Daria... and suggestions wanted

[miriam_e]

It is my habit to do some reading or watch a short show on my computer each morning while eating my breakfast. Lately I've been re-watching Daria. In my opinion one of the funniest and best TV shows I've ever seen. It is smart, funny, and the characters are wonderfully written -- even the relatively two dimensional ones. I particularly love the fact that the main character is not special; she doesn't have super powers, isn't chosen by some shadowy organisation, doesn't talk to supernatural entities, isn't super smart. Daria is more intelligent than most, but has very prominent failings. She appears to be a misanthopist, but hides a gentle optimism. The language doesn't stick to the common minimum vocabulary used in so many shows; wordplay and banter are part of the fun. It is a great way to start the day and kicks it off with a happy and balanced frame of mind.

My request: does anybody know of any similar shows out there?

Comments

[drjon.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's anything like Daria. Which is a shame.

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

Yeah. :(

I've heard some say that My So-Called Life has similarities to Daria. I haven't seen it though.

I loved the fast-paced, off-beat, witty dialogue of early episodes of Gilmore Girls though I haven't seen any after the first season. A lot of my friends put Gilmore Girlsdown. That always puzzled me. It may be because of one of the main reasons I like it: the fact that it doesn't have any baddies.

That may also be one of the reasons I like Daria so much too. Most of my favorite movies don't have baddies either (for example Little Man Tate, Pay It Forward, the Jacques Tati comedies, The Telephone starring Whoopie Goldberg, Sixth Sense, Romy & Michelle's High School Reuinion, Geri's Game, Amelie...).

I don't have TV reception where I am, which is why I watch shows on my computer.

[sleepyaardvark.livejournal.com]

Baddies meaning villains? I'm not quite sure I understand that...why you would be so attached to shows like that, I mean. As a writer, I'd be very interested in hearing more about your take on this, if you're inclined to explain.

While I tend to focus a lot on character and plot in such a way as there aren't cut and dried "good guys" and "bad guys" (as in the old simplistic black hat/white hat Western movie sense}, I have always believed that conflict is usually necessary to a good story.

And in thinking about this, I can't think of anyone else I've known (at least not offhand) who's had a preference for works with no villains. So I'm finding this intriguing.

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

There is an attachment to formula these days. A lot of it has been brought about by having to squeeze stories into the TV format, and much simply comes from the need to sell to earn a living. Perhaps, also, anything tends to ossify as it ages.

Over the thousands of years that we've been telling stories a number of surefire ways have been developed to have maximum impact upon audiences:
• begin with a hook,
• get the audience to identify with the main character,
• give them a challenge (an antagonist usually works best),
• bring things to a climax (every 10 minutes for TV so they'll come back after the ad-break),
• then, after the final big climax, resolve things in a way that the audience doesn't expect.

When a reviewer says something is refreshing or original, usually what they mean is that they didn't see the twist at the end. Very few people do truly original stuff. It is extremely difficult and audiences are so conditioned to the pattern that they balk if they don't get it. Something About Mary is a surprising exception here -- it was loved by audiences (and hated by critics). It has no clear bad guy and conflict was lightweight, played only for its humor.

I am the first to admit that I have major problems with conflict. If involved in even a minor argument I physically shake for ages and give ground rather than put myself through that. I can't play first-person shooter computer games because of that. I bought Lara Croft when it first came out because of the ground-breaking graphics, but couldn't play for more than a few minutes because I became ill with nervousness at the violence. So it is not surprising that my favorite forms of entertainment are those without enemies. Many of them still have conflict, but I'm willing to put up with that because it usually results from misunderstanding, and the characters involved all mean well.

I think you probably know a lot of people who don't like works with villains. Most people simply don't admit it (it sounds "wimpy"). And some think they just don't like books or films, not realising that there actually are works out there that deal in more realistic and honest portrayals of the world. Conflict is really a small (and reducing) part of life. Yes it exists, but I prefer to have my leisure filled with comedies, romances, and pieces examining the world in an interesting way; not something that simply baits us by using our prejudices, hates, and fears to jolt us with adrenaline.

All that said, I do like some stories with real baddies, but they usually have other redeeming factors (like the cool writing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer). On the whole though, if it doesn't have bad people and avoids conflict then I much prefer it.

As I mentioned above I love the Daria series, but during season 4 Daria and her friend Jane have a falling out, creating tension and conflict. I don't like those episodes as much as the rest... and I've noticed I'm not alone in this. The show has a massive cult following, but few seem to enjoy season 4 as much as the others even though there was no change in quality of the writing.

In spite of dislike for violence, one-dimensional bad-guys, and conflict, I find I have a surprising amount in my own stories. When, recently, I tried to write a novel that didn't have any of those things, I found that people considered it bland and boring. That may have just been my writing (I know I'm not a great writer). So I tried to introduce them and made the story truly pathetic. In the near future I intend to rewrite it and this time remain true to my original aims.

Sorry about the long-winded explanation. :)
I've thought about this often, but still don't understand all of it yet.