Groped by an Angel

"Groped by an Angel" was the eleventh episode of the fourth season of the Daria TV series (episode number 411). It first aired on MTV on July 19, 2000.

"Groped by an Angel" was written by Jonathan Greenberg.

Summary
In this episode, Quinn finds religion, kinda-sorta, taking rather well to a comical belief on guardian angels and the influence she thinks they have over the small details of her life. Daria's reactions range from savage sarcasm to even more savage sarcasm.

In the meanwhile, Brittany Taylor is rewarded by her parents for getting a C- average, with a bizarre, over-priced knick-knack and a party, at which Mystik Spiral plays.

At the end, Quinn faces a crisis of faith and turns to Daria for advice, asking what she believes in. Daria's unsarcastic answer:

"Quinn, until I see some pretty convincing evidence to the contrary, I think we're on our own."

- Daria

When Quinn finds that "so sad", Daria hurriedly adds that she doesn't have proof there isn't something in order to keep her sister happy and supports Quinn's beliefs. "I think what makes sense is to believe whatever makes you feel best", she tells her. Helen, who's been listening, tells Daria she's proud of how she set aside her own strong beliefs to comfort her sister; Daria denies that she was doing this and gets a sarcastic response of "whatever makes you feel best"...

Trivia
Jane tells Daria that the real reason she's bothered is because she's worried that it's true: there are higher powers looking out for people like Quinn and that's why they fit in so well, and everything is rigged against people like them. We don't know if Daria is actually worried about this but Jane seems to be, since she's left depressed after saying it.

The website Reburb tells us that performing at Brittany's "really ruined their [Spiral's] credibility for a while. There were pigs in a blanket, though, so it wasn't a total washout."

Helen claims she's spiritual, despite her extremely amoral job.

Steve Taylor "borrows" money from his son's college fund to pay for gifts for Brittany.

Mr O'Neill goes to Brittany's birthday party. That's quite weird.

Stacy implies she once peed herself in public, saying an "accident" is "so humiliating you just want to die! ...um, I imagine."

Ironically, "It's a Miserable Life" makes it canon that guardian angels do exist and so does God: this means Quinn is right and Daria is unknowingly wrong. This, of course, was not the intended moral of the episode...

"Groped by an Angel" and Fanfic
Fanfics this inspired, partly or in whole, include "Guardian" by Mike Yamiolkoski, "An Angel Named Mary Sue" by Angelinhel, and party of "Illusions" by TAG.

On “Groped by an Angel” the Episode

 * "Groped by an Angel" Summary in Outpost-Daria.
 * "Groped by an Angel" Transcript
 * "Even Angels Love Quinn," on DFB2

Alternate-Universe Versions of “Groped by an Angel”
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Alternate Canon Versions of “Groped by an Angel”
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