It Looks Like We’re Going to Get a ‘Daria’ Reboot
MTV has relaunched a ton of its signature properties as of late, from Jersey Shore to TRL to Yo! MTV Raps. Now, the company plans to launch a studio to bring back even more of the network’s beloved shows, like Daria. The plan seem to be shopping them around to other networks, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The new take on Daria is being developed by writer Grace Edwards, who’s known for her work on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Inside Amy Schumer. According to MTV president Chris McCarthy, the new show will be called Daria & Jodie, and will follow the original’s titular character as well as one of her best friends.
“The story she wants to tell of Daria is different, it’s about Daria and Jodie and two close friends taking on the world today and what’s happening in our culture at large,” McCarthy told THR.
As a character, Daria was always apt at social commentary, though she was only vaguely political. She was a typical 90s girl who made cynical jokes about her peers and rebelled against the middle-class suburban values of parents in the way that practically every teenager does. It’ll be interesting to see how the show’s brand of comedy can survive the injection of earnestness needed to take on “what’s happening in our culture at large.” For instance: It’s nearly impossible to differentiate between a typical episode of Sick, Sad World and our current reality.
Will principal Angela Li leave Lawndale High to run a populist campaign for local office? Will Quinn get woke and decide to leave the Fashion Club for her local DSA chapter? Will Kevin get caught on cell phone video participating in fraternity hazing? All are tantalizing possibilities.
The initial slate of programming for MTV Studios will also include self-improvement reality show Made and animated sci-fi drama Aeon Flux, as previously announced. McCarthy also hinted at the possibility of a new Laguna Beach in the interview, though it doesn’t seem like any of the reboots will appear on MTV. McCarthy said they will probably be sold to third-party streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, because not every redeveloped title is right for the traditional cable network.
“If we were to do Daria & Jodie, which is a reimagination of the classic Daria animated series, for us, the best place for it isn’t necessarily cable,” McCarthy said, “but more with an SVOD [streaming video on demand] partner where we can have better storytelling and allow more flexibility and be able to go deeper than traditional cable may allow.”
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This article originally appeared on VICE US.