"Daria," as I've said before, stood out like a rose in a cesspool among MTV's lineup. This TV movie from the fourth season takes a standard gambit in teen movies - the summer vacation - and turns it into a hilarious and sensitive tale that (unlike "Is It College Yet?," the feature-length series finale) has no padding whatsoever, and all the better for it.
"Is It Fall Yet?" has everyone's favourite introvert shanghaied into serving as a counsellor at Mr. O'Neill's It's OK To Cry Corral ("What about my feelings? What about my rights?... What about my bribe?"), while her sister Quinn spends the summer under tutorship to the horror of her Fashion Club friends; meanwhile, Kevin and Brittany are lifeguards (!), Mack is working off a debt to his father while Jody is doing pretty much everything under the sun, and Jane's going to an art colony where, among other things that bother her, she gets hit on by another woman. Not that Daria's own love life is too peaceful, with her relationship with Tom going through a rough patch...
"Daria: The Movie" (as it's also called) is the show at its best; not only is it as effective in showing us what it's like for the unpopular, non-mainstream kids as ever, but this time it actually gives Quinn some development - she and Daria are closer here than they've ever been. I've always liked Daria, but for the first time I actually found myself feeling for Quinn as well; just one of many pleasures from this TV movie. Ironic, well observed and with a merciful lack of the self-adoration that so often blights MTV, this is a treat for series fans... and even some others may find themselves agreeing with how Miss Morgendorffer concluded one episode - "You gotta admit, there are some pretty choice moments."
