10 Best Daria Episodes
5. The Misery Chick
In the first of what would be a series of great season finales, The Misery Chick ended Daria Season 1 on a high note. (In terms of writing, that is. The episode itself is actually quite dark.)
After a whole season of Daria deadpanning her way through her first year at Lawndale High, this episode offered a surprisingly moving deconstruction of her place in the school's social hierarchy, as well as her worldview in general.
The Misery Chick completely flips the script on Daria's social status, as her seemingly grim outlook on life makes her the most popular girl in school -- whether she likes it or not -- following the sudden death of a less-than-likable Lawndale alumnus. It's an episode that really hones in on how we all grieve differently, with even Jane distancing herself from Daria for a short while after the accident, which later prompts an uncomfortable but necessary conversation between the two friends.
Most importantly, The Misery Chick reminds is that just because someone doesn't quite fit in with most of their peers, that doesn't always mean they're weird or maladjusted. Oftentimes, it just means they're different -- and there's nothing inherently wrong with that.