Daria: Season 02 (1998)

If the first season of MTV's animated comedy Daria set up the show's enduring themes and characters, then the 1998 second season provided the first glimpses of the more grownup issues that would come to dominate as the series progressed. The most obvious examples include dating angst and college-admissions anxiety, but a different kind of fear emerges as a subtle constant that will later pick up steam. With Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) already established as the world's most cynical teen, season two begins to map out the flipside of willful alienation -- that is, the alluring danger of letting one's guard down and fully engaging with life. From the poster contest of the season opener "Arts 'n' Crass" to the short-story competition in the finale "Write Where It Hurts," school activities provide the reluctant Daria with an audience for her creativity and dare her to connect with people beyond best friend Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes). Of course, this being Daria, these scenarios almost always end poorly. But each time, the disaffected teen returns to her apathy with a little less resolve. Meanwhile, the show's writers have a ball expanding their supporting cast and extending the back stories of their existing characters. Kid sister Quinn (also voice of Wendy Hoopes) shows the first signs of the stubborn, Daria-esque individuality that will eventually cause a rift with her Fashion Club compatriots, while both Jane and Daria find friends and foes within their extended families. The politics of stupid high schoolers remain the focus of the plotlines, but the equally clueless antics of parents and teachers also generate laughs. As for the show's style, its ensemble-sitcom approach broadens to include movie parodies and elaborate set pieces (including an over-the-top Renaissance fair). By season's end, even TV critics had begun to notice Daria's sharp writing and thematic resonance. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi