This post may be a little stupid, but I feel the need to vent, and this seems the right medium.
I used to watch Daria when it first came on, and a few scattered episodes here and there over the years, whenever I could catch it, so up until recently I wasn't exactly a Daria expert. I was always a big fan of the Daria/Trent thing. Recently I went online and read an interview with one of the writers and he said (and this is definitely not verbatim) "Anyone who actually thought it was going to happen has not been watching the show we've been writing."
I knew I couldn't comment, particularly in the later seasons, so I thought I should investigate further. It was time for a marathon. The seasons progressed nicely for my ship, and I was starting to wonder exactly where this writer was coming from.
Then I saw it. Jane's Addition.
Now, I've been writing fiction for amusement and stimulation for about six years now, trying to perfect my analysis and projection, and also received straight A+s for my English, particularly text analysis, from prep right through to Year 12. I know it's no PhD but I like to think I'm at least not an oblivious viewer.
Have you ever seen an episode of a show where one of the actors suddenly quit or died and they have to come up with a reason in a single episode for why they'll never appear again? Jane's Addition was like that. There was no deterioration of relationships, there was no building of new ones. It was just BANG! Trent's out of the picture, and oh look, a handsome young suitor has come along.
The whole thing screamed that they couldn't think of a way to resolve the storyline properly, or couldn't think how to make things if they did get Daria and Trent together, so they decided on a quick out. And a highly unsatisfactory one at that.
The thing that really makes my blood boil is the comment that seemed so innocent at first. Viewer misinterpretation is common. This was not it. So not only did they let down their viewers, but then they insulted them, insinuating that anyone who thought it would happen was delusional.
Trent and Tom have simliarities, but Tom represents all the kind of bull that we love Daria for rejecting, and Trent represents the kind of challenge and maturity that we love her for accepting.
I watched the show. I analysed the show. I was not missing anything. This was a copout and to have one of my favourite shows suddenly lose all credibility is infuriating and saddening. There isn't enough good TV. Not nearly enough. This was one saving grace that managed to captivate my attention for more than one season, and it shouldn't have lost it.
</rant>
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