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.