Road Worrier

“Road Worrier” was the eleventh episode of the first season of Daria. It first aired on MTV on July 7, 1997. The episode is often incorrectly referred to as "The Road Worrier," because of the title of the film from which the episode title was derived.

"Road Worrier" was written by Anne D. Bernstein.

Summary
The story begins as Daria is at the Lane's, watching Jane built a sculpture with her new glue gun, the Stickmata 5000. They are interrupted by a very loud accord that destroys the sculpture and Jane uses the opportunity to drag Daria to the basement, presenting her to Mystik Spiral, Trent's band. Upon meeting him, Daria is suddenly mute, muttering only a 'Hi' and failing to provide sarcastic answers to his questions. Trent invites the girls to join him and Jesse in a trip to musical festival Alternapalooza.

More teenagers in Lawndale are going to the music festival: The Fashion Club are shopping in preparation, and Quinn even gets a fake tattoo. She is nervous when Daria tells her she's also going, but quiets down when Daria notes they won't have much contact in the crowd, and even offers her sister some fashion advice. Jakes tells them of his experiences in Altamont and provides some money and advice.

Daria and Jane are picked in the Tank, Axle's old van. This has little comfort for passengers, with the girls having to seat on some boxes in the rear and having no seat belts. The trip is a burden to Daria, as holes in the road cause her to fall and break her glasses, a bee stings her and she later finds she'd been sitting on an old sandwich. To top it all, she has to endure Jane's non-stop teasing.

Quinn is picked up by the three J's, who drive with her and the rest of the Fashion club in Sandi's convertible. Brittany, Jodie and Mack are also going, being driven to the festival in Kevin's Jeep.

All groups stop in a roadside diner, where they are greeted and served by a smart mouthed waitress. While there, Jodie, Brittany, Kevin and Mack discuss the spartan conditions of Alternapalooza concert.

Later during the trip, after some heavy traffic and Daria having had to relieve herself between the roadside trees, the Tank suffers a malfunction and the foursome is left stranded. Jane enlists Jess to go look for help after a nearby field, an obvious plan to leave Daria and Trent together. These two share some bonding moments while talking about life. Daria tells Trent he is brave to go after his dream and that he is doing what he wants. Trent is grateful and compliments Daria.

Jane and Jesse return later, having discovered no help, and Jane eventually uses her glue gun to fix the Tank's engine. However, by this time the concert is over. On the way back, Jess and Jane sleep on the back of the van while Trent and Daria share the front seat, both enjoying the silence and company.

Meanwhile, The Fashion Club has a sudden change of plans when they see and roadside add for outlet shopping, with Kevin's jeep following them when Brittany correctly interprets Stacy's signal. They end up not going to the concert either.

When the Morgendorffer sisters arrive home, the next morning, they find Helen and Jake in a very relaxed mood, clearly having taken full advantage of their daughters' absence.

Trivia
Several fanfics attempt to hook up Jane and Jesse, largely on the basis of a frame in this episode wherein they are both asleep, leaning on one another.

This episode also set the tone for the Daria-Trent sexual tension. The idea, as explained once by one of the writers, was that Daria was so outspoken much of the time, but was rendered nearly speechless around Trent.

It is in this episode that we hear the Mystik Spiral song Icebox Woman.

The title of this episode is derived from the film, The Road Warrior.

As is noted in alternate universes and off-canon canon, this episode is not shown in chronological sequence with other first-season episodes. According to The Daria Diaries, Alternapalooza takes place in August, while school is not in session. All other first-season episodes (except perhaps "The Teachings of Don Jake", which also seems to occur during summer) take place during the school year.

This episode marks the first (and only) appearance of Curtis Stalano, a classmate of Trent and Jesse's who works in a tollbooth.

“Road Worrier” and Fanfic
This episode set the tone for much fanfic writing, with its close look at Daria Morgendorffer's crush on Trent Lane, and marked the first time ever that the two of them got to talk in private.

Events from the episodes "Road Worrier" and "The Teachings of Don Jake" were used in the John Lane story, "Lessons of Spring." The events of "Road Warrier" formed the second half of "Grove Hell on Earth".