The Big House: Difference between revisions

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 apparantly 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, disgruntedly, states she can't go because she is grounded, to the great amusement of her fellow students.

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 neighborwood 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 [[Randy|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 now Daria is ready: she proposes a 'plea bargain' to her parents, 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.