The Invitation

“The Invitation” was the second episode of the first season of Daria.

=Plot Summary=

At school, during Art class, Daria helps Brittany understand perspective. Later, at lunch, wishing to pay Daria back, Brittany invites her to a party at her house. Daria talks about it with Jane and they 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, but both 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 sketch book (containing "life studies") with the gate guard, and then convinces Brittany to invite her in by promising to help her in geometry ("Lots of circles, squares and triangles"). They then 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 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 start a fight over her, to Quinn's delight.

Meawhile, the guard at the front gate is so enthralled with Jane's sketch book 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 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.

Later, when the party ends, they are joined by Quinn, who no longer has a ride home as all three J's have knocked each other out. Otherwise stranded at Brittany's, they accept Upchuck's offer to drive them home.

=First appearances, Trivia and Fanfiction=

The theme of popularity marks its first entrance here, which becomes a key element in later episodes and a huge quantity of Fanfiction.

First appearances

This episode is the first to show characteristics, attitudes or catch phrases of some characters, which would later become recurring traits, both in the series and in FanFiction. These include:


 * Joey, Jeffy, and Jamie slaving and competing over Quinn;
 * Quinn getting Jamie's name wrong;
 * Jane revealing that she is not shy around boys;
 * Mack being called "Mack Daddy" by Kevin Thompson (though probably not the first time it has happened, per his reaction);
 * Daria doing Quinn's homework for money:
 * The first inklings of Daria's crush on Trent Lane;
 * Upchuck displaying his "feisty" persona.
 * Sandi and Tiffany being interested in popularity (more than other students). Interestingly, Tiffany talks at a normal rate, as opposed to the slow rate of speech which would become characteristic of the character.

Ms. Defoe, Trent, Mack, Jodie, Upchuck, Joey, Jeffy, and Jamie all make their first appearances in this episode.

The background character nicknamed Shaggy appears herein, and in one startling sequence is shown to be in two different places at the same time, leading to speculation that he has paranormal powers.

Fanfiction Stories

This episode has not been well covered in alternate-universe fanfic, except in ficlets featuring plots such as everyone smoking pot and getting busted by police and other random happenings.

Other stories that use the episode plot are:
 * "Beyond Between," by Medea42 (AU)
 * "Daria's Lane: Party Me Hardly," by Ace Trax (AU)
 * "The Brotherhood of the Traveling Pants," by Medea42
 * John by Richard Lobinske, giving Daria and John their first taste of the temptations they face.
 * Esteem Roller, by legendeld: Daria, Jane and Quinn all attend the party