DARIA: ESTEEMSTERS {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The premiere in this animated comedy series about dry-witted teen Daria Morgendorffer and her adventures with her family and classmates. In this episode, Daria and her ditzy sister Quinn head to their first day at their new school, and Quinn is immediately accepted into the cool crowd. Both sisters are made to take a psychiatric test, to which Daria provides sarcastic answers. In history class, stressed-out teacher Mr. DeMartino grows annoyed when only Daria, unlike dimwitted students Kevin and Brittany, can provide the correct answers. At home, Quinn talks all about her newfound popularity, and Daria's parents urge her not to judge her classmates too harshly. They then learn that Daria must take a special class due to her apparent low self-esteem, though she notes that she actually has "low esteem for everybody else." In the class, Mr. O'Neill gives a dutiful speech about self-realization, and Daria befriends the equally disillusioned Jane Lane. Later, Daria's mother takes the day off and unsuccessfully attempts to bond with her daughter on a shopping trip.
Daria overhears Quinn telling her many male admirers that she is an only child, and in the self-esteem class, Mr. O'Neill encourages them to make one of their daydreams come true, so Daria drags her family off to the cheesy theme restaurant Pizza Forest, amused at their annoyance. Later, she watches a story about a UFO convention on the tabloid news show "Sick, Sad World" with Jane, and they decide to get out of the self-esteem class for good, as Jane knows all the answers to the requisite final test. Mr. O'Neill is impressed with their "growth," and presents them both with certificates of accomplishment at an all-school assembly. Jane is too anxious to finish her acceptance speech, but Daria takes the mic and thanks Quinn for her help, revealing to the whole school that they are in fact related, much to the surprise of Quinn's suitors. Quinn is embarrassed, but their parents are pleased at Daria's "gesture," and she ends up taking them to the UFO convention. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: MTV
- DATE: March 3, 1997 10:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:04
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:85064
- GENRE: Animation
- SUBJECT HEADING: Animation; Comedy; Teenagers
- SERIES RUN: MTV - TV series, 1997-2001
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Abby Terkuhle … Executive Producer
- John Andrews … Supervising Producer
- Susie Lewis Lynn … Producer
- Glenn Eichler … Writer
- Splendora … Theme Music by
- Tracy Grandstaff … Cast, Voice, Daria Morgendorffer
- Wendy Hoopes … Cast, Voice, Jane Lane / Helen Barksdale Morgendorffer / Quinn Morgendorffer
- Nora Laudani … Cast, Voice, Ms. Angela Li
- Julian Rebolledo … Cast, Voice, Jake Morgendorffer
- Marc Thompson … Cast, Voice, Mr. Anthony DeMartino / Mr. Timothy O'Neill / Kevin Thompson / Jamie White
- Jessica Zaino … Cast, Voice, Stacy Rowe / Mrs. Margaret Manson
- John W. Lynn Jr. … Cast, Voice
- Lisa Collins … Cast, Voice