Daria - History

History

Daria Morgendorffer, the series' eponymous protagonist, first appeared on MTV as a recurring character in Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-head. MTV senior vice president and creative director Abby Terkuhle explained that when that show "became successful, we ... created Daria's character because we wanted a smart female who could serve as the foil." Daria's original design was created by Bill Peckmann while working for J.J. Sedelmaier Productions during Beavis and Butthead's first season. During production of Beavis and Butt-head's final seasons, MTV representatives approached story editor Glenn Eichler, offering a spin-off series for Daria, and a five-minute pilot, "Sealed with a Kick", was created by Eichler and "Beavis and Butthead" staffer Susie Lewis (although written by Sam Johnson and Chris Marcil). MTV approved a series order of 13 episodes; both Eichler and Lewis were signed onto the series as executive producers.

The first episode of Daria aired on March 3, 1997, roughly nine months before Beavis and Butt-head ended its original run. Titled "Esteemsters", the episode established Daria and her family's move from fictional Highland, the setting of "Beavis and Butt-Head", to the new series' equally fictional locale of Lawndale. As well as introducing Daria's parents and younger sister as principal supporting characters, the first episode also introduced Jane Lane, Daria's sole schoolfriend and confidant.

The series ran for five seasons, with 13 episodes each, and two TV movies were also produced. The first movie, Is It Fall Yet?, aired in 2000. MTV planned a six-episode sixth season, but at Eichler's request this project was cut down to a second movie, Is It College Yet?, which served as the series finale in January 2002.