Russell Hankin Movies

This animated feature serves as the coda to the MTV series Daria, which spawned 65 half-hour episodes and one previous movie (Daria: Is It Fall Yet?) during its five-year run. It is wry teen misfit Daria Morgendorffer's senior year at Lawndale High -- time to figure out what university to attend. Her first choice is Bromwell, which is also the first choice of her blue-blooded boyfriend, Tom, whose illustrious ancestors are all alumni. When Daria, Tom, and Tom's mother head off for a campus visit, things don't go as planned. Daria almost bombs her interview; even worse, traffic, bad weather, and the need for Tom to suck up to the alumni keep Daria from getting more than a drive-by look at her second-choice school, Raft. Ironically, though, she gets into Raft and not Bromwell. Tom, of course, does, and the resulting friction leaves a question mark hanging over their relationship. College questions also plague Daria's friends: Jane frets over whether even to apply to art school in Boston, while Jodie must convince her status-obsessed father to let her attend a primarily African-American university where she can finally fit in. Big questions face even Lawndale's younger students as Daria's fashion-plate sister, Quinn, is forced to take a restaurant job to pay off the credit-card bills she's rung up on clothes; hanging out with college kids and helping a new friend through a drinking problem help give Quinn a new outlook on her previously shallow life; can the end of the Fashion Club be far behind? Daria: Is It College Yet? premiered on MTV on Monday, January 21, 2002; nearly commercial-free, the original presentation included the world premiere of the video for "Breaking Up the Girl" by pop band Garbage, alongside clips from all five seasons of the show. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Against her will, Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) experiences some remarkably conventional feelings about romance in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. It's almost six months since Daria and Tom (voice of Russell Hankin) started dating, and Quinn (voice of Wendy Hoopes), with her frequent gifts from her many suitors, makes Daria realize that she'd actually like Tom to do something to commemorate the occasion. The trouble is, Tom and Daria's entire relationship is based on just hanging out -- on studiously avoiding the courtship rituals of their peers. It doesn't help that Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes) has memories of romantic dinners back when she and Tom were an item. Daria's passive-aggressive behavior eventually gets through to Tom, but he refuses to play guessing games about why she's so upset. He's also oblivious to Quinn's hints. Finally, with some prodding from Jane, Daria confesses her latent conventionality, and the couple celebrate their anniversary in typically atypical fashion. Meanwhile, Jake (voice of Julian Rebolledo) finds himself in yet another mid-life crisis when a stint working for an Internet start-up called Buzzdome.com reveals his essential technological incompetence. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

The Morgendorffer women discover unlikely similarities between their significant others in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. Quinn (voice of Wendy Hoopes) decides she needs to get a steady boyfriend so her mother will think she's more mature. The Fashion Club is aghast, but Sandi (voice of Janie Mertz) supports Quinn's decision so there will be more guys for her to date. Unfortunately, Quinn's limited conversational repertoire and demanding nature scuttle her would-be couplehood with first Jamie (voice of Marc Thompson), then Joey (voice of Steven Huppert). She finally settles on Jeffy (voice of Tim Novikoff) and invites him to attend a family dinner. Tom (voice of Russell Hankin) also plans to attend, much to the consternation of Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff), who dreads her father's antics and Tom's reaction to them. The meal gets off on a good note, but soon Jake (voice of Julian Rebolledo) begins ranting about the squirrels that have been upsetting his garbage cans. Jake, Tom, and Jeffy soon retire to the yard, where they hunt down the offending critters and engage in male bonding. Meanwhile, Quinn despairs of ever finding a suitable steady -- until Helen advises her that true maturity means doing what makes you happy. Delighted, Quinn goes back to playing the field. As for the guys, they end the evening with a road trip and a visit to the go-cart rink, confirming Daria's worst fears about pack behavior in the human male. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

A strike by the teachers of Lawndale High gives Quinn (voice of Wendy Hoopes) the chance to test her newfound independence and finally stand up for her nerdy sister in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. When Mr. DeMartino (voice of Marc Thompson) leads the teachers' union to picket for wage concessions, Ms. Li (voice of Nora Laudani) drafts an assortment of useless substitute instructors. The stand-in English teacher proves a little too unconventional for Lawndale's tastes, so Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) gets stuck teaching Romeo and Juliet to Quinn's class. (Quinn, of course, has been pretending that Daria is a distant relative for most of the program's five-year run.) The members of the Fashion Club ask Quinn to finagle an easy test out of "that girl you live with," but Daria refuses her sister's entreaties. As it turns out, most of the class does just fine on her exam, which stresses critical thinking over mindless regurgitation. Quinn even gets a B+, but the rest of the Fashion Club nearly flunks, leading Sandi (voice of Janie Mertz) to denounce Daria. Instead of joining in, Quinn defends Daria, proudly and publicly referring to her as "my sister." When Sandi tries to use this admission against Quinn, the other Fashion Club members reveal that they knew the truth all along and were only trying to be polite by going along. Eventually, the striking teachers win a modest raise, but not without an epic battle between the sleep-deprived Mr. DeMartino and Ms. Li. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) becomes the subject of kinky rumors around the school in the penultimate episode of the animated MTV series Daria. The gossip starts after Tom (voice of Russell Hankin) accidentally falls asleep in Daria's room during a study break. At 4 a.m., Jake (voice of Julian Rebolledo), tipsy from a client dinner, stumbles onto the impromptu sleepover and immediately spills the beans to Helen (voice of Wendy Hoopes). Daria convinces her irate mother that the entire situation is innocent, but Quinn (voice of Wendy Hoopes) overhears parts of their conversation and can't wait to share her sexual misinformation with the Fashion Club. Once the rumors spread, they get back to Daria via her best friend, Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes). She heads straight to the source, but Quinn, convinced that Daria and Tom really are doing it, is so weirded out that she won't even discuss the matter. Daria retaliates with a rumor of her own about Quinn, but all the gossip gets her and Tom to talking. They decide they really are ready to have sex. On the night in question, however, Daria chickens out, giving Tom yet another opportunity to prove what a standup guy he is. In the end, Daria convinces her mother that there's nothing physical going on between her and Tom; emotionally, however, their relationship is growing by leaps and bounds. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) goes head-to-head with the sweet but saccharine Jodie (voice of Jessica Cydnee Jackson) and the fawning Upchuck (voice of Marc Thompson) for a college scholarship in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. Daria doesn't even want to compete for the scholarship -- a 10,000-dollar prize from a foundation associated with a leading software company -- but steady pressure from her parents leads her to write an impassioned application essay attacking corporate greed and political corruption. Much to her surprise, this screed earns Daria a finalist's spot and an interview with a foundation representative. She's incensed to learn, however, that Upchuck and Jodie are also finalists, especially since Jodie didn't decide to apply for the grant until Daria confided her misgivings about the contest to her. Not that it matters: Upchuck's obnoxious suck-up tactics, Jodie's attempts to tell the interviewer what he wants to hear, and Daria's stony hostility all prove to be ineffective interview techniques. All three Lawndale students strike out, and Daria learns that the scholarship committee actually thought her fiery editorial was a humorous spoof of lefty excess. Eventually Daria forgives Jodie for her alleged betrayal and admits to being more competitive than she likes to acknowledge. She also makes up with best friend Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes), who's been feeling threatened by the stark contrast between her own artsy, non-academic leanings and Daria's go-go college trajectory. This conflict will resurface, however, in the movie-style series finale, Is It College Yet? ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

An experiment in failure upsets the social strata of Lawndale High in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. Mr. O'Neill (voice of Marc Thompson) gets the ball rolling with his latest hippy-dippy assignment; he instructs his students to find something they expect to fail at, then see if they actually do. Brittany (voice of Janie Mertz) and Kevin (voice of Marc Thompson) are pretty sure they'll fail to become unpopular and get kicked off the football team, respectively. But Brittany's sudden, feigned concern about politics and Kevin's intentional bungling on the field soon destroy their high social and athletic standing. It's only through the intercession of Jodie (voice of Jessica Cydnee Jackson) and Mack (voice of Amir Williams) that the quarterback and his babe regain their footing. Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes), too, fails to fail in her own quest to become popular. A new look and a breezy attitude earn Jane a chance at a whole new lifestyle, but a scary brush with cheerleaderhood soon returns the cranky artist to her usual disaffected stance. Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) herself succeeds in failing to get Quinn (voice of Wendy Hoopes) grounded from attending a fashion show. But thanks to Mr. O'Neill's guilt over his botched social-science experiment, she narrowly avoids having to chaperone Quinn to the event. Mr. O'Neill accompanies Quinn instead, giving her Fashion Club cronies an opportunity for mockery. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

A parade provides an unexpected opportunity for Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) to bond with Tom (voice of Russell Hankin), her best friend's beau, in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. When Daria's bathroom-stranded dad (voice of Julian Rebolledo) sends her to the drugstore to pick up some toilet paper, she unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of the Lawndale High homecoming parade. Desperate to escape, she instead finds herself trapped by the crowds, by the safety-obsessed Ms. Li (voice of Nora Laudani), and by Mr. O'Neill (voice of Marc Thompson), who's running around in an animal costume accosting people. Eventually, Daria runs into Tom, who's looking for Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes), and they both assist a lost little boy in locating his parents. Although Daria and Tom's relationship up to this point has ranged from cool to hostile, they slowly begin to "get" one another's personality and sense of humor. After a run-in with the Fashion Club, they finally locate Jane just in time for Daria to get splashed with paint -- blue and yellow, the school's colors. Daria goes home to clean up and the happy couple head off on their date, but a long, longing glance from Tom to Daria suggests something strange is brewing. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

A lesson in real-world economics leads Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) to some difficult truths about real-world friendship in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. When Mrs. Bennett (voice of Amy Bennett) assigns her class to go out and pretend to complete a grown-up financial transaction, Daria teams up with Jodie (voice of Jessica Cydnee Jackson), Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes) partners with Brittany (voice of Janie Mertz), and Mack (voice of Amir Williams) is stuck with dumb-as-a-rock Kevin (voice of Marc Thompson). Daria and Jane, who usually work together on these sorts of assignments, continue their rift over Jane's new relationship with Tom Sloane (voice of Russell Hankin). Thanks to Brittany's "assets," she and Jane have no problem haggling over a pretend car purchase with a sleazy dealer. But Mack and Kevin, who attempt to buy the very same make and model from another dealer, aren't nearly as lucky. Meanwhile, Daria and Jodie get into a tiff while attempting to secure a loan to start a small business. After one apparently racist bank manager blows them off, Jodie drops the name of her rich businessman father to the next one, who can't wait to throw money at the girls. Daria, annoyed at this seeming hypocrisy, eventually realizes that she shouldn't hold her friends to the same black-and-white ethical standards that she chooses to follow herself. This realization helps her patch things up with the typically understanding Jane. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

The opening of a "big box" discount store in Lawndale brings Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) and Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes) into the orbit of a huge assortment of whacked-out characters in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. After Tom (voice of Russell Hankin) eats the candy Jane was going to use for an unusual art project and Quinn (voice of Wendy Hoopes) steals Daria's boot lace to use as a purse strap, the surly twosome must trek to the grand opening of the new warehouse store in search of their respective wares. There, they cross paths with Brittany (voice of Janie Mertz) and Kevin (voice of Marc Thompson), who are looking for barbecue sauce for a for a school cookout, and the Fashion Club, who have come in search of sunscreen only to be horrified at the lack of prestigious brands and prices. The strangest encounter of all, though, is with usually silent goth chick Andrea (voice of Janie Mertz), who is surprised that the snide Daria and Jane don't make fun of her for her Siouxsie & the Banshees getup or the after-school job her parents forced her to take at the discount store. Meanwhile, Tom tags along to the store with Trent (voice of Alvaro J. Gonzalez) in hopes of apologizing to the irate Jane and Mr. DeMartino (voice of Marc Thompson) causes a blackout during a fracas over free cheese logs. Back at the barbecue, Mr. O'Neill (also voice of Marc Thompson) doesn't fare much better, his conversation with Kevin's father about the quarterback's poor grades earning him a little melee of his own. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Daria (voice of Tracy Grandstaff) and Jane (voice of Wendy Hoopes) face the first major hurdle to their friendship in this episode of the animated MTV series Daria. The trouble begins when sensitive new-age teacher Mr. O'Neill (voice of Marc Thompson) assigns the girls a multimedia project. They decide to hit a Mystik Spiral gig to ask Jane's brother Trent (voice of Alvaro J. Gonzalez) to provide some music for their presentation. At the club, however, Jane becomes distracted by a cute guy named Tom Sloane (voice of Russell Hankin). Peeved at being ditched, Daria nonetheless secures Trent's participation. Over the ensuing days, though, the music isn't forthcoming, and Jane begins to spend more and more time with Tom. By the time Daria and Jane are ready to give their multimedia presentation, a serious rift has developed between them -- and they're both angry that Trent failed to come up with the goods. Eventually, Daria stops projecting outright hostility at Jane's new boyfriend, but she's still depressed at being edged out of her friend's life at the same time she's realizing what a flake heartthrob Trent is. "Jane's Addition" marked the first appearance of new regular character Tom Sloane, who would appear throughout the rest of the series' run. The episode was originally promoted by MTV as "Jane's Addiction," but the final title was a more subtle play on the seminal alt-rock band's name. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi