Summary: When a classmate has plastic surgery to get a new nose, Quinn is convinced that she's "less than perfect" and needs plastic surgery herself in order to stay competitive in the cuteness department.

Full Synopsis: While Ms. Barch uses Kevin in an "experiment" to determine how a person's looks affects the behavior of others, Quinn is faced with this challenge in a different way, as Fashion Club hopeful Brooke shows up at school with a brand-new nose job. Everyone else "oohs" and "ahhs" about it, but Quinn's reaction, while positive, is not quite as enthusiastic. Sandi, ever ready to jump on a moment of weakness, accuses Quinn of being shallow, and manages to psych Quinn out and convince her that she's "less than perfect." Helen and Jake flat-out refuse to let Quinn get plastic surgery to correct her perceived flaws, forcing her to take matters into her own hands. She fakes being sick in order to cut school for a clandestine visit to Dr. Shar, the ethically questionable plastic surgeon that treated Brooke, but she's too nervous to go by herself. Enter Daria, who will be "taking Quinn home" -- or so Quinn tells Ms. Li, anyway. In reality, Quinn wants Daria along because she's honest and she probably knows Quinn better than anyone else. When they arrive at Dr. Shar's office, Quinn's insecurities are played like a violin by the doctor, who tells her that a mere $6,000 will allow her to achieve the perfection she craves. She also tries to win Daria over, but Daria remains stubbornly skeptical of Dr. Shar's "Frankenstein approach" to beauty. Quinn, however, becomes even more convinced when she sees Brooke, who now sports supermodel lips and hips, and starts taking up a collection to raise the money (an idea she got from the ever-sarcastic Jane). Predictably, the fundraising doesn't work, but Quinn is still determined to find a way, even after Daria swallows her pride and tells Quinn that she's perfect just the way she is. What finally convinces her to drop the whole idea is, ironically, Brooke, who suffers a "nasal relapse" and is now even less cute than she was before all this started. And Kevin finishes his experiment by employing a time-honored method of getting people to talk to him while he's wearing his "ugly face": he gives them money.

Insecure: With Dr. Shar preying on Quinn and the Fashion Club and attempting to woo Daria, one thing that could have slipped past everyone is Helen's insecurity. During a conversation about Brooke's nose job, she plunged herself into a tirade about how women are judged more by their looks than men are (which is true, but beside the point) that ended with her contemplating getting a boob job.

Ugly Duckling: What is with all of the talk in this episode about Daria being ugly or hopelessly unattractive (I am aware that it was one of the jokes of the episode)? Sure, she doesn't dress to flaunt any attractive attributes she may have but she still doesn't look that bad. Despite the fact that she goes out of her way to hide it, she does have some "natural beauty."

Stay Out of the Shallow End: I'm not sure about the idea of "think about something for a few seconds" means you're deep, but it does make some sense. There is some major friction between Sandi and Quinn in this episode. Quinn didn't really do anything to merit being cast out like she was but she also didn't do anything to dispute the "shallow" label, either. She did take up a collection for her plastic surgery, you know.

Sisterly Love: Daria finally caved and told Quinn what she probably thought all along, that she is perfect, physically anyway. Quinn thinks that Daria is just playing one of her games, but she is being as sincere as she can be about anything involving Quinn. Under all of that hostile posturing is a whole bunch of caring. Damn conscience!

Like I said before, and I quote Austin Powers, "this sort of thing ain't my bag, baby." I'm not a fan of the Fashion Club-heavy episodes and this one is no different for me. It has a good moral and does a decent job of getting it out (don't worry about your looks or how others see you). However, I personally can't really relate to much of what I saw.

Grade: C+

Copyright © 1998 Mike Quinn [All Rights Reserved]. Used with permission. The views presented here are those of the author, and may or may not necessarily be those of Outpost Daria Reborn.