The Invitation is the second episode of Season 1 of Daria and the second episode of the series overall. It originally aired on MTV on March 10, 1997.
Synopsis[]
When Daria helps Brittany with her art lesson, Brittany invites her to her party as a thank you. Daria gets Jane into the party, which Quinn is also attending with her three new suitors Jamie White,Joey, and Jeffy. As Daria merely tries to get through the night, Quinn desperately tries not to let Daria run her popularity with her presence.
Plot[]
During art class, Daria helps Brittany understand the one-point perspective. Brittany wishes to repay Daria for her help and invites her to a party at her house. Daria talks about it with Jane and even though Daria is reluctant they both decide to go.
Quinn is horrified that Daria is going to a party she will be attending and tries to convince their parents to forbid Daria from going. However, Helen and Jake are thrilled Daria is going and that both sisters have an opportunity to bond. Helen asks Daria to keep an eye on Quinn.
Daria and Jane are dropped off at Brittany's house by Trent. Jane bribes her way in by leaving her sketchbook (containing "life studies") with the gate guard and then convinces Brittany to invite her in by promising to help tutor her in geometry. There they meet Charles "Upchuck" Ruttheimer III, who offers to lead them on a tour of the house. Meanwhile, Quinn is waited on by The Three Js (to varying degrees of success), popular-obsessed students (including Sandi, Tiffany and the Popular Girl) discuss the assumed popularity of nearby students, and Brittany shows the house to Mack and Jodie.
Later that evening, two young men try to interact with Daria and Jane using some corny pick-up lines, which do not impress Daria. Jane is receptive to the boys (if not their pickup lines) and disappears with one (whom she refers to as Bobby Bighead) for a while. Left to her own devices, Daria embarrasses Quinn by associating with her and telling the Three J's some embarrassing (and possibly false) stories about Quinn's childhood. Quinn, fed up with her, bribes Daria to leave her alone and go home. Despite Daria's stories and Quinn's decision not to choose a boyfriend right then, the Three J's continue to fawn over Quinn, even going so far as to start a fight over her, to Quinn's delight.
Meanwhile, the guard at the front gate is so enthralled with Jane's sketchbook that he leaves his post to find her, allowing some gatecrashers to enter unabated. Eventually, an angry neighbor appears with the police and ends the party. Around that time, Daria and Jane, having already decided to leave, take advantage of the guard's absence to pretend to be the new community gatekeepers, and ask personal questions, along with trivia, to the residents as proof of identity. Daria and Jane are later joined by Quinn, who no longer has a ride home as all three J's have knocked each other out and the police have ended the party. Otherwise stranded at Brittany's, they accept Upchuck's offer to drive them home.
Characters[]
- Daria Morgendorffer
- Quinn Morgendorffer
- Jake Morgendorffer
- Helen Morgendorffer
- Jane Lane
- Joey
- Jeffy
- Jamie White
- Claire Defoe
- Blue Shirt
- White Sweater
- Jennifer (black girl)
- Rob
- Happy Girl
- V-Neck
- Brittany Taylor
- Mack Mackenzie
- Kevin Thompson
- Stacy Rowe
- Shaggy
- Hot Shades
- Jade Hoodie
- Scarlett
- Kelly
- Les
- Trent Lane
- Guard
- Popular Girl
- Tiffany Blum-Deckler
- Sandi Griffin
- Pie Cap
- Bobby Bighead
- Kia
- Tank Top
- Bib Overalls
- Bobby's Pal
- Jodie Landon
- Upchuck
- Jackass
- Bob
- Crewe Neck Guy
- Crewe Neck Lady
Trivia[]
General[]
- In the shooting script, Tiffany is merely Popular Girl Two; Upchuck and the Three Js (Joey, Jeffy, Jamie) appear with descriptions, indicating they were originally created for this episode (and Bernstein has said, she created Upchuck).
- Upchuck introduces himself as 'Chuck Ruttheimer' rather than 'Charles Ruttheimer III' as he does for the remainder of the series.
- Daria is shown to be more willing to embarrass Quinn by telling people that she's her sister as well as embarrassing stories from their childhood. This would be abandoned in later episodes as Daria was shown to be okay not associating herself with Quinn.
- The background character known as Shaggy makes his second appearance in this episode. His appearance has sparked some fans to believe he has supernatural powers, as he is seen in two places at the exact same time.
- In this episode, Stacy seems to not be a part of Sandi's group, and thus, the Fashion Club. She is seen hanging out with other people and her place in Sandi's group is filled by a one-off character known only as Popular Girl.
- Tiffany is talking at a normal rate in this episode, which marks her first appearance, instead of her characteristic slower speech.
- This episode marks the first appearances of Ms. Dafoe, Trent Lane, Joey, Jeffy, Jamie, Mack, and Jodie Landon.