Ep 10. Fair Enough

Daria is an animated television series that follows the life of a sarcastic and introverted teenager, Daria Morgendorffer. In the season 2 episode 10 titled "Fair Enough," Daria and her best friend Jane attend the Lawndale High's annual coffee house, a talent show featuring performances from the school's students.

Initially, Daria is reluctant to attend the event as she sees it as a superficial and competitive environment that she does not fit in, but Jane convinces her to give it a chance. Daria and Jane soon discover that the school faculty that is in charge of organizing the event is biased towards certain students, making it an unfair competition.

Daria begins to challenge the administration's bias by organizing a petition against the school's rigged selection process. As a result of her efforts, Daria is nominated as a judge on the performance panel, alongside two other students.

Throughout the episode, Daria is shown judging the performances objectively, despite the school's reputation for finger-pointing, gossip, and the favoritism shown by the faculty members.

As the competition unfolds, Daria's attention is drawn to one of the students dubbed the 'Coffee guy,’ who continuously receives negative feedback and criticism from the judges. Daria sees that he is being treated unjustly and tries to help him understand why his performances are not matching up with the other students' standards.

The Coffee guy becomes frustrated with the judges, and Daria begins to question whether her neutrality is worth it in the end. However, she decides to stick to her principles and not unduly interfere with the events.

When the results are announced, there is an unexpected twist. The student who was an early favorite to win was disqualified based on academic ineligibility. Daria's new friend, Coffee guy, emerged as the winner. Daria is relieved that the best performer emerged victorious, and that the school’s administration did not sway the final decision.

In conclusion, the Fair Enough episode of Daria season 2 explores themes of fairness, objectivity, and impartiality. The message emphasizes the importance of standing up against mistreatment and bias, as well as the necessity of impartiality in certain situations. Although Daria is best remembered for its biting aphorisms and cynical perspectives, Fair Enough shows a softer side of the show while not straying too far from its usual themes.