An interesting episode that ultimately felt like it bit off more than it could chew. The episode did some complex work with Daria's feelings about sex, from her reluctance, to the palpable sense that she thinks there's something wrong with her relationship with Tom because they haven't had physical intimacy yet, to her concerns that it will change things or ruin the relationship, to the idea that she's clearly not ready for it, to the thought that it's a big mystery she's afraid to approach because she's unsure what the consequences are. It was all good stuff and solid notes to have the character hit, but at the same time, a teenage girl's decision whether or not to have sex is often a very complicated thing, and while the episode did its best to try to capture all of that complexity, it felt like the show just couldn't get its hand around all of it within a half hour. That's no great shame, especially while squeezing in a hilariously awkward Jake and his subplot about a parasite-infested sushi restaurant.
But it does mean that the episode feels a little lumpy, especially compared to a number of other episodes this season which take complicated issue, and perhaps simplify them a little, but also feel like there's a clear and coherent take on them by the end. In truth, teenage relationships are often messy, and not in the excited 90210 sort of way, but in the sense that young women like Daria go back and forth and have their insecurities brought to the forefront in a way that makes them willing to sabotage their whole relationship to avoid having to deal with it all.
Which leads to another complaint that's been bubbling in this season as a whole. Tom is a little too perfect. Sure, the show bucks that trend a little here, giving him the expected teenage boy eagerness to consummate the relationship, but even when he's frustrated, he's always perfectly understanding and perfectly patient and at the ready to do whatever's necessary to make things right again. Maybe there are such people in real life, but it makes him feel like more of a device as this season explores the less-than-perfect, all-too-human sides of Daria (with great success, I might add), than a three-dimensional character. I like the sense in which this season has brought Daria down to Earth to some degree, shown how her intelligence and world-weary wit doesn't mean she has all the answers, but at the same time, the gentle perfection of Tom is a strange mirror to use for all of that interesting character work.
In the end, "My Night at Daria's" does a good job showing the effect of rumor and innuendo on a teenage girl (the scene with Jodi is especially telling), and the pressure and stresses of thinking about sexual maturity at that age, but never quite sticks the landing with these ideas taken together. In many ways it felt true-to-life, with Daria's interactions with Helen, Tom, and Jane all reflective of the kind of back-and-forth a teenager would have in that situation, but the resolution felt too pat, and the plot a little too rushed for it all to really click.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2016-01-25T17:11:05Z
An interesting episode that ultimately felt like it bit off more than it could chew. The episode did some complex work with Daria's feelings about sex, from her reluctance, to the palpable sense that she thinks there's something wrong with her relationship with Tom because they haven't had physical intimacy yet, to her concerns that it will change things or ruin the relationship, to the idea that she's clearly not ready for it, to the thought that it's a big mystery she's afraid to approach because she's unsure what the consequences are. It was all good stuff and solid notes to have the character hit, but at the same time, a teenage girl's decision whether or not to have sex is often a very complicated thing, and while the episode did its best to try to capture all of that complexity, it felt like the show just couldn't get its hand around all of it within a half hour. That's no great shame, especially while squeezing in a hilariously awkward Jake and his subplot about a parasite-infested sushi restaurant.
But it does mean that the episode feels a little lumpy, especially compared to a number of other episodes this season which take complicated issue, and perhaps simplify them a little, but also feel like there's a clear and coherent take on them by the end. In truth, teenage relationships are often messy, and not in the excited 90210 sort of way, but in the sense that young women like Daria go back and forth and have their insecurities brought to the forefront in a way that makes them willing to sabotage their whole relationship to avoid having to deal with it all.
Which leads to another complaint that's been bubbling in this season as a whole. Tom is a little too perfect. Sure, the show bucks that trend a little here, giving him the expected teenage boy eagerness to consummate the relationship, but even when he's frustrated, he's always perfectly understanding and perfectly patient and at the ready to do whatever's necessary to make things right again. Maybe there are such people in real life, but it makes him feel like more of a device as this season explores the less-than-perfect, all-too-human sides of Daria (with great success, I might add), than a three-dimensional character. I like the sense in which this season has brought Daria down to Earth to some degree, shown how her intelligence and world-weary wit doesn't mean she has all the answers, but at the same time, the gentle perfection of Tom is a strange mirror to use for all of that interesting character work.
In the end, "My Night at Daria's" does a good job showing the effect of rumor and innuendo on a teenage girl (the scene with Jodi is especially telling), and the pressure and stresses of thinking about sexual maturity at that age, but never quite sticks the landing with these ideas taken together. In many ways it felt true-to-life, with Daria's interactions with Helen, Tom, and Jane all reflective of the kind of back-and-forth a teenager would have in that situation, but the resolution felt too pat, and the plot a little too rushed for it all to really click.