While on one of my visits to the Outpost Daria fanfic message board, I came across a rumor claiming that a Daria movie was in fact in the works. The catch? It was going to be a live action movie staring Jennifer Love Hewitt as Daria. This is where we all start laughing. (Personally, I think Leilei Soboiesky [sp? Can anyone spell her name off the top of his/her head?] would be a slightly more appropriate choice for a "real" Daria character, but I digress.) The rumor was of course a hoax. However, given that Daria will be greeting the millenium with a fourth season, and South Park has recently graced (if one can call it that) the theaters with its presence, looking forward to a Daria movie is not unwarranted.

Ironically, unlike the joke played on the Daria fans, the main potential problem lies not in casting a real-life motion picture, but rather a concern of cartoony-ness in the movie, which has recently invaded the series with episodes such as Depth takes a Holiday and Daria! the Musical. The main question that should be asked about the would-be movie is: Will it follow something like these two episodes, or will it have the intelligence, wit, sarcasm, honesty, and realism that won the series its fans and critical acclaim from around the world?

Needless to say, I’m very concerned that it might be the former. When a television series graces the silver screen, it’s a special event for both the program’s fans and creators. As such, the writers, directors, and producers attempt to do something out of the ordinary to set the movie apart from the show. The easiest way to do that is to make up a fantasy-like plot and make it up as you go along, like in South Park. However, in the case of Daria that would be inappropriate and untrue to the series.

So how can the series’ creative staff make a movie that stands alone and still maintain the flavor of the series? Here are my suggestions:

• Ye olde road trip: This is a bit overused, but it still works well for a ninety minute movie. Daria, Jane, Trent, and Jesse, take a trip. Probably the best place would be to Europe, to distance the movie from Beavis and Butthead do America. Have the Fashion Club and/or Kevin and Brittany tag along for comic relief. You can also address the Trent/Daria arc plot, as well as The Fashion Club dissension.
• Daria Graduates: Daria finally completes her senior year, but she has mixed feelings about graduation. She’s also in (forced) competition with Jodie for valedictorian. Most of it is build up to the actual ceremony, and Daria doesn’t want to go, either.
• Resolve some plots: Make an extended TV episode, and this time, resolve a couple of the plots. Personally, I’d like to see the Sandi/Quinn plot resolved, and the Trent/Daria plot resolved. The movie would make an excellent place for that.

Daria is one of the few pieces of quality television ever to come out of MTV. When Daria first came out, it was the realism of the series and characters that got my attention. If and when a Daria movie comes out, it should be equally as appealing. If it goes cartoony, then chances are the people who have enjoyed Daria in the past won’t see it, and it will flop. However, if it keeps toward the same lines as the majority of the series, it most assuredly be an instant hit with both fans and critics alike. Just like the show.