Never Really Leaves, by The Sidhe (Part 1): Richard does something that many Daria fans have dreamed of doing for years.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): "You must understand, royalty is very gene conscious these days."
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 8): Sandi does a very scary thing.
  
• Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (continued): To beat the devil, sometimes you have to become him.

More later. Need to work on my story again.

Summer Begins with a Full Moon!

Stacy "Coppertone Girl" Rowe is our mascot today, so to speak, because this is the day of the Summer Solstice and there's a full moon out, besides. Seriously. Go out and look if you don't believe me. Also, in countries south of the equator, today is the Winter Solstice, as in the southern hemisphere everything happens counterclockwise and upside down. Stacy's butt, for example, would be seen as upside down in Australia.

A "pop quiz" feature is now available on the Daria Fan Club. ClarissaRules has posted some quiz questions. Try it out. I think we could post some tough ones, too.

JPAGC offers a very evil Jane for the "Evil Jane" Iron Chef. Not to be outdone, NightGoblyn adds a sequel to an earlier tale in this IC.

The complete Avengers from Lawndale team is shown in a nice grouping by Lorenzo Sauchelli for his "Avenging" piece.


PPMB

• The Cynic and The Defender, by Doggieboy (Part 3.1): Being the girlfriend of a superhero is a tough job, as Daria discovers.
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes, Volume Two: Chapter 13.1 - ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ by Brother Grimace: “Yeah – thanks to Miss Barch screwing me and the rest of the guys in her class over,” Mack said. (My favorite unintentional double entendre in the entire story. Sorry I had to pick on that one entry, but it was too, too funny.)
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 7): “What does a smart brain taste like?” Tiffany drawled as she began walking across the living room.

The latest page to be tinkered with at DariaWiki: The Buckaroo Bonzai Trilogy. Brother Grimace will explain everything there.

Lastly, have a fandom friend who is impossible to buy presents for? Try out this gift idea.

Juneteenth

Today is Juneteenth, established 143 years ago in Galveston, Texas when the Union Army proclaimed an end to slavery in the Galveston area. One wonders if Juneteenth was celebrated in Highland, Texas, and what the young Daria Morgendorffer thought of it. My guess is, she liked the idea and privately wished for her own Juneteenth, when she was free to go off to college and escape Highland, her schools, and her family.


Happy Juneteenth to everyone. More later.

Is She or Isn't She? Autistic, I Mean.

Today is Autistic Pride Day, which brings up an issue that goes through this fandom on occasion: Is Daria a high-functioning autistic person? There was considerable debate about this on PPMB about 3.5 years ago. You can decide if this issue is worth revisiting.

Daria fan artist, fanfic writer, and webmistress Kemical Reaxion has agreed to answer questions posed to her by the fandom. Go to either SFMB or PPMB for details. Give her lots to write about!

Brother Grimace is asking for feedback on his Defender Ring article on DariaWiki. Go for it.


FF.net

• Daria: The Door to Safety Is Shut, by MrPowerpuff (COMPLETE!): "With your high intelligence and my Leadership…we can rule this forsaken world and achieve prosperity!!"
• Daria: The Two Equals, by MrPowerpuff (Part 1): Beginning the sequel to "The Door to Safety Is Shut," with more on Novus Vita.
• Daria vs. Abraham Lincoln, by Smileyfax (Part 2): Daria talks to her shrink about her new friend in this fastinating AU.
• Falling Into College, Year 4: Run It Up the Mast, by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): Editors have bad days like everyone else, only sometimes worse.

"Will you do it for a twenty?"

In the infamous scene at right, Tom (with wallet out) negotiates a price with Daria for the evening to come in "My Night at Daria's." There are favorable episode reviews of this one (Outpost Daria, Sick Sad World 1, Sick Sad World 2). The DariaWiki page on this is not complete. (Help, anyone?)


PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Parts 9 and 10): Daria closed her eyes at the green blood and shook her head. "I never thought I would say this, but- EWWWW!"
• Falling Into College 63: Broken Star, by Richard Lobinske (Part 2): Waiting for news about a loved one in danger is the hardest thing of all.
• The Lawndalian Candidate, by mman (Part 1): "Esteemsters" redone, with a unique political angle. M0ar of this, pl33z.
• New Life, by legendeld (Part 6): That was the rudest of awakenings.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): "Just thinking about it makes me feel achingly glamorous." "That's strange, all I feel is pouty and waif-like."
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 6): Daria to Sandi: “Listen to me, you stuck-up bitch."

Two Iron Chefs are receiving far better than average fare. IC: Natural Born Killers, put forth by ikaa, asks for a crossover with the movie Natural Born Killers. Scissors MacGillicutty stepped up to the plate and drove the ball out of the stadium. IC: Evil Jane has gained marvelous responses from NightGoblyn and BlackHole. Check 'em out.

Speaking of fan art, S.C.'s "Daria vs. Melody Powers" comic page is a brain-burner. Whoa. Also, Lorenzo Sauchelli shows Daria as Captain America (from "Avenging") and Samantha Arangois as War Machine. I don't know who Samantha is.

Remember that little Daria statuette someone made? Here's more about it. Thanks to Reese Kaine for the update.

I Spent the Night at Daria's and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

Seven years ago today, "My Night at Daria's" first aired.

Discuss.







More later on this topic, have to go to work!

"Too Cute" Turns Eleven

Eleven years ago today, the Daria episode "Too Cute" first aired on MTV. We were introduced to the evil Dr. Shar and to Quinn's complete gullibility in matters of beauty and fashion. Reviews of the episode are plentiful (e.g., Mike Quinn, Wraith, CINCGREEN). DariaWiki has an episode description but no review. The transcript is on Outpost Daria.

While not everyone's favorite episode, "Too Cute" did provide some memorable lines, including an infamous remark by Jane Lane ("Oh, Daria, don't be shy. Show me your boobs"). What did you think of "Too Cute"? I thought it was well above average and added a lot to the characterizations of Daria and Quinn, and to their relationship. Discuss in "Comments."

More later.

By the way . . . .

. . . today also is the 37th birthday of singer Bif Naked, who lent her image and voice to the character of Alison from Is It Fall Yet?










Happy birthday. You go, girl.

LATE ADD: Richard Lobinske has updated the 2008 Visual FanWorks Listing. You go, too!

Jake's Day

It's Father's Day. I'm writing this ahead of time because I might be unavailable for a while, for obvious reasons.

Knowing that Jake has a model railroad set (per "Lucky Strike"), I once had this idea for a crossover fanfic in which Jake goes to his favorite model train shop on the Monday just after Father's Day, and there meets up with several other cartoon/comics dads who also happen to like model trains. Among others, Jake was going to have a light conversation with Reverend Timothy Lovejoy (The Simpsons), John Patterson (For Better or For Worse), and possibly Gomez Addams (The Addams Family). I thought there were some others, but long searches on the Internet turned up nothing. The story is gathering electron dust in my computer files, so if anyone else wants to do this, say the word and I will send you the data I had. (Only half of the first sentence of the story was ever written.)

I thought it was nice of Daria to think of her dad as a hero in "Of Human Bonding," though I admit the exact reasons she thought so still seem rather vague, given how poorly Jake was portrayed in the series. Perhaps she understood the hardships he had had overcome to be a good dad to her, despite having had a bad relationship with his own father. Daria, ever the selfish teen, had no compunction about tricking her father to get her way. Some of her stunts seem like a little much. (Consider how she got his hamburger in "Fat Like Me.") Still, she finally admits he and Helen were okay as parents . . . in the last episode of the series.

In any event, here's to you, Jake. Have a good one today, you and all the other dads out there. It's your day.

Boy, George. . . .

In addition to this being (hurrah, hurrah) Flag Day, today is also the 47th birthday of Boy George, the lead singer for the 1980s group Culture Club, which produced many songs I am still trying very hard to forget. Funny that MTV's artists would draw Kevin as Boy George, which is so appropriate I cannot think of anything else to add.

Oh, almost forgot: It was about five years ago today, believe it or not, that the whole penguin thing started. You can thank Kristen Bealer for that. Seriously. Thanks, Kristen! And Tux thanks you, too!

PPMB

• Falling Into College 63: Broken Star, by Richard Lobinske (Part 1): No good deed ever goes unpunished.
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): Poetic justice to the Nth degree. Words fail me. I am not worthy.
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 4): Jane stood on her toes, trying very hard to ignore the fact that her big brother was holding a gun to her head.

Today's best bad joke involving a Daria fanfic is here. Ipswichfan, you rule.

"I stand for Truth, Justice, and . . . rrrROWRrrr! Wonder Woman, you look super-luscious today!"

Merely 70 years ago today, Superman appeared for the first time ever in a comic book: Action Comics issue #1. Seems like yesterday.

Hope you don't mind me using Super Upchuck again. I thought it was appropriate, but . . . maybe not.

Also of interest because you and I are interacting by computer, it was 126 years ago today that British inventor Charles Babbage (for whom the Babbage's software stores were named) wrote a paper for the Royal Astronomical Society entitled: "Note on the application of machinery to the computation of astronomical and mathematical tables." He wanted to build what he called a difference engine, basically a prototype mechanical computer. Babbage later developed an Analytical Engine with an even better calculation system, capable of performing a variety of mathematical tasks. Had his AE been developed, we would have had computers and, likely, the Internet about a century earlier than now, and . . . and I'm not sure what would have happened. There have been some guesses about the appearance of this alternate universe. You can make your own. Anyone's guess how Daria would fit in.

That "Evil Jane" thread on PPMB is picking up some nasty stories. I love it.

The format errors in Part 2 of "The Cynic and the Defender" have been removed. Yay! Thank you, Richard Lobinske.


PPMB

• John Lane 35: Give Me a C! by Richard Lobinske (COMPLETE!): As chaos reigns at Brittany's party, Daria and John hide out in the laundry room and . . . uh-oh.
  
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): Tom Sloane meets the Sisters of No Mercy. I am not worthy. I am not worthy. I am not worthy.
• A Yankee Marine in General Lee's Army, by The Sidhe (continued): Kyle Armalin arms the Confederacy with AK-47s. Someone should have a talk with him.
  

More later. Have to go to a wedding (not mine, someone else's).

A Sad Thing

You might have to click on the above pic to be able to read it. I see this image a lot lately. Me, the only one who is on SFMB.

Is there a way to resurrect this forum? It has been moribund for some time. It was once the alternative to PPMB, but lately few have been interested in seeking a new online water cooler to shoot the breeze about Daria or anything else. Few authors cross-post stories on both PPMB and SFMB, and no one at present posts stories exclusively on SFMB, except maybe in the adult areas. Every other Daria MB that I can find is similarly comatose.

Time goes on and things change. Here's hoping SFMB sees new life before too long.

LATE ADD: And now for a happy thing.


PPMB

• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!! !!!!! *

* Best line ever: "YOU SEE THAT, DARIA? THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DECENT PEOPLE GET INVOLVED WITH SQUIRRELS!!!"

Back by Unpopular Demand: Friday the 13th

Today is the special day of one of Holiday Island High's least liked teens: Friday the 13th. When I wrote "A Hard Days' Night," I based the appearance of the teen called Friday the 13th ("Frye") on drawings of Neil Gaiman's character Death, from the Sandman comics, with minor changes. It must also be admitted that PPMB poster KatriniaMedina's avatar had my attention here, too.

In the news, there is a movie review of Sex and the City in which the reviewer compares herself to Daria, then does a fine Daria-like job on the movie, slicing it to pieces.

PLUS . . . someone has named a pet rat after Ms. Morgendorffer!

AND . . . a newspaper review of Daria that compares her to the ebola virus! I love it! Woo-hoo!

LATE NEWS: I am reliably informed that today is Blog Like It's The End Of The World Day (BLITEOTW Day, for short). Blog away, then. I have to mow the yard.

PPMB

• The Cynic and The Defender, by Doggieboy (Part 2): Robert gets upset. Not angry, just upset. (NOTE: Current text contains type-translation errors.)
  
• Iron Chef - Evil Jane, by lots of people (continued): The new "evil Jane" round-robin has begun. Much violence anticipated. *
• Legion of Lawndale Heroes Mini: "…But Determined To Try." by Roentgen (COMPLETE!): Like the Vulcan says, having is not so nearly pleasing a thing as wanting.
  
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): I think my head is about to explode from reading this story. In a good way, I mean. LATE ADD: Okay, my head exploded. BRB after I clean up.
  
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 3): In so many ways, the fewmets have hit the windmill.
• Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (continued): Nothing could be crueler than making a cheerleader date a guy in the Chess Club.
  
  

* Contains mature content. Hang on.

Lay a Little Loving on Me

Today is also Loving Day, which I'd never heard of before. It celebrates interracial relationships of the love and marriage and kids kind. This should give Jane and Mack something to be happy about, plus all the fanfic writers who ship them together. Daria and Jodie? Mmm, nah.

QUESTION FOR THE MASSES: What interracial couple would you liked to have seen in Daria? Post your answers in Comments. Stay within the human race, please.

What did John Lane do when he first saw Daria? Acidgirl once again comes through with a great GIF mini-movie. This is too, too good.

Brother Grimace has another teaser for the LLH series, chapter 13.1-13.2. You go, dude.

NEW IRON CHEFS! Ever heard of an "evil Jane"? Mike Xeno challenges YOU to create one. And DigiSim invites you to join a book club!

Now 845 fans in the Daria Fan Club. Still little activity.


PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Part 8): The new Avengers aren't exactly hitting it off, but they are hitting.
  
• Big Jake's Harley-Davidson, by Ranger Thorne (continued): Jane fits right in, doesn't she?
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): He was to proceed to Russia, go to the Catherine Palace with all necessary stealth and locate the imperial family. When they were all together, enter and kill them all.
• Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 2): “I’ll put a fresh bag in the dust buster,” Quinn said. “We’ll bury her later.”

More to come as the day goes on.

Здравствуйте!

Yes, today is Russia Day! Our Heroine, Товарищ Дарья, is shown here on tour in Moscow's Red Square wearing a snazzy shapka-ushanka (thanks, UU). While exploring the Kremlin, Дарья gets to use her favorite travel phrases: "Оставьте меня в покое!" ("Will you be my friend?") and "Моё судно на воздушной подушке полно угрей!" ("This is a vacation I will always remember!").

If you have anything you wish to submit to Outpost Daria, now is the time to do it! A June update is coming, ASAP. Get the submission guidelines and start sending your stuff in! Art guidelines and fanfiction guidelines are available at the links. More soon.

Aloha!

Stacy Rowe reminds everyone that today is Kamhameha Day in Hawaii, so have a luau and party down. Amy Barksdale has been to Hawaii, which we know from her snarky postcard to sister Helen in "Through a Lens Darkly." There do not seem to be any fanfics in which Daria and/or Jane go to Hawaii and have their adventures there laid out in detail; other people go there, but not them. Maybe someone could do a story about Amy's CIA adventures on the Big Island or something.

PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Parts 6 and 7): Sick Sad World News interviews Captain Dar—um, America. Links to pics also provided!
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): No description from me needed. Just read it. It's the best.
• NEW!!! Swan Song, by NightGoblyn (Part 1): An eighth-grader from hell (literally, perhaps) has come to Lawndale. Her first target is . . .
  

More before the dawn.

"Prize Fighters" Revisited, AU Style

In an alternate Dariaverse, fifty-eight years ago today, Horace Sloane donated lands surrounding the town of Lawnburg to the state, to create the Horace Sloane State Forest. As a consequence, Lawndale was never formed. You can see the cascade of events thereafter in MMan's most excellent AU fanfic, "Anywhere But Here." Congratulations, MMan!

In our reality, seven years ago today, MTV broadcast the third-to-last regular Daria episode, "Prize Fighters." This episode is consistently rated by fans as one of the least liked productions in the series (e.g., TV.com, Sick Sad World, Daria by Numbers). Thumbnail outlines of the plot are available (Answers.com, Outpost Daria), as is a complete script (Outpost Daria). Perhaps someone could flesh out the DariaWiki page for this episode. Looks a little thin.

How could this episode have been improved? Rather than ask for an Iron Chef with AU versions of this tale, let's talk it out in the Comments. How would you have written "Prize Fighters"? What would you have done differently? What would you have hoped to see?

Me, I think one of the three could have won the prize, which would have made it interesting. I'd like to have seen Upchuck win here, as his slimy persona would have fit perfectly with the slimy persona of Wizard, Inc. Plus, it would have thrown Upchuck into an entirely new light, and he badly needed a character revamp. He could have shocked everyone and been a winner!

I also think Daria and Jane's argument sounded a bit lame and should have been made clearer or dropped. Jane could have been given a lot more depth here, as far as her resentment of Daria's attempts to get the scholarship. And Daria just seems to cave in to everyone's expectations and violate her own principles. She could have smelled the coffee and gotten motivated on her own, without telling anyone; the failure would then have been painful, when it was sort of a big nothing here in the series.

Your turn. Have at it.

YEEE-HAAAW!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

Yes, dear friends, it was exactly thirty years ago that the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, crossed the finish line at the Belmont Stakes, triumphing over another superhorse, Alydar, with whom Affirmed had competed neck-and-neck in many races. Alydar came in second in all three Triple Crown races in 1978.










Just felt that everyone should know. Helen, Jake, thanks.

Oh, and we finally learn the identity of the evil masterminds behind the plot to assassinate Daria I, Duchess of all Russia. And it isn't the Council of Trent.

Daria's First

The image at left is quite large if you click on it, but you might find it of interest. I found it in a Daria VHS tape package and thought the fandom might like to see some details about a product we hear little about. Does anyone have the CD-Rom? The product doesn't even have a real name here. It was later known as the Sick, Sad Life Planner. You might be able to get a copy of this from a source in the Lawndale Mall, down the far left column in the Daria Directory.

About 450 years ago or so, the Council of Trent was in session. It lasted many years and I have no idea what it accomplished except to steal Trent Lane's good name. People have a lot of nerve, I'll say.

Wonder if someone could do a fanfic in which a "Council of Trent" meets. What would that be like?

Hmmm.

Moar latrr.

"And everyone else is full of, full of, full of . . ."

If you wish to probe the plot and characterizations of "Pinch Sitter," which aired 11 years ago today, you might also wish to read CINCGREEN's review of it on the original Daria Fandom Blog. Many intriguing points to consider there.

I always thought a ringbearer was either a hobbit or a small kid with a pillow at a wedding. I was apparently misinformed. Brother Grimace has clarified the Ringbearer issue on DariaWiki. Who are their enemies again?

Want to see Daria as Raven of the Teen Titans? If you like the pic, tell Ranger Thorne about it.

How did Darius react when he first saw Jane Lane? Acidgirl gives us the big picture ("Meeting Jane" in GIF). Will a John Lane-meets-Daria pic be far behind?


FF.net

• A Little Problem, by Smileyfax (Part 2): In which we hear Jane's immortal words: "Oh, Daria, you're already hung!"

PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Parts 4 and 5): Tom Sloane's suckiest day ever, more or less. And Daria learns about the black helicopters.
  
• Career Change, by Doggieboy (COMPLETE!): A look into the lives of the characters in "A Little Vacation" and "The Cynic and the Defender."
• Common People, by NightGoblyn (COMPLETE!): Ow ouch ouch ow ouch OW OW OW!!! That was so nice.
• Daria: Grendel Reborn, by Grifter74 (Part 1): Daria has unusual aspirations in this universe, and they've made her anything but lazy.
• John Lane 35: Give Me a C!, by Richard Lobinske (Part 3): Daria was right when she said, "The universe hates us." That's the whole point of fanfic, isn't it?
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): Whoa. OMG. What in the name of all the Tsars just happened here?

The Most Dreadful Family in Lawndale

Eleven years ago today, "Pinch Sitter" debuted on MTV, and we learned far more about the Guptys than we wanted to know. I find the whole family to be frightening. ("Hitler ate sugar.")

There are a couple of reviews of the episode online. Outpost Daria has one, and Sick Sad World another (or two). Does this episode have the funniest ending of all Daria episodes, ever? Wraith thinks so.

More later after I get home from work.

Ocean's Eleven Minus Nine

Here Nick and Max, two former members of Mystik Spiral, try out for the synchronized swimming team in the next Olympics. We use their image to celebrate a not-yet holiday, World Ocean Day. Yes, this is not yet a holiday so don't decorate your fish tank yet.

Wouter says this is a "forgotten song that will be forever linked to Daria." Agree? Disagree? Go here to register your vote.


PPMB

• Avenging, by Lorenzo Sauchelli (Parts 2 and 3): Daria is the new Cap, but who's the new Spider-Man? A Daria/ DELPHI/ Airwolf/ Marvel crossover (at least).
• John Lane 35: Give Me a C!, by Richard Lobinske (Part 2): "Oh Kevvie!" cried Brittany. "I got a C!" Kevin stared at her chest. "Um, babe, they look the same to me."
• New Life, by legendeld (Parts 4 and 5): There’s a story about why Quinn wears full length pants and a long sleeve shirt in the middle of summer. Will Jamie find out?
• Size Does Matter, by BlackHole (Part 25): "Friend" is still the f-word for Daria. (SFMB)
  
• Stacy Rowe, Seeker (Part II), by jtranser (continued): We learn that the Milky Way galaxy is like a giant Krispy Kreme donut with a special hole in its center. And God is Homer Simpson. (Just kidding. I hope.) Plus: A really dreadful pun. OMG, that was bad. :)
• Turnabout Confusion Part II: All The King's Horses, by Dennis (continued): Tiffany has a most confusing day—more so than usual, I mean.
  
  

Thank you for watching, and good night.