The Big House

“The Big House” was the tenth episode of the first season of Daria. It first aired on MTV on June 30, 1997.

"The Big House" was written by Sam Johnson and Chris Marcil.

Plot Summary
Both Daria and Quinn are caught sneaking into their house late at night, so Helen and Jake introduce a set of rules regarding late nights, dates and curfew. Quinn, while apparently accepting the rules, goes on a date that same night (in direct violation of the rules), calling it as a late-night study session, but is caught lying the next morning. Instead of just punishing for the offense, Helen and Jake set up an elaborate procedure called Family Court, with Jake presiding and Helen prosecuting. After some theatrical performances by both parents, Quinn and Daria just plead guilty and are grounded for a month (even though Daria hadn't broken any rules).

At Lawndale High, the main topic of discussion is a hockey game between classic DJ's and the teachers. When she inquires why, Daria is told that Mr. DeMartino had had a heart attack right during last year's game, so every student is hoping to see it happen again, to the point that there is even a betting pool on when it will happen. Daria, disgustedly, states she can't go because she is grounded, to the great amusement of her fellow students.

The grounding is trying for all Morgendorffers: Quinn ties up the phone for hours, to the annoyance of her parents. Daria starts to read compulsively in the living room, teasing a bored Quinn to the point where she even asks advice for a book. Daria beats Helen and Jake in Monopoly and Scrabble, spelling "Incarcerate" during the latter. She also plays the harmonica at night, poetically justifying it when her father asks her to stop.

Daria, however, is so fed up with the situation that she decides to skip her grounding to go to the hockey game. She tells Jane and Jodie, who had visited to make sure she was all right (as a rumor had that she was being experimented on). Daria creates a careful plan of escape, involving a recording of her harmonica, leaving through the window and avoiding the neighborhood watch. However, when both parents leave phone messages stating they have to work late she just leaves the house by the front door.

The hockey game is going well when Daria arrives to watch, until Rock 'n' Roll Randy hits Mr. DeMartino in the leg, leaving him lying. Andrea celebrates (apparently having that spot in the pool), only to curse as Mr. DeMartino gets back up. Eventually a brawl erupts between both teams on the court, including Ms. Barch beating up on Randy.

However, this fun outing ends for Daria when she comes home, finding Helen and Jake had arrived earlier and found Daria gone. There is another Family Court session the next day, but this time Daria is ready, negotiating a 'plea bargain' with her mother (in which she would manage her own times), using the cost of further grounding (including Monopoly, Scrabble and late-night harmonica playing) as leverage. Reluctantly, Helen and Jake accept.

So everything is back to normal, except that Kevin still believes Daria had been subjected to a strange experience while "grounded". Only Daria's witty putdown makes him realise how foolish the idea is, to the bemusement of Jane and Daria.

Rules
The rules presented by Helen and Jake are displayed in a ten-commandment-style card boards. As far as it could be read, some of the rules are:

Rule I: "Persistence questioning on parental judgment is punishable. Occasional questioning of parental judgment indicates healthy skepticism and shall be permitted at the pleasure of mother and father (wherein after referred as the "ruling council")"

Rule II: "The ruling council shall determine when occasional questioning becomes persistent questioning and shall not be required to provide advance notice of said determination."

Rule 2/9(*): "No pimple pads in the toilet"

Rule 3. "Wear your own damn sleepers when you walk (...)"

Rule 18. "The ruling council does not allow dates on school nights."

Rule 19. "Interdependent behaviour shall be considered preferable to Independent behaviour."

Rule 20. "Curfew shall be 10 pm on school nights."

Rules 21 to 26 are not explicitly stated, but have to do with the procedure to sign in when coming from a late night.

(*) appears with different numbers in different scenes

Episode Title
The 'Big House' is a nickname given to prison, which is reflected in the aspects of grounding experienced by the two Morgendorffer sisters during the episode.

Daria's Reading Material
While grounded, Daria is shown reading Herman Melville's Moby-Dick in the living room. This may be commentary on Helen's Ahab-like mania for legal procedure. Later, when Quinn is frustrated with boredom, she breaks down and asks Daria for a book. Daria responds by offering her Homer's Iliad which provokes this exchange:

 Daria: Try this. I think you'll get into it. Quinn: Ha, ha, very funny. Now give me something that I can read. Daria: No, I think you'll like it. It's about this girl who's so popular that everybody fights over her. Quinn: Any horses in it? Daria: As a matter of a fact, there's a great big one. Quinn: This is a trick, isn't it. Daria: Yes.

It should be noted that The Iliad does not include the story about the Trojan Horse; this story appears in The Aeneid. We must assume Daria was either mistaken in thinking so or else was having fun at Quinn's expense.

Where was Daria?
The episode begins with Daria being dropped off late in the evening from a car. Where she was and who she was with is never fully explained, though the interview link below has a possibility from the series creator himself. This is one of the comparatively few times we see Daria doing "normal" teenage things like coming home late. The event isn't specifically part of the episode's storyline, but rather just a part of the background.

“The Big House” and Fanfic
Events from this episode were included in "Morgendorffer Prison Blues," by Richard Lobinske. An Iron Chef on PPMB concerning the mysterious car that dropped Daria at her home at the episode's start spawned several fanfics, such as TAG's "Special Delivery" and "True Lies."