The Rebirth of Daria

For the last three years, fans have dreamed of Daria coming back on the air someday. And that might indeed happen, but not in a way we've imagined.

Most people see Daria coming back as a "sequel", where we pick up beginning with Daria's years in Boston, and presumably, an all new cast (except for Jane and some guest appearances).

However, there is the chance that twenty years from now, someone says, "Hey, why don't we bring Daria back on the air?" And they decide not to do a sequel, but rather, a REMAKE, in the same way that The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, and other cartoons are perpetually remade and reimagined.

This might mean that we might see the "all-new" Daria someday in 2010. Certainly, there will be the cynical loner Daria, and her best friend Jane. Quinn has to be there for the contrast between Daria's cynical world-view and the world-view of her popularity-obsessed sister.

And really, those are the only characters who NEED to be there. One might argue that Helen is at least as important as the other three - but one could easily shift the focus away from Daria's parents and do more "Season One" type episodes, making Helen's role unnecessary or turning her into a foil for Daria. One might also argue that Quinn's role could be lessened in a reimagining, but you would have to have some other snotty, popularity seeking teenage chick (Sandi?) to give someone over whom Daria could have a sense of superiority.

So here's the discussion question: if you were in charge of "reimagining" Daria, how would you go about it? What parts of old series would be remade in the new? Which would be quietly forgotten? Which parts would be changed completely? And how would fandom handle the "Old Daria/New Daria" contrast?

Myself, I could deal with a reimagining of Daria. As long as she doesn't end up with a talking dog sidekick or the new show isn't called "Daria in Outer Space".