By some odd quirk of timing,MTV - which I've never
forgiven for popularizing Pauly - chooses this same night to
premiere a show that's every bit as smart as Pauly is stupid.
Though animated, it's less of a cartoon. Daria (***,MTV,tonight
at 10:30 ET/PT) is a half hour weekly spinoff of Beavis and
Butthead, starring the dour teen hipster who's almost too smart
for her own good. Here's the ultimate "whatever" girl, possessed
by the subversive spirit of a Janeane Garofalo. "Ex-cuse me?"
she says, impasive and droll, as she witheringly observes life's
absurdities, including a bitterly raving history teacher, platitude
preaching guidance counselors and her concerned, clueless and
easily manipulated parents. The antithesis of her popular and
perky sister Quinn, Daria ia a make-up free heroine who says,
when accused of having low self-esteem:"I have low esteemfor
everyone else." This is one of the funniest and most real high
school comedies of the 90's, cynical enough to appease oversaturated
multimedia consumers yet with fondness for even the most caricatured
of Daria's "interesting idiot" classmates. "I hate it when the
trays are wet," moans dumb-blond Brittany in the cafeteria.
"That which does not kill us makes us strong," mutters Daria.
Brittany: "Is that from a song?" Imagine what Daria would think
of Pauly. Not much.
March 3. 1997
