Put on your flannel button-ups and some PJ Harvey on the stereo because Daria is coming back. Yes, MTV's beloved nineties animated show is making its return after more than twenty years since the movie finale "Is It College Yet?" However, the revival will be in a different form, this time being a feature-length animated film about the side character Jodie for Paramount+.
The reboot was initially announced in 2018 as a series that would feature both Daria and Jodie, but both the focus and format have shifted since then. While a relatively minor character in Daria, Jodie made a sizable impact on the show in episodes like season two's "Gifted" and was an influence on a generation of black girls who otherwise felt underrepresented on television.
The movie will follow Jodie post-college, as she moves to a new city and starts a job at a tech firm called Firstfinity. Insecure's Grace Nkenge Edwards will serve as the movie's writer, with Deborah Espect directing. Black-ish's Tracee Ellis Ross will voice the titular Jodie, with Pamela Adlon, William Jackson Harper, Kal Penn, and others rounding out the cast. While the new protagonist and concept might have some fans worried about the project, the movie can be a success if it manages to balance the new elements with what made the original so special. With that said, let's take a look at what Jodie should make sure to keep from Daria.
Sick Sad World: Daria's Sincere Cynicism
Despite having a fan base largely made up of millennials, Daria is often considered the ultimate Gen-X show. Daria and Jane's cynical perspective and sarcastic wit defined the show and generation X. Daria often went out of its way to criticize this approach to life with episodes like the emotional finale, "Boxing Daria," that's not what most people remember about the show.
To be a proper follow-up to Daria, Jodie will still need to be cynical about popular culture and social structures. The movie can achieve this by appealing to Gen-Z's so-called "doomerist" tendencies. Jodie will likely be more sincere than its source material, but the film should take notes from other current animated programs like Bojack Horseman & Rick and Morty that dynamically navigate cynicism and sincerity. Mixing these generational perspectives while never losing its biting commentary will be essential for the film to work for old and new fans.
You're Standing on My Neck: The Soundtrack
Another important aspect of what made the show so memorable was Daria's incredible soundtrack. Ironically, it is impossible to legally watch the series with its original music now because of licensing issues, but that only puts more pressure on Jodie to include more iconic needle drops. Due to Daria being on MTV, it had the opportunity to play the most relevant artists of the nineties like Sonic Youth, Radiohead, and Beck. Notably, an impressively catchy slice of nineties alternative, "You're Standing On My Neck" by Splendora, served as Daria's unskippable theme song.
It would be odd if Jodie focused on rock songs from the last century instead of today's popular music, but a mixture of both would work best. Add in some modern bands inspired by the artists included on the show's soundtrack, and you've got a crucial part of a great Daria revival. There's even a great Seattle band named after Daria's fake reality show, Sick Sad World, that would be a great addition to the film's soundscape.
Daria's Main Characters
Oddly, it has not been announced whether Daria or her voice actor, Tracy Grandstaff, will be included in the Daria reboot movie. Mack, Jodie's high school boyfriend, will be returning (this time played by The Good Place's William Harper Jackson), along with Brittany, the airheaded cheerleader turned influencer. Daria's best friend Jane also might not be in Jodie, and it would be a shame if neither she nor Daria were in the film. The absence of Daria's sister, Quinn, would also be very noticeable.
It could feel cheap if the revival didn't include the original main characters because then it would seem as if Jodie was only using the Daria IP for name recognition. On the other hand, Jodie needs to have substantial roles for Daria, Jane, Quinn, and any other characters they want to include from the original series. All reboots have to balance fan service with original concepts, and this is one of the clearest ways Jodie will have to deal with that difficult conundrum.
It remains to be seen whether Jodie will both be good on its own and as a revival of the beloved original. Thankfully, plenty of talented people are involved with the show, both as parts of the creative team and voice cast. If they include these things from Daria that made it a classic, Josie will be on the right path.