Now that there won't be NEW episodes of DARIA for a while, I would like to urge the newsgroup to turn their attention to FAN FICTION. There is ALOT out there.
(http://systech.simplenet.com/daria and click on Fan Fiction. Or http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/wildbill/155/dmain.html Or the occational poster who says `see my fan fiction at...')
Once a week for a while I will post an item ABOUT fan fiction. I am really hoping to spark intelligent debate about these stories.
This weeks topic:
A REVIEW OF THE WORKS OF C.E. FORMAN (NO spoilers--- this note is to ENCOURAGE you to read the stuff.)
GENERAL COMMENTS:
Forman does not do Crossovers (one exception), future stories, or anything of that sort. ALL stories really COULD be episodes of Daria. No major continuity changes. The hardest thing seems to be making the fashion club doesn't find out that Daria is Quinn's sister.
Forman includes Commercials, those scenes before commercials, and Sick Sad World. All quite good.
There are also comments on the story both before and after, so the reader can see what was trying to be accomplished.
Forman seems to have MEMORIZED every episode and The Daria Diaries and The Daria Database. This tends to increase enjoyment if you catch a reference, but no problem if you don't. Also some of the later stories reference events in prior ones, so its good to read them in order.
--------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- A+ stories: To get an A+ a story has to be interesting, funny, AND have some GREAT SCENE. THE LOST GIRLS had the EDGY scene. LENS had the NELSON MANDELA scene. SPEEDTRAPED had the bar-scene and the kids party scene. (I know some people would NOT give LOST GIRLS at A+, but hey, this is my posting.)
TO HELEN BACK: On ``take your daughter to work'' day Helen takes Daria and Jake takes Quinn. Daria thinks the law system is a farce, Quinn flirts with job applicants. GREAT scene at the end when Sandi's family and the Morgs, and Jodie's family all get together for dinner. Both plots interesting and funny.
----------------- ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUES: The Best scene of all the fan-fiction is the second to last scene in this way (Cant' tell about it without spoiling). An adult substitute teacher who is rebellious against (among other things) a Book Ban by Ms. Li appeals to Daria but really troubles Jodie. Very interesting and funny. Character development for Jodie.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- A stories. These are A+ stories that are missing that one great scene to make them A+. Or they have great scenes but have a major plot flaw. ESTEEMERS, QUINN THE BRAIN would qualify.
LOTTO NONSENSE: Daria wins the lottery (5000 dollars) and becomes popular. Quinn is goaded into shoplifting by the Fashion club. Both plots good and reach reasonable conclusions. The very end left me a bit cold though.
An excerpt:
DEMARTINO: ... you might try showing us a little enTHUSIASM for once instead of just SITting there in your usual HALF-APATHETIC STATE!!
JANE (to Daria): *Half*-apathetic?
DARIA: Yeah. I don't even care enough to exhibit complete apathy.
-------------------------------------- RAIN ON YOUR PARADE/QUINNTET (a two part story): Ambitious!. At least 4 plot threads (Daria, Upchuck and Ms. Li, Quinn, Jake). They don't connect up much, but thats okay. It takes place at a fair, but its much better than FAIR ENOUGH. And different enough from it to be original. Only problem- The Daria plot--- she's too overwrought.
An excerpt:
HELEN: The point is, this constant fighting (between Daria and Quinn) has to stop. What do we have to do with you girls?
DARIA: Pit us against each other in a bloody struggle to the death?
JAKE: Fifty dollars on Daria!
----------------------------------------------------------------- ALIENATION LEGACY: The Morgendorffers go to the funeral of Great aunt Ellie, who is Aunt Amy's Aunt, and had a similar relation to Amy that Amy has to Daria. Similar to I DON"T, but distinct in its own right. 3 great SCENES (Daria claims she's serial killer, the will reading, dreams of funnerals). Flashbacks are used alot which can get confusing, but better on a second reading. A few logical flaws knock it down from A+ to A.
Except:
JAKE: She's being cremated DARIA: Don't forget the mashmellows.
NOTE: Forman's attention to detail: the three bridesmaids from I DONT appear here. Forman feels an obligation to apologize for this as they are probably not close enough relatives to be there. The apology is unneeded, but shows attention to detail.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- DRIVEN WILD: Daria and Trent go out on a ``date'' set up by Jane at Le' Chez. Lots of Daria fantasies throughout. Three great scenes (Resturant scene, Car Dealer scene, one of Daria's fantasies) Ending is a cop-out, which knocks it from A+ to A.
---------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------- B+ stories. Funny and interesting, but lacks a great scene and somethings not quite there. JUST ADD WATER is in this category.
TAKING DEBATE: The main plot--Daria gets involved in an extracurricular activity (debate team) and regrets it-- seems somewhat generic. The Jane plot (she makes a new logo for the football team) is more original, but it was secondary. The Debate-plot didn't end smoothly.
Excerpt:
O'NEIL: The pen is mightier than the sword. DARIA: Maybe, but its alot harder to decapitate your opponent with a bic.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- WEIGHTING TO EXHALE: Quinn thinks she's overweight and unravels. Daria and Jane both like the same guy. The Daria/Jane plot revealed some nice insights about both of them and their differences, but ended too artificially. The Quinn plot worked pretty well and made some points of interest. The idea of Jane getting a boyfriend was explored better in JANE'S ADDITION. (To be fair--- written after this story was written.)
An Except:
JANE: He likes us DARIA: That automatically classifies him as a poor judge of character.
--------------------------------------------------------- NO PICNIC: The Morgendorffers and the Landen's (Jodie's family) go on a picnic together. Nice contrasts: Daria/Jodie, Quinn/Rachael, and Andrew/Jake were very interesting. (Helen/Michele wasn't devolped much). The episode was really about Jodie and the stress she's under. No real plot or resolution. I don't mind the lack of plot, but I do mind the lack of resolution. More interesting than funny.
An Excerpt:
DARIA: I'm now a card carrying member of the Isolated Recluse society. JAKE: Thats great kiddo!
----------------------------------------------------------------------- DARIA VERSUS THE IRS: Jane's family owes LOTS of Taxes/Someone is writing nasty graffiti about Quinn. Both stories start out well. But both have cop-out endings. Some of the themes here were much better done in LANE MISERABLES (to be fair--- it aired after this was written). Funny but not logical.
An Excerpt:
DARIA: ..... They got audited a couple of months ago.
QUINN: Good. That whole family's weird, its about *time* someone did something about it.
DARIA: Do you even know what an audit is Quinn?
QUINN: It sounds like a kid of makeover, but for like a group, and they teach them to act less geeky to.
------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- C: Not funny enough AND not interesting. DEPTH TAKES A HOLIDAY.
ALL WASHED UP: Daria decides she cares about her looks after all. Done much better in THROUGH A LENS DARKLY. Daria volunteers for an activity (car wash) and REALLY regrets it. But nothing funny or interesting happens in the process. The fashion club is picking on Daria instead of just ignoring her (their reaction to Daria in QUINN THE BRAIN was much better). A flashback to Trent in school was interesting, but didn't connect up that well. There were two other plots (Helen and Jake go to a better-your-marriage thing, the fashion club goes rollerblading) that were better, but secondary. Contained the best commercial of all the fan-fics.
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SUCK/DIDN"T SUCK If you know Beavis & Butthead then episode DID NOT SUCK, else the episode DID SUCK.
GOOD BYE DIARRHEA. I'm not a B&B fan, so alot of it went over my head. But I can judge it as a Daria fan. This episode was about Daria's last days in Highland (where Beavis and Butthead lived). It tied up some lose ends and parts were funny, but there wasn't quite enough to relate to. The comments the author made afterwards were more interesting than the story itself.