Where can I watch these episodes?
Great work btw!

The debawkle that has arisen concerning my friend Cecil's review, has forced me to contribute my own 50 cents. Due to Cecil's insight, I have reported this story, and I encourage everybody with a conscions to do the same. Disrespect for the rules is fowl ways, and wicked deeds such as this ought not go unpunished!

They don't permit scripts here, Sonny Jim. I have reported it, and request that all upstanding people do the same. The author should be ashamed of himself for having no regard for the guidelines.

"(Bt. makes fists, speaks in a "Mad Dog" tone.) And boy, I'd really love to show her just how wrong she is to think of me that way. I think I'll go up to her right now and -
(His face suddenly goes pale, as he realizes what it would mean to stand up to Helen.)"

This part is really interesting in its ambiguity. While it seems like Jake is afraid of Helen, the fact that he's talking in a "Mad Dog" tone and being physically aggressive makes me wonder. I've always thought that Jake had a certain degree of selective obliviousness, to deliberately keep himself in the dark about issues (other than his father) that would make him too angry or upset, and purposefully allowing Helen to control him, since he does not want to become the (probably) violent, and definitely abusive man his father was. I like how this scene shows that Jake can think about defying Helen, but gets scared when he realizes that violence is the first way that comes to mind for him, and so is frightened by what it would mean for him to "stand up to Helen" that way, and the dangers involved for both of them.

ANDREA: You talk a lot about how screwed up people are and how messed up the world is. (Bt) Then you let everyone off the hook.

So true, unfortunately. That's part of what's so depressing about "Monster". Daria loses her nerve and doesn't really show her class what Quinn's like, but rather the facade that Quinn puts on. Daria just doesn't quite have the will to actually cause long-term changes, like perhaps telling her mother about Quinn's not wearing glasses, or the "cousin" thing or anything else; she just lays down and takes it and says "woe is me" rather than holding her own when it might hurt Quinn.

I am so glad that you broke the status quo by having Quinn move to cheerleading. Mainly because it does change things up, but also because it will cause some different tensions between Daria and Quinn.

"it is slightly creepy that a guy would get his kicks from stuffing dead animal skins"
Not at all like a girl keeping an incredibly realistic skeleton and skull in her room. No way they have any interest in dead things in common.

Daria: You said you didn't think I cared about you or anything, and I just proved I did. Isn't that enough?
Helen: I mean, if that is all I can expect from you, then I guess I'll just have to accept it.

Daria: I'd believe that more if my mom didn't have me feeling like I owe it to her to put on a big display.

This is interesting, since the relationship is generally the other way around: When Helen is does gestures to "prove that she loves Daria" that don't particularly do so, Helen is upset that Daria doesn't react with gratitude and happiness. Now when Daria, like Helen, tries to reach out in a way that does not succeed in connecting with Helen, Daria is just as upset with the similar lack of gratitude. It's a similar problem: one does not understand the other, and so they fail to give the "proper" response to encourage behaviors.

Helen: And to think of all I've done for her - all the meetings I had to postpone so I could attend one of her little recitals, all the evenings I've tried to plan -

This just killed me, showing how disconnected Helen is. Recitals? What recitals? Quinn has been in a play and other events, but what events has Daria been in that Helen has gotten to?

Jane: Daria, your mom's done some pretty cool stuff for you.
Daria: She does do... stuff for me.

I have to admit, that for me it was hard to sympathize with Helen earlier on in this chapter, since in canon, she gives Daria little sign that she actual loves her. Yes, Helen is protective of Daria, but she's also protective of her position in her law firm, and protective of other things.

Daria: What about all the times you bribed us to do something for you? And all because you don't know any better way to get through to us. Talking takes too much time, so you'd rather just take the easy way out.

This is the essence of the problem in the Morgendorffer household. Helen decided one day to bribe one of her daughters to do something, (whether out of not knowing the emotional triggers or out of being in a rush at the time, it doesn't matter) and since then has supplemented connections with cash. Honestly that's why Daria isn't at or above Jodie's level of crazed club activity: all the emotional triggers and connections that should have existed for her parents to push her to do more that just go to school and watch TV have been worn away by disuse and a misuse of cash and other benefits unconnected to emotion as bribery.

Daria: Even though I can't say the words right now, I do... (looks down, blushes again) think them, sometimes.
Helen: (warmly) I know you do, honey. I believe you.
DARIA: (surprised) You do? Um, that's great.

This is just one of the saddest parts to me. That Daria is (rightfully, from how her life has gone so far) surprised that her mother believes her about emotional matters. It's sad because Daria has clearly lived with knowing that Helen doesn't believe much of what Daria says about emotion what she is feeling, and Daria doesn't really have anyone in her family she could really talk to.

Quinn: (irritated) Dammit, Daria, could you make me look any worse in front of Mom and Dad?!

And here's the most scary/disturbing part of this episode. When Daria gets Trent to help her by singing a song she wrote to tell her mother how much she love her, Quinn is simply upset at being upstaged. In this episode in general, Quinn is quite disturbing for how she blithely manipulates her father, and even though (or especially because?) she's very in character, Quinn seems to have less problem saying "I love you" to Helen because she doesn't feel an emotional connection in saying that.
Honestly, both in fandom and in pre-season 5 canon (see "Speedtrapped") Quinn has always come off as a narcissist or borderline sociopathic (character trait of sociopathy: excellent at being superficially social and manipulating others, while feeling no empathy for them), or at least possessing very little sympathy for others.
Although we all know that Daria can sometimes lack in sympathy for others, and Helen has to work (or rather, not being working) to find her sense of sympathy. Perhaps it's Helen raised them.

Sorry for the super-long review, but I just finished my term paper, which was literary analysis, earlier today, and am in full-on analysis mode.

PS: What does (bt) stand for/mean?

It seems pretty good, but I would like to point out one thing;

"Optimist" is a person who attempt to make every action or consequence against him seem like a good, positive action. An "Optometrist" is a health care professional who specializes in the care and correction of the eye. Just wanted to point that out.

Well, it's a little late, but I promised myself I'd do a review of the Driven Wild universe when it was finished. And now it is.

Basically, the DWU is one of the best works of Daria fic out there, and certainly one of the best long-running series (if not the best)

Throughout the 20 stories (or 19 and a half if you count the unfinished 'Age of Cynicism' as a half) Kara moves the characters through a variety of changes, both good, and bad. Quinn gets glasses, Jane runs for student government, and so on. None of these changes are out of character, and they are all played through believeably. The changes and events are used to get into the deeper workings of the characters, and show what make them tick, not just for shock purposes.

Probably the best change in the series, is that of Helen and Jake's marriage. Throughout the series, it unravels slowly, and painfully. You can see what's happening, and hope that they'll work it out, even though you know they probably won't.

Another effective direction is that of Aunt Amy. She plays a major role in the series, and Kara has fleshed her out more than anyone, probably. She rises above the level of deus ex machina you find in a lot of work, to being a full character.

Favourite stories? For humour, I have a major soft spot for "Surreal World", and for drama, you can't really go wrong with the concluding three stories (not counting 'In Her Own Words')

I do have a few caveats, albeit minor ones. "in Her Own Words' seems a little out of place, and kind of gets sidetracked from the ongoing subplots. Plus Lawndale High is all but forgotten about after #16. But apart from those, the DWU is essential reading for Daria fans, and stands as one of the best works.

Did I mention that Kara also has very detailed end notes? They almost serve as annotations of the stories, and are always interesting to read.

As Kara mentioned below, true (or at least, traveled) Daria fans got a chance to read the stories in the Driven Wild Universe at the Daria fan sites such as Outpost Daria or her own Contrarian's Corner. I generally don't leave reviews here at , as I prefer to send feedback directly to the authors themselves, but now that all(?) "chapters" are up, I think I would like to point this series out to the uninitiated.

A hallmark of Daria fan fiction, and by extension Daria fandom itself, the DWU is a series that shows a firm grasp of the characters, and highlights them in a remarkably honest manner. Each story in the series is not necessarily a chapter, as for the most part they stand on their own merits and were written to stand alone. However, it is definitely a series, and the events and actions in one story inexorably lead to the next. As each story unfolds, the characters' psyches and motivations are revealed and stripped away like the layers of an onion, leading to confrontations and self-realizations that drive the stories further and faster, inevitably dragging the readers along for the ride. The final(?) story concludes with a climax that is at once surprising, heartfelt, frightening, and hopeful. The final page alone makes the entire series worth the read. If you have not yet read the DWU, you are in for a treat.

Right. I'm going to have to reveiw this now, even though all I will be saying is variations on 'wow! briliant' ...to begin... (this may be very long, and I'll ramble. Apoligies)

About four years ago, when I was fourteen, New Zealand, where I live, set up a youth orientated TV station (hurrah! we all cried. we'll get bevis & buthead, and other brilliant american things!-sad, I know), and Daria first made its debut. Smart and cynical, Daria was pretty much every thing I wanted to be (sad, I know). I watched the first season religiously and then...pow! no more Daria. The second season screened briefly and then, because the 'yoof market' was not the cash cow it had seemed to be, it just faded away.

Then, four or so years later, I stumbled into the strange realm of fanfiction. And I saw 'Daria' listed. 'Daria' I thought to myself 'where do I know that from' so I read a few and it all came back...

And then I found the DWU

Brilliant. As close to the show as I can remember, and briliantly written by someone who obviously cares about the show, despite its flaws.

I read eps 1-12 in one sitting, and then waited for the rest...and they came! hurrah!

and now I hear that you are wrapping this all up, so I simply have to leave a note of congratulations, for a number of reasons.

1) you bought back happy memories. *awww* seriously, I really liked Daria, it was nice to remember that.

AND...

2) you created a Dariaverse that has become, in many ways, more 'real' than my fuzzy memories of the actual show (and I still can't find a video shop that has any episodes on tape...grr). that was real enough that, I must admit, I sniffled a little during the end of Memory Road.

I think I have run out of things to say, and I _know_ I havn't given this series the praise I intended to...

...but I cant think of anything else , and I've gone on long enough. So one final 'you're brilliant, PLEASE get the next two episodes out soon...' and I'm gone.

~manx

Before the review, a caveat: I beta-read DWU #20. Having said that, "Memory Road" is, for me, the darkest episode in DWU, and one of the best written. The fear that Daria and Quinn share over their parents' marital problems is gut wrenching; there is little of the snappy repartee that characterizes most "Daria" episodes, but this lack is appropriate. The fate of the Morgendorffers is up for grabs, and Daria and Quinn make heroic efforts to keep things together-but a very nasty surprise awaits. This is frightening to read, very complex and well handled. I would love to say a lot more, but it's best to read the fic!

this story kicked ass!

cute little story. i like it but the only thing is i was hopeing trent and daria would get together at the end. but it was still good. ok well gotta go. later daze.

~MORGAN~

In “All But Forgotten,” Helen Morgendorffer is forced to take a vacation from work, then breaks down and disappears, going to her sister Amy’s house to reassess her life. On top of this, Jake is away from home a lot, and Daria and Quinn pool their efforts to discover where he’s going and what he’s doing. Best for me not to say more; some fearful secrets are coming into the open for the Morgendorffers and Barksdales. Kara Wild builds suspense to a gut-wrenching, nerve-fraying pitch as Daria and Quinn face the fact that each of their parents is hiding something, and a frightening future looms. This episode actually functions as part one of a two-part tale, concluding with DWU episode #20, “Memory Road.” A complicated story that is among the best dramatic tales that DWU offers. It really wrings you out. Superb work.