Hey Victoria! I’m glad the video made it’s way to you! The song marks an important time in my life, so really I should be thanking you. I’m glad you made it and I’m glad you have new music as well! Hopefully if you’re ever touring in America on the east coast, I can catch a show! Til’ then, thanks for existing!
BTW, one thing I noticed with growing up with this ahow, is that as a kid, I really wanted to see Daria and Trent get together and I thought that Trent was missing out something great. I saw this from the perspective of Daria. But when I rewatched the show as an adult it I understood Trent's tactful attempt to make Daria realize on her own that this was never going to work out because he sees her a kid. He understood her introversion and didn't want to spoil her first crush by telling her that she's just a kid outright.
I feel like he also realized and respected that she was smart and was gonna go to college and do big stuff. She didn't need to be messing around with him. He saw her path and was selfless and stepped out of her way. He's a sweetie boy like that 😊
@@BianTheWerewolf I see this idea of a power imbalance thrown around a lot recently. For instance, Leonardo Dicaprio is 48, and his current girlfriend is 25. I don't consider the relationship between Leonardo and his current girlfriend to be morally wrong. They are both consenting adults and I think this idea of forcing people not to date because of a power imbalance to be insulting. A difference in wealth is a power imbalance. Are we supposed to force everyone who wants to date to make the same amount of money before dating? A difference in strength is a power imbalance. Are we supposed to make sure that everyone is equally strong before dating? Why don't we call the potential relationship between Daria and Trent what it would have been; statutory rape. Trent was 24 and Daria was 17 (Daria turned 18 in season 5 long after she lost interest in Trent). Trent's a good guy and probably didn't want to take advantage of Daria but he probably also didn't feel like going to jail.
@@inlikeflynn7238 your comment is all over the place but at least with Leonardo, it’s not just that he’s like twice the age of his gfs, it’s also that he’s never dated anyone above 25 even as he gets older and older. It’s weird that his dating pool is not aging with him. And not only is he older but he’s wealthier and famous.
Trent has always been one of my favourite characters. The typical "non-comformist" characters are all too often coupled with scumbag traits, I always loved that they made trent the way they did. He was emotionally intelligent, humble and just generally cool. He is honestly so under-rated as far as late 90s characters go.
It is hilarious because as a 90s nerd teen-real life Daria, I ended up becoming a scientist and if I married the punk kid I had a crushed on in high school that would have been my exact life right now😂😂😂
Slight tangent, but I feel like most viewers are unfairly hard on Trent for not having his life together... at 21! If he was still living with his parents and earning a pittance doing Mystik Spiral gigs at 41, I could understand the scorn. But just like Daria, he's a young person who's still in the process of figuring things out. As stated he's repelled by materialism, and so coming to terms with the working world will clearly not come easy to him, especially considering that he has indulgent parents who share a lot of his values. This was a show where the (main) characters really evolved over time, and given Trent's emotional maturity I would suggest his future is brighter than most viewers assume.
I think you’re right on! Except for one thing - his parents weren’t just indulgent, they were neglectful. I think one of the reasons Jane is so level headed is because she had Trent to soften the reality of being semi-abandoned to raise themselves
The problem wasn't that he didn't have his life together, it's that he wasn't trying at all. The video shows a perfect example: he promised to write a song for Daria's project and he didn't, just because he was a slacker.
I am from the same generation as Trent and Daria and by 18 you were expected to have somehow your life organized and together. Much less tolerant back then. They would label you extremely quick.....
I definitely have the same read on Trent being more aware of Daria's feelings than not. He shows emotional intelligence at a few other points including in The Misery Chick where he reads the situation between Jane and Daria and lets her see Jane despite Jane specifically trying to avoid her. The main counter point I can see is in 'Is it Summer Yet?' where he starts singing that 'Betrayal' song but I think that's more example of his creative thoughts being strong than most other thoughts he has. He'll fixate on that stuff to a degree.
I enjoy when content creators relate outside content to their personal self. It's raw, it's honest, and it shows how deep different parts of entertainment can affect people. The stories outside of the shows is what makes the shows timeless.
@@keeperofthetale- I concur & am really enjoying your videos! You seem like a reflective & introspective "Old Soul" type for your presumed young age, & I wish RU-vid had more content creators like you! Far too many annoying personalities on this platform, lol. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks & keep up your great work!! Definitely subscribing!! 😊👍
Great breakdown! I’ve always related to Daria and I know a lot of my new friends just don’t understand it since it wasn’t a long running show. Happy to see it’s still so cherished and relatable today
I think Trent would’ve become one of those cool hippy people who have healthy lives with really close friendships and relationships. He seems intuitive like that.
I was a huge fan of Daria as a kid/young teenager, and it's been fun rewatching it over the years... Trent was my favorite character, and his relationship with Daria really helped me navigate the huge crush that my best friend's younger sister had on me, when I was in my later teens and she was a few years younger... (I wanna say, she was 14 when I was 17/18 maybe? at that age, it's a lot) I tried to be like Trent, be kind with her and try to boost her confidence without ever giving her false hopes, and I like to think my best friend appreciated it. He was very protective of her, and since he never had to tell me anything, I took it as "he trusts me not to be an asshole or a creep", which was reassuring. His sister would sometimes compliment me on my latest girlfriend, and she made it kinda obvious that she liked me without straight up confessing (but she was hanging pictures of me in her closet, so I knew... everytime I'd listen to a new band she's binge their entire discographie to be able to talk music with me, it was pretty cute), and I'd try to do my best Trent impression and keep it cool, and I hope I did a good job... I don't live in the same country as my best friend anymore, so sadly I'm not in touch with the siblings anymore, but last I heard she was doing great. Thanks for the video, good to hear other people relating to shows that are precious to me...
From what you have shared, I think u did right by ur friend n his sister. You didn't ridicule or make her feel bad about her crush neither did u take advantage of her feelings n respected boundaries. I'm guessing if she ever looked back at u guy's relationship then, she'd also realize why it wouldn't work out or heck maybe she already did back then hence why she wasn't openly upset with u dating other girls. You were probably like a second big brother whom she could trust n look out for each other, which she'd appreciate more than a short lived fantasy
@@env0x - Cheers mate, I didn't want to seem like i was "humble bragging", but your comment and the one before from *syrusangi8743* made me happy that I made the right choices at the time...
I found myself strangely and unexpectedly touched by this video. It was a little unpolished, but at the same time it was such a sweet and honest dive into a nostalgic 90s heartthrob. Men so rarely concern themselves with "female" media, and even more rarely do they concern themselves with the fictional crushes of adolescent women. That you cared enough about this onscreen relationship to not only watch it run its course, but also to write and publish a video about it, is very moving. I'm genuinely so charmed right now.
That maybe be true. However, the so called "female" media is exclusively targeted towards women unlike many "male" media that can be relatable to anyone. I belive the creators of Daria were spot on as they managed to create to female characters that many men can relate to. As a male watching the show many times I felt just like Daria being an outcast in high school but always cherishing and caring for my few friends just like Jane
@@endraw_ I don't agree. I think that _you think_ that female media, unlike male media, is exclusively targeted at women because we have a cultural standard of "male as default". Tl;dr you've been trained by society to think that "male media" is more accessible than it actually is.
Great video, and thank you for the song recommendation! One thing that fans pointed out and ultimately the show creators acknowledged was that Trent was shown early on to be aware of Daria's crush on him, in a scene from That Was Then, This Is Dumb. Daria is watching Trent sleep and Jane calls her out on it. In a split second before the scene change, you can see Trent open his eyes, looking straight at the camera and smiling to himself. The show creators said that this was an intentional inclusion, to show that Trent caught on that Daria was more interested in him than she would admit, and that Jane was teasing her for her crushing on him. But he never acts on it or lets on that he knows. He takes Daria for who she is, a younger friend who he admires and respects, but whom they are ultimately in different places in their lives, for now.
Oh yeah, same. As a long-time fan of the show, I never noticed either, for many years. When I heard rumor that the episode was where Trent found out, I had to dig to look - it's a literal "blink and you'll miss it" scene - but when I saw it my mind was blown, that my favorite show could still surprise me like that.
Im not sure if Trents comment towards Daria being a little older was meant to come off as creepy. Trent is in his early 20s but is mentally still a teenager in alot of ways. Iv met alot of people these days who still functionally think of themselves as being much younger than they are for a series of reasons. It also seemed to me to be based around Trent being very aware of Darias crush on him and making what he saw as a joke about it knowing nothing would happen with it. It comes off as creepy externally these days but in its context it makes perfect sense.
I don’t think Trent in particular is creepy, but yeah many men are creepy because they think women/girls mature faster. We don’t. That’s propaganda of the creeper who wants to date teens or 30 year olds who want to date 20 year olds. Pretty gross. I think at least Trent was cool and secure enough to stick with people his own age. Someone insecure and unimpressive would have seemed out younger women/girls because they are easier to impress. Daria obviously isn’t the normal teen, but romantically she is immature.
@@Protegida4 Daria came out 20 years ago. Its very much a product of a different time. Alot of trents characterization really focuses on the punk/grunge scene of the 90s. Meaning that judging it outside of its context becomes really weird. Another good example of this is like...the wierd sexism inherent in the he-man cartoons. Which makes sense in the culture of the mid 80s but not so much now. My original statement was that it wasnt 'meant' to come off as creepy. People can see whatever they want as creepy but the characterization was not in that direction because it was very obvious in context that he was not going to hit on her, he was indicating knowledge of her crush and that he would not take part(or at least it reads that way, the writers have never explained but it makes the most sense in the situation)
@@editaudioaesthetic Joking about while making sure its not going to happen(the joke being its not an option because of her age) is how predatory age gap relationships happen? That doesnt make sense. This sounds more like you projecting.
Loved this! Daria was -the- show of my adolescence as a fellow fed-up pre-teen and teenager when the show was airing. Like another commenter mentioned, it was a good reminder that even if other people are dumb, we can be dumb too -- definitely helped me think through some situations then. Thank you for your videos, I'm really enjoying them!
SAME!!! I watched it in college and it was so good. I really love the cartoon. It's so mature like an adult swim cartoon, not really for children but young adults.
I’m 32 so Daria was something I watched, but couldn’t relate to yet either. I was always drawn to to this show and have watched the series in its entirety several times. I love that it is bringing in audiences younger than me and hope that it will continue to do so. this video is fantastic and I loved seeing it through your eyes and experience. very very cool.
Thinking about the circumstances of your breakup, and the meaning of that song, my heart broke for you. 😭 I’m glad you discovered this great show though. The writing is sharp, and there’s so many memorable characters.
I grew up watching random episodes of Daria in Spanish and for the first time I'm watching it in English. Your video summarizes very well the treatment of feelings in the series. I look forward to seeing more analysis from you :)
That’s so interesting! Which version do you like better? The Spanish or English? I think this is the first time someone’s personally mentioned to me that they’ve watched American animation dubbed. Thanks for the comment and the donation. They mean a lot!
@@keeperofthetale Although I am fond of the dubbed version, much is lost in translation. Besides, in Trent's case, the voice actor also did the voice of Shrek, and personally I disliked Trent because he seemed fake to me; now I understand that it was not his fault xD I'm glad to support your channel!
Since we are personalizing the story anyway- one of my crushes when I was younger was on a senior when I was a freshman, he in a lot of ways looked like Trent (in about 2000, but he was a little more of the preppy kind black spikey hair, tall thin, puka necklaces). He never tried to get with me per say but he could tell I was giving off all the crush energy or something. He would often taunt me with sexual hand gestures that mostly at the time I didn’t understand but made me feel pretty ashamed. It probably said something about me that I was attracted to a guy like that, but it also did shape my development in some ways, too. And the reverse sorta happened too, where my younger brother had a friend with a crush on me, even asked me to MY prom even though he was in 8th grade. I can really feel for Trent- where even if there is a little bit of a vibe, at those ages it is weird (if you’re a normal person) and you don’t want to go there.
yes it's always like this! when you are young you think you are so cool and mature for liking an older guy. They either make you feel so special for being with you or so ashamed for feeling like a kid around them. But then you grow up and realize the age difference from the other side is just creepy!!
You know what, you right man I just subbed to this channel thx to this comment. I do not know why but just reading this comment made me think "Damn he right" and I subbed, how cool is that one man comment can just spur someone else in action like out of nowhere. Internet is cool.
I'm really loving your insights into Daria! I watched it a lot growing up, but I was probably just a little too young to really pick up on much beyond just what was on the surface. Seeing the show from the perspective of someone that's really sat down and thought deeply about what's happening on the screen is invaluable. I've come away with a lot of new nuances for a character I've enjoyed for most of my life. You rule and your channel rules. Thank you so much for your work!
I love the Daria animation series and could relate to her anti social/introvert characteristics. She was smart and a heroine in her own right. This analysis was very thoughtful and vulnerable. Thank you for making such great content.
Just from the video title I had to find out if it was referring to the song by Eerie Summer and to my delight, it was! It has always been a fav of mine, I discovered it back in high school when I was very much angsty and heavily “in crush”. Somehow, learning of the connection between the song and Daria, who also happened to be a character I related to a lot back, then feels vindicating. I remember feeling so ashamed of how I felt “not like others teens” because my relationship to dating and romance was overwhelmed by my own reservations and fear of exploring strong emotions of crushing. As I got older, I dismissed a lot of that time to being “silly” or “stupid” as if I should’ve known better. But, this connection to a song and character that resonated so much with my teenage self, consoled those bittersweet memories by reminding me that I was just a kid experiencing life and the whirlwind it is. Simple as it is, it was a much needed validation. ✌️
I don't thin trent saying the age thing to Daria was creepy, their age gap isn't that big it's like 3 or 4 years but he knew in that it was different stages of life for both. Maybe I just have a soft spot for him and I'm defending that scene too much
This song is so beautiful and these are also some of my favorite episodes in the whole show. I think the heart of the show was in Daria and Jane's relationship.
Yes, at the end of the day, the very core of this show was about two ‘outcasts’ who are truly there for each other. They’re best friends through and through.
Theres a part of me that thinks Daria and Trent could still work. Not as a right out of HS relationship, but not many of us were getting into long term relationships right out of HS. Trent always reminded me a bit of my favorite cousin. He is a younger gen x who ended marrying a woman, elder millennial just two years ago after they met again in their mid/late thirties. They knew each other when they were in school. He was friends with her sister first. Maybe it was just VA chemistry, or maybe it was just that the show pushed that possibility on me for so long and i like tattoos so i got hooked on it as my favorite option... or maybe i just didnt like Tom, but I still think Daria and Trent could meet again in their 30s and find out they had gotten to a place where they were right for one another. Daria's idealism for her future might have been dampened a bit by the financial crisis, and Trent might have started working as a bartender or a barista or something to keep making his music. Just that little more structured/flexible enough to make it work.
I remember finding this song on youtube when I was like 13 and relating it to the boy I liked at the time, my first “real crush” I never would’ve thought I’d find it again in a video essay about daria which I watched as a young teen as well because I was told by so many people I remind them of her. lol
I started watching Daria when I was in middle school/ high school late at night in the summers. I never watched the episodes in order and didn't see it as having an overall story just individual episodes. I really wanted to be like Daria, as I had dark hair and glasses and hated sports like her character. Little teen-preteen me loved Trent. Trent was so cool in my memories and I did want to see Daria and Trent together but now watching things like this I can see your point on why it couldn't/shouldn't have been.
I always thought Trent was an enigma yet shallow at the same time? Very weird vibes, and i believe he knew what he was doing with Daria the whole time :/ kinda like the Wendy/Dipper relationship but that's a different topic
This video is such a beautiful and unique idea. I remember watching Daria for the first time and not entirely understanding what was going on with Daria and Trent, but this video helped with that a lot!
As a millennial who watched Daria when it first aired it fills me with joy that people still relate to the show , I felt the same way when my son got right into the OG Degrassi Jr high series
that's just popped up in my recommendations and I'm stunned! I didn't expect so many people listening to eerie summer! It was a small Russian band from Saint Petersburg (actually it was just one girl). Idk if she still makes new songs, probably under a different name... her bandcamp page hasn't been updated since like 2016, hope she knows that ppl still like her music ❤
Kudos to you for picking this show up after it aired. It is very much a time capsule, a bit of a darker continuation of a coming of age from the cheerier Clarissa Explains It All. Loved the show growing up, identifying very much with Daria and Jane's IMMENSE frustration with the halfwits around them. And the show was clear to point out the limitations of angst and rage that only goes inward. The fact that it can be a crutch as much as a shield or a weapon. That MAYBE, even if the other people ARE idiots, we can be dunces ourselves. Again, thank you for your videos. As an aside, and apologies if this has been asked, you got a patreon floating about?
Thanks for the comment! Yea this show is really special to me. I did this video twice because I wanted to do it justice and not regret what I put out. I feel like the end result was worth the wait. As far as patreon, I don’t have one currently. I would love to make one though. For some feedback, what type of content would you like to see on there? Edit: Maybe ‘director’s cuts’ ? Early access? Or a unique video in a different format? Thanks for the thought out comment!
@@keeperofthetale Thank you for making the video. It really did do it justice. As for Patreon suggestions, personally I think early access would be sufficient. IMHO, supporting the making of these is enough. However, I am just one lunatic on the internet. Recommend sourcing a broader audience. :D Have an awesome day!
this really does outline at least a few crushes I've had where I just wasn't confident enough in how we would be together to take the leap. It doesn't take away from the strength of the feelings though
Wonderful breakdown! This was THE show I grew up on. To this day Jane Lane is still my favorite animated character. The joke Trent made that seemed creepy, is blunted by that laugh. He never meant it but gelt the engerh Daria was giving off and ahain treated her with kid gloves. Just bc he got dumped/is going throgih a breakup doesnt mean everyone has to feel bad, including his kid sisters bestie who he can tell has a thing for him. There may have been a slight possible reciprocation as can naturally happen when you know someone for a while and wonder "what if" from Trent, and we see that as Daria gets a little older, but even then it never develops bc it was never meant to. Wonderful breakdown and thank you for making this video!!!
I admit I watched Daria Late, I was in college. Sometime I wish I watched it back in highschool, it might have help on some situations lol Trent was a great character. I remember that he was aware of Daria crush, but he never did nothing to Daria and that was great! He was on a different life level of Daria, even if he still thought as a teen - He was aware, was respectful of it and he didn't make fun of Daria for having a crush or anything, he's been very chill and understable seeing her as a friend, hell, if not like a second young sister like Jane. His relationship with Daria was strictly friendship and could have not work more than that. Also, off-topic, Trent might have around others girls crushing on him (I'm not very aware of the idea of grunge bands in the '90). He was in a band and doing gig, Mystic spiral fans might be late teen -18 and 19- to early '20 and might been some early teen into alternative music. The thing is: he was aware of teens crush, he literally had two olders sisters and Jane. He's anti-conformist, not a creep lol On the Daria side I admit that the crush things was very well done, it was not the stereotypical "blubby pinkish rose and flowers" situation or stalking type of situation too as it was more grounded. Daria had a crush, she had anxiety and still acted as "herself", no weird 360 character change or weird ass second embarassment situations: the situation was just embarassing for Daria herself. There was the weird feeling of crushing but deepdown knowing that things were not going to work, but still there was a crush and the doubt etc. And the thing evolved, Daria got out of the crush as she grow up, and being generally herself, that is something I love about this show.
I like this a lot. Both for your approach and analysis of the show and it’s connection to the song. I’m a fan of the show and I appreciate your identifying the complexities of these relationships. Thank you for this, I also have a new song to listen to.
I viewed the show one way as a young teen when it first aired, and have gotten lots more from it each rewatch at different phases of life since. One part that had stuck with me probably since my first viewing was the conversation Trent had with Daria after missing the due date for the school project. I felt a confusing twist of emotions back then. I of course was rooting for Daria to get what she wanted, but also somewhere in there knew like she did it would never work out long term. Thank you for sharing your story as well. I had never heard the song before.
18 and 20ish isn't that big of an age gap. Its strange. In recent years it seems the thing has become you must be more or less the same age. Back in the 80s and 90s, 4-5 year age gaps were far more normal. I agree it is wrong for 20+ year old people to date people below 18. I'm just saying 18 and above, an age gap of about 5 years isn't that big of a deal. 18 and 23 is fine. I actually don't know how old Trent is actually supposed to be though or how large the age gap is.
It's because nowadays 18 year olds are much younger than 18 year olds back then if you get what I mean. I'd say 18 year olds back then and early 20 year olds were in similar stages of life minus college experience. Nowadays there isn't as much in common in the 2 life experiences. Me and many peers still feel like we're teenagers even at mid 20s, and in early college I definitely felt like I was 16 still surrounded by grownups even though they were only a few years older than me.
I was never much of an emotional guy. I know how to feel and express them but I would rather do so in secret than make them alter my chance at happiness like that
Honestly, going through the whole show in your situation doesn't sound weird at all. I think it's just what I would have done in your shoes. I get that desperate scramble for emotional understanding.
Daria is an introvert mostly and does want validation from others but feels weird about receiving that validation from them because it makes her feel like a hypocrite. Also Daria and Jane are heavily queer coded I say this because I watched the series when it aired from episode one to the finale episode, so I'm a fan and while watching it over again I'm noticing things about Daria and Jane's relationship in a different light
I was going to start Daria for the Trent lore, but after this I don’t know if I can handle it paired with my current relationship status. Alexa, play “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy please…. 😂
I found a song about a year ago a lot like this song. It's called Milk and was made by the band, Sweet Trip. Milk is about the singer sleeping in a bed with their partner, but feeling extreme loneliness in that bed, constantly saying the phrase, drifting away. The two are drifting away from each other and the singer is terrified about being alone and never wants to be wlone. At the end of the song, the singer accepts that what happens happens and let's the relationship go, saying that they hope their partner has a long, good life, expressing that them breaking up might have been the best move for both of them. "And it's true. You will drift away. And I won't mind. Yes, I don't mind." (DENIAL) "You will drift away. Don't you drift away. Don't you drift away." (BARGAINING) "You will drift away. No, I won't mind. Here's to a long life." (ACCEPTANCE)
Yea that’s definitely a song that is from the same vain as Weird Around You. I love that shoegazey, indie sound. It makes me feel like I’m driving through Arizona or New Mexico lol
9:03 Hogwash. Your video was remarkably insightful and logically consistent...until that last point. If it's acceptable for Daria to have feelings but not act upon them, it's acceptable for Trent to have feelings but *not* *act* upon them. You cannot help what feelings you have -- though you can choose to *not act* upon them.
Are you applying this to just Trent and Daria’s age gap or larger age gaps with minors as well? I will say this was a point that I added in for the discussion around it, and I would like to add more to it. I do think There is a difference between someone who’s 14 having a crush on a 20 year old and a 20 year old having a crush on a 14 year old. However, I don’t think its necessarily ‘ok’ for a 14 year old. I’d like to understand your pov on this as to why you feel an adult who’s attracted to a minor is ok. I guess the argument would be straddling the line of ‘thought crimes’? Where someone is policing a persons ideas, even though they haven’t acted on them to make it an actual crime? Thanks for watching and talking about this.
@@keeperofthetale Personally I think one of the things that muddies the topic is the era the show represents. People with Daria's traits were relatively rare, and what I mean by that is in a local area/community. Its already a personality type that beyond being an isolationist was mocked for nerd culture/unpopular traits. As time progresses our dating spheres/nets have gotten a lot wider when it comes to finding traits someone likes because you have the internet, commutes have gotten larger, public transportation has expanded, and long-distance communication has gotten cheaper. Heck, I think an episode even covers them showing a phone bill to Quinn on that topic which just goes to show that its go local or get wrecked. So while it shouldn't be a case at all (Which in Trent's case, it wasn't, he handled it responsibly), as far as 'thought crimes' go I could understand why the 20 year old may have a crush on the 14 year old, in that there's no other fish in the pond, compared to today where almost everyone has access to a veritable ocean now. I must stress though, they shouldn't act on it, but I can just understand why crushing would be rougher. Who knows though. Personally in the 90s I used to hang out with a friend (moreso someone I tutored) that was 'sort of' considered a best friend but ultimately as time moved on I ended up visiting more often just to converse with his mother, and she'd contact me, because she was a nurse and very much into history and tech and we could have actual conversations that weren't boring. It was nothing sexual, (especailly since I had no sex drive yet and later realized I was gay), but I imagine it looked very strange and would be frowned upon today-- especially if she were a man. I imagine had I been born in a later generation I would have felt no compulsion to even befriend her due to chat rooms and social media, but that's just guess-work.
@@keeperofthetale It's from Futurama. Cubert Farnsworth uses the term "weaponized bolognium" and I use it for everything now. This is a dope and niche video. Love Daria, love the song, love the video, your ex definitely subscribes to TheLazyLazyMe music channel on RU-vid.
