Too Cute is the ninth episode of Season 1 of Daria and the ninth episode of the series overall. It originally aired on MTV on June 16, 1997.
Synopsis
Quinn attempts to get plastic surgery, but the surgeon is much more interested in working with Daria.
Summary
Kevin is giving out compliments to random people on the street with his face apparently beaten up as part of a class assignment.
Later that day, Quinn meets up with Sandy and they soon catch glimpse of Brooke who has just gotten a nose job
with the intention of it being cute but not too cute. When Quinn calls it cute, Sandy manages to turn it around and make it seem like an insult even though Quinn tries to say she enjoys it. To test out the nose on a regular person, Sandy asks Daria for her opinion, which leads Daria to make it worse by saying "Don't worry, it'll grow out".
That night, Quinn brings up the topic at the dinner table which leads Helen to reprimand the two girls for considering cosmetic surgery at their age. Quinn remarks that she feels her nose has imperfections, and Jake's attempts to cheer her up backfire.
The next day during science class, it turns out that Kevin's appearance was just part of a snooty assignment by Ms. Barch as part of her ongoing attempt to humiliate any man she can.
Daria is suddenly called out of class by the principal to help Quinn with something. Quinn fakes being sick to go to the mall and use Daria as an alibi as they go to the mall for something important. In the mall, Quinn leads them to Dr. Shar's Swan Shoppe, the same place that did Brooke's nose job revealing Quinn wishes to have a similar procedure done.
Quinn and Daria meet up with Dr. Shar who tells Quinn she doesn't need a nose job but recommends several other procedures such as enhanced cheekbones, lips, dimples, and moles as well as a hair transplant by using a computer to show the results. Quinn is delighted at the results, but can't afford the $6000 needed for the procedures. Dr. Shar takes a much greater interest in Daria and recommends a series of procedures that would make her look identical to Quinn for $20,000, much to Daria's dismay. Dr. Shar eventually sends Daria home with a box telling her to reconsider.
Quinn becomes depressed on the bus ride home at not being able to afford the surgery while Daria opens the box and finds a set of breast enhancers. Daria later calls Jane and complains about the entire experience.
The next day, Quinn finds the other members of the fashion club have had nose jobs and gets a glimpse of the new Brooke remarking that she is beautiful. She has gotten liposuction and collagen injections using fat removed from the liposuction. Sandy begins to consider firing Quinn and replacing her with Brooke as she is considered to be much cuter now, much to Quinn's dismay.
Daria and Jane encounter Kevin who has now been forced by Ms. Barch to dress up like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. He asks for advice on how to deal with being unpopular and Daria just repeats what Dr. Shar said about money being able to make anyone beautiful and he leaves much happier. Jane asks to see the breast enhancers, only for Upchuck to pick one up and get visibly horrified and run off when they reveal what it is.
Quinn asks Daria for the $6000, telling her to make up a lie about needing a growth hormone, but Daria refuses, sarcastically suggesting Quinn set up a collection to raise the money. Quinn however doesn't understand the sarcasm and actually starts asking several students and teachers for the money but is rebuked at every turn by people who think she's crazy.
After Quinn spills out her heart, Daria decides to admit to Quinn that she doesn't need surgery saying she's perfect just the way she is. At that moment though, Stacy and Tiffany rush over and tell them that Brooke's nose caved in and that the fat in her lips slipped down into her chin, making her look atrocious.
Quinn relays this to her family later and admits that she loves how much of a support group she feels the family is, this whole incident apparently making her decide not to consider the surgery.
Some time later, Kevin finally manages to draw a crowd by handing out free money to people who take it despite his hideous appearance.
