Spin-off series can often be a tough sell, but Daria is one of those rare programs that broke the mold, lasting almost as long as the series it spun-off from. Based off the character from Beavis & Butthead, the animated series focuses on Daria Morgendorffer, a dead-pan teenager with razor-sharp wit, who has just moved to the town of Longdale (thus severing geographical ties from the series’ predecessor). She must deal with her crazy family which consists of her fashion-obsessed sister (Quinn), career-focused mother (Helen) and uncomfortably-unstable father (Jake) on top of her high school life. With the help of artistic friend Jane, Daria navigates through awkward and controversial scenarios with her unique observations.

There are three types of episodes to Daria:

-Interesting Event: There isn’t much a plot to these episodes. They’re mainly just about placing characters into certain events (paintball match, medieval festival, snow storm) and watching how they react in these scenarios. These episodes are mostly about giving every character something to do and, since most of them are so well-developed, they turn out rather entertaining. The bulk of these episodes are in the early seasons.

-Character Development: Daria is more than just a vehicle for low-toned quips and these episodes are where she shines. Some of these episodes reveal more about her inner thought process and explore areas that Daria is either reluctant or fears to tread. Episodes like these are the real meat of the series and are thankfully more present towards the later seasons.

-What-If Scenarios: These episodes are just bizarre in that they exist for letting the crew do all kinds of fun stuff with the characters that wouldn’t fit into the reality of the show. Sometimes they’re a dream, sometimes they’re anthology tales (ala The Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror format) and sometimes there is just no explanation in which you’ll just have to accept it. A good example is the musical episode in which every character, including Daria, turns every line into a musical number for no reason. These episodes are peppered throughout the series.

Daria may be one of my favorite female characters of any TV series, animated or otherwise, and it’s not just because of her repartee. She’s an immensely interesting character in that she is deeply flawed even if most of the time it appears that she’s the most level-headed of the people surrounding her. She does form a relationship towards the end of the series, but it plays out with a rocky beginning and an even rockier ending. It’s awkward and uncomfortable, but it feels more real than any other teenage relationship I’ve seen on television. If you’re looking for a positive and well-rounded female role model, look no further.

This is primarily a teen comedy, but it’s not a laugh-out-loud joke fest. Most of the humor centers around satirical and observational jabs which will at least garner a chuckle or a smile. It’s a smart comedy that doesn’t necessarily go for the biggest last, but aims for the best line. This gives the series an eerie, almost Judd Apatow vibe in that it feels very real and very relatable (but not in a depressing way as with Apatow).

Though the series tends to go over-the-top, it manages to pull a fast one every now and then with the characters. Quinn seems like an air-headed fashion nut, but she starts displaying shades of shame and intelligence as the show progresses. Helen also appears as one note until it comes down to serious mother-daughter discussions where she is much more sage than shrill (most of the time). Unlike The Simpsons, these are not just one-off surprises as these characters actually develop over the course of the show.

The picture quality of the DVDs isn’t too bad given the age of the show. The colors look fairly vibrant and there is very little noticeable compression which is surprising given the episodes count per disc. One thing I did notice, which is no fault of the DVD production, is that the medium shots of characters cut-off a hair short of bottom of the screen. This was mostly likely not that noticeable in the age of 4:3 televisions, but on a 16:9 HDTV it really sticks out.

The audio is crisp, but there is one major change from the TV broadcast version. When Daria first aired, the soundtrack was mostly composed of hit songs from popular artists at the time. Since it would take far too much time and money to clear the rights for every single song, they’ve been replaced with generic reproductions of rock and pop instrumentals. For some this may be a deal breaker, but I personally didn’t mind as it was hardly a distraction. It’s nowhere near as bad as the music replacement for the public domain version of Dragnet. Some songs were cleared, however, for scenes where characters are singing along to the tune.

The extras are top-notch. There is a wealth of material including the original pilot episode (in which the character of Daria wasn’t entirely nailed down), the Mystic Spiral music video (based off the series’ fictional band), Daria Day Intros (which are optionally attached to specific episodes on each disc), Daria & Jane’s Top Ten Video Countdown (similar to the Daria Day intros), a newly recorded featurette with the cast & crew and the script for never-produced Mystic Spiral spin-off (yeah, a spin-off of a spin-off). Also included in this set, which doesn’t technically count as extras, are the two specials, "Is it Fall Yet?" and "Is it College Yet?" (which effectively wraps all the loose ends of the series). The only thing missing here is the Looking Back in Annoyance special, but I can live without it.

Despite its age, Daria actually holds up surprisingly well and not just because of the 1990’s pop music extraction. The episodes have a timeless quality with stories and topics that are just as edgy and entertaining as they were when they first aired. It may not have big laughs, but it’s sure to make you grin with it’s witty delivery and likable characters. I could easily see today’s teenagers getting a kick out of Daria and I hope they do not just because it’s relatable but because it’s a brilliant piece of animated television in general.