Hail,

Well, after IRC, checking e-mail and the message board, I seem to be writing the dissenting opinion in an 8 to 1 decision.

For those of you impervious to analogy: I didn't like it much.

This episode never seemed to get funny to me. Maybe I'm biased - I've been in Daria's place too many times to find this sort of thing funny - but this just didn't make me laugh much. Daria really didn't seem to be herself much throughout the episode. Now, I know the artists and writers wing quite a bit of the show, but I really, really hope they have some sort of character sketches for the writers to work off. If they do, they should pay attention to them. I can see her getting frustrated about Quinn's pseudo-intellectual popularity, and upset, but not depressed. The ending really doesn't sit well with me. (Side note: What was up with her eyes? Well, I guess this was drawn in Korea...) The "beat her at her own game" method was not the way she should have handled this. I mean, why let a chance to totally humiliate Quinn pass by? Trick her into Knowledge Bowl (tell her the winner gets a shopping spree at Cashmans or something) and make sure all her friends are there to see her go down in flames. Reveal her for what she is, there wasn't any need to stoop to her level.
And the whole "Quinn stole my identity" bit was way out of line. Daria's not "The Misery Chick," remember? Daria's secure enough that when her mother gets a call from the school about her, she assumes Daria's insulted someone to their face. She provokes a riot, now she's suddenly worried about someone stealing her identity? More specifically, Quinn? Give me a break. If this had been like that Simpsons episode (the one with Lisa's rival) and it was someone new to school, maybe. But we're talking about Quinn. You can change Quinn's mind by blowing in her ear, Daria's frightened of this? Pissed or irritated at people playing up to Quinn (yes, your Majesty, very nice your Majesty, no need for the Headsman, now, is there your Majesty?), yes, but worried? Personally, I'm surprised that Quinn didn't end up sitting in the middle of 21 years bad luck.

Jane seems to be getting all the good lines lately. What happened to Daria's snide retorts? "No, but she'll have to watch out for ferrets building a nest in her head." Daria makes a good straight man, but I like her sarcastic comments, bring them back!
Kudos to Wendy Hoopes for Jane's voice, I've loved it these last few episodes (the whining in "Arts 'N Crass" was perfect).

There were some good things... Daria was reading Catch 22, which I figured would be on her reading list. It wasn't very appropriate to the episode, but the writer probably wasn't trying for that. Having Andrea and Jesse in the Alter Egos means that maybe we'll see more of them (Andrea was in the background at lunch, btw). Unfortunately, Jodie and Mack have been in the alter egos from the start, and we barely see them at all.

Three episodes is a bit small for a reliable sampling, but this season isn't off to the best start. No episodes I'd place on my favourites list ("Cafe Disaffecto," "The Misery Chick," and "Pinch Sitter" just has to get a mention for the ending), and this one I'd place down with "The Lab Brat," my least favourite episode.

Wraith