Fizz Ed: Difference between revisions

'''"Fizz Ed"''' was the first episode of the fifth and last season of ''Daria.'' It first aired on MTV on February 19, 2001.

Following voters rejecting an increase in property taxtaxes (again), [[Lawndale High]] is going through a budget crisis and the students are lacking basic educational material like post-USSR maps, paint and good photocopy equipment. Despite the teacher's protests, [[Angela Li|Ms. Li]] only decides to act when she notes there is a lack of football equipment.

She is visited by [[Leonard Lamm]], who brings a plan to create extra revenue for the school: increasing the number of soda vending machines and installing publicity in school grounds, in exchange for an exclusive contract from a soda company, including monetary donations. Ms Li is enthusiastic and, to make sure the plan passes, makes only a descreetdiscreet notice for its discussion to take place on Super Bowl Sunday, expecting nobody to appear.

[[Daria Morgendorffer|Daria]] is suspicious of the date and tries to get her parents involved and attend the discussion. [[Helen Morgendorffer|Helen]] and [[Jake Morgendorffer|Jake]], however, have other plans for the day and suggest for her to get involved instead. Daria and [[Jane Lane|Jane]] end up attending, being the only public present besides Lamm and Li. Daria objects to the school's endorsement of the soda and the presence of advertising, but her objections are ignored or overluledoverruled.

In a few days, the effects of the contract are visible, with more vending machines and add posters ofadvertising Ultra Utra-colaCola in the school hallways. Daria does not give up and takes her complaints to [[Jodie Landon|Jodie]]. But Jodie, although uncomfortable with the addsads, also appreciates the monetary benefits and suggests that Daria herself do something, pointing out that she is always complaining. Daria brings up this last comment when talking with [[Tom Sloane|Tom]], who states there is nothing wrong in complaining..., as long as one is actually doing something. In the end, Daria goes to see the county school superintendantsuperintendent, [[Superintendent Cartwright|Mr. Cartwright]], describing the situation in Lawndale High. He is scepticskeptical, reveling he had been considering doing a similar soda contract to all county schools and further asking whether Daria's complaint isn't just to earn herself a school extra credit. Daria denies it, stating her reasons to come are that her colleagues and the school don't deserve what Li is doing, and insisting the superintendantsuperintendent comes to see for himself. Despite her pleapleas, all she gets is a promise that he'll eventually visit the school.

Meanwhile, Lamm notes to Li that the school isn't meeting the utra-colaUltra Cola consumption quota to justify the endorsement money. This leads a increasingly paranoicparanoiac Li making every effort to bring students to consume the drink: the school halls and bus get the utracolaUltra Cola logos displayed; the football and cheerleadercheerleading teams get new uniforms; teaching materials now constantly make references to the soda. When this isn't enough, Li bribes the football players with higher grades for all who drink soda and even tries to have the elementary school kids drink it.

Finally, mentally breaking down, she roams the school with an axe, destroyingopening the destributionvending machines to get the student to drink Ultra Cola, only to be shortly after cartcarted off in an ambulance. This psychotic scene is witnesswitnessed by the superintendantsuperintendent.

In the end, the situation has almost returned to normal: the soda machines have been banned from the hallways, but still exist in the cafeteria; Li has returned as principal despite her psychotic break; and though most publicity is gone, the more sutlesubtle adds are still present thoughtoutthroughout Lawndale High.

In a suprisinglysurprisingly ''handy'' bit of chronology, the Super Bowl is on the 30th in this episode - it was held on the 30th in 2000. Some ''Daria'' fanfics have Daria graduating in 2000, allowing for this and the dotcom satire of [[Buzzdome.com]].