The BEST episodes of Daria
Every episode of Daria ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Daria!
The people of Lawndale just don't get Daria Morgendorffer. She's cool with that. See, Daria was born alienated, and now she's just trying to make it through high school with as little human contact as possible. Popularity, friends, activities... whatever. Daria lacks enthusiasm, but she makes up for it with sarcasm. Daria is the spin-off of MTV's most sucessful cartoon, Beavis and Butt-Head.
#1 - Boxing Daria
Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/25/2001
Daria becomes upset by memories of an argument her parents had when she was a child, which may have been caused by one too many parent/teacher conferences over her refusal to socialize. She later learns that her problems as a kid were just something that comes with being smart.
#4 - I Don't
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/9/1998
The Morgendorffers are invited to the wedding of Helen's niece, and Helen insists that her daughters be bridesmaids. At the wedding, Helen keeps getting angry over issues she has with her sister, Rita, whom she despises. Daria, meanwhile, meets her other aunt, the cynical Amy, with whom she has quite a few things in common.
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#5 - The Misery Chick
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 7/21/1997
Tommy Sherman, former Lawndale High football star, visits the school when a goalpost is named after him. He turns out to be a complete jerk that insults or propositions everyone he meets, particularly Daria, whom he calls a "misery chick". Daria and Jane crack a few jokes about wishing he were dead, and seconds later he is killed when the goalpost falls on him. Suddenly everyone comes to Daria for advice on dealing with the traumatic incident, because they all think she's obsessed with death, and Jane starts avoiding her because she feels responsible.
#6 - Quinn the Brain
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/2/1998
Quinn writes a paper in Mr. O'Neill's English class that the teacher really likes and recites to the class. Quinn becomes scared that she will now become an outcast because people think she's a "brain", but just the opposite happens: she becomes a popular brain, and starts to work with it. Daria, meanwhile, finds herself losing her own identity since Quinn is the school brain now.
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#7 - Fire!
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 7/26/2000
After Jake accidentally causes a kitchen fire, the family goes to stay in a hotel for a couple of weeks while the damaged areas are repainted. At the hotel, Helen and Jake find themselves relaxing to the point of being oblivious to what's around them. Quinn is courted by Bobby, a handsome bellhop who offers her various luxuries for free, claiming that his uncle owns the hotel. After he asks her out, Sandi (ever the eager backstabber) tries to convince Quinn that Bobby is a stalker. Quinn dismisses Sandi's suspicions as paranoia, but it is later revealed that Bobby lied about his uncle being the hotel manager. He had planned to pay for the luxuries by hacking into the hotel's computer and deleting the charges, and Quinn is horrified that she almost went out with a... "computer geek." Meanwhile, Daria goes to stay with Jane for the duration. While there, she and Tom start bonding over intellectual topics that go right over Jane's head, and Jane becomes jealous.
#8 - Partner's Complaint
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/25/2000
Mrs. Bennett has the class get into pairs for a budgeting project. Daria, angry at Jane for spending so much time with Tom, pairs up with Jodie instead; meanwhile Jane pairs up with Brittany. Daria and Jodie try to start their own business, but have trouble getting a loan from a bank because of their age and possibly Jodie's race. Jodie gets mad at Daria when she is criticized for using her father's clout in order to succeed. Meanwhile, Jane and Brittany try to purchase a car, but the car salesman seems much more interested in getting a date with Brittany.
#9 - Monster
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/23/1998
Mr. O'Neill assigns his class to make short films. Daria and Jane decide to do theirs on a day in the life of Quinn, the purpose being to show everyone how shallow Quinn is. They get some great footage after Quinn freaks out over her pores, but Daria starts having second thoughts after noticing Quinn actually has some depth.
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#10 - Gifted
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 6/29/1998
Helen and Jake take Daria and Jodie to visit Grove Hills, a private school for A-students. Helen and Jake don't get along too well with Jodie's ultra-conservative black parents, while Daria and Jodie find out the students at Grove Hills are extremely stuck-up. Jodie tells them off, much to Daria's delight. Back in Lawndale, Quinn loses favor with all 3 Fashion Club members, and, afraid to be alone, comes to Jane's house and drives her nuts.
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#11 - Road Worrier
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 7/7/1997
Daria and Jane head off to Alternapalooza with Jane's brother Trent and his friend Jesse. Daria finds this to be an awkward experience due to her strong attraction to Trent. The Fashion Club, meanwhile, dress "alternative" and head off to the festival, but on the way, they decide to go outlet shopping instead. Back home, Helen and Jake use their kids' absence as a chance to "spice up their marriage".
#12 - Write Where it Hurts
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 8/3/1998
Daria is asked by Mr. O'Neill to write a story featuring people she knows as fictional characters. She develops a serious case of writer's block, and after several aborted story attempts (including takes on The Graduate and Sense and Sensibility), she starts to lose hope, until Helen gives her some advice. Daria winds up writing a great story about her family in the future.
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#13 - Cafe Disaffecto
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/24/1997
The school starts a fundraiser to build a student coffeehouse, and after Daria and Jane fail at selling candy bars, Daria is asked to perform on stage opening night to earn the extra credit points. She ends up reciting an anti-communist story she wrote that starts a riot and has the place closed down.
#14 - Dye! Dye! My Darling!
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 8/2/2000
Jane plans to dye her hair to resemble tiger stripes, and to do it she enlists the help of Daria, who is reluctant for fear she will screw it up. While Daria is applying dye, Jane asks her why she has been spending so much time with Tom, a topic that Daria finds uncomfortable. Afterward, the dye job looks horrible, and Jane accuses Daria of deliberately screwing it up. With some prodding from Trent, Jane realizes she has been acting a bit paranoid, and after she dyes her hair back to normal she apologizes to Daria, who once again insists that she is not trying to steal Tom. Afterward, Tom and Daria have a talk where he says that the problems he and Jane are having are not caused by her, and she says she is not interested in him and doesn't want to stab Jane in the back. Then they passionately kiss. Racked with guilt, Daria confesses about it to Jane, who storms off angrily. Jane breaks up with Tom, though it becomes an amicable breakup as Jane realizes Tom and Daria make a better coupl
#15 - The Invitation
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/10/1997
After Daria helps dimwitted cheerleader Brittany in art class, Brittany invites her to her party. Daria doesn't want to go at first, but then decides to after seeing it as a good chance to embarrass Quinn, who is also attending.
#16 - Antisocial Climbers
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/3/2000
Mr. O'Neill arranges a wilderness survival camping trip for the class, in order to experience firsthand the man-against-nature element of "The Call of the Wild". And experience it they do, what with Quinn's admirers electing to carry her bags instead of the food and supplies; Ms. Li ignoring student safety in order to get publicity from the trip; and a nasty blizzard that traps everyone in a cabin. Meanwhile, Helen and Jake stay in another cabin in the woods, hoping that their time alone will increase their level of intimacy and communication. They have trouble communicating until an injured and near-frozen Mr. DeMartino intrudes on them.
#17 - Psycho Therapy
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 6/28/2000
As an assignment from her law firm to determine if she has the makings of a partner, Helen takes the family to a therapy spa. The psychologists there evaluate them, and it is revealed that Daria is the only one of the four who is truly well rounded, despite her use of sarcasm to push people away. Helen, meanwhile, finds that she is a ruthless, win-at-all-costs shark who puts her career before everything else, including her family. Naturally, this gets her the promotion. Jane sets up "Jane Cam", a website that broadcasts her fairly mundane activities in her room. This does not go over well with Tom, who unwittingly shakes his ass for the entire world to see.
#18 - That Was Then, This is Dumb
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/16/1998
Their old hippie friends, the Yeagers, who haven't changed a bit, visit Helen and Jake. An issue is raised over which family is living the better life now: the laid-back, old-fashioned Yeagers, or the modern, upwardly mobile Morgendorffers. Quinn takes an interest in the Yeagers' aloof, cynical son Ethan, who ends up telling her about their parents' former problems with the law. Daria, meanwhile, heads off to a flea market with Jane, Jesse and her continuing crush, Trent, where they attempt to sell Trent's old records.
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#19 - Pinch Sitter
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 6/9/1997
Desperate to avoid a meeting with a family therapist, Daria substitutes for Quinn on a babysitting gig. The family she ends up sitting for are the sickeningly-sweet Lester and Lauren Gupty, who have raised their kids Tad and Tricia into brainwashed little angels that only watch The Weather Channel on television, and avoid any sugar and junk food. It will take an artist extrordinare(yes, Jane) to rescue Daria from this nauseous night, and the Gupty kids from the sheltered lifestyle they've become so accustomed to.
#20 - Just Add Water
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 8/11/1999
Principal Li forces the entire school to raise funds by going on a casino cruise, on a run-down toilet of a ship. There, Quinn gets stood up by her date; Mr. DeMartino deals with his gambling addiction; and Daria and Jane try in vain to get some sleep. Eventually the ship crashes into a garbage scow; many jabs at Titanic ensue.
#21 - Esteemsters
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/3/1997
On their first day at Lawndale High, Daria and Quinn have to take a mandatory psychological exam, where perky, popular Quinn passes with flying colors, while sarcastic loner Daria is forced to enroll in a self-esteem course, where she meets the equally sarcastic Jane. Meanwhile, Quinn goes to great lengths to prevent people from knowing she's related to Daria, since she thinks that it will ruin her popularity.
#22 - Jane's Addition
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 8/18/1999
Daria and Jane are assigned a multimedia computer project, which is hindered by Trent's procrastination in coming up with music for it. Meanwhile, Jane starts dating a guy, Tom, whom Daria immediately sees as a threat to her friendship with Jane--until she and Tom have a talk about it.
#23 - Pierce Me
Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 7/27/1998
Trent asks Daria to help him find a birthday present for Jane, and the enraptured Daria lets him talk her into getting her navel pierced, which she later regrets. Helen, meanwhile, agrees to accompany Quinn in the ill-fated mother-daughter fashion show.
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#24 - College Bored
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/17/1997
Daria and Quinn get enrolled in a college-prep course, where they are given the assignment of visiting the college of their choice. Their parents decide to take them to their alma mater, Middleton College. Things start to go wrong after Daria goes into business writing term papers for cash, and Quinn gets elected "keg queen" at a frat party.
#25 - Sappy Anniversary
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/26/2001
As the six-month anniversary of Daria and Tom's relationship approaches, Daria starts to feel like Tom is taking her for granted, since they never go out on dates or do anything romantic, like Tom did with Jane. She can't get herself to bring up the issue with Tom, but she talks to Helen about it, and Helen advises her not to expect too much or else she'll be disappointed. She realizes that though Tom didn't realize that the anniversary was approaching, neither did she at first (Quinn had to remind her). Additionally, Tom explains that he's not the romantic type--he did the romantic stuff with Jane only when he sensed their relationship was falling apart. The two of them decide to celebrate their anniversary even though they really don't have to. Meanwhile, Jake joins the staff of an internet start-up company. He is twice the age of the other employees, and never quite figures out what they're saying (they speak in buzz-words and techno-jargon) or what the company actually does. Though