Episode Guide
Transcript of MTV's
"Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown"

On June 28, 1998 (the day before the premiere of episode #208, "Gifted"), MTV ran a special called the Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown, hosted by Daria and Jane. The following is a transcript of Daria's and Jane's comments as they counted down the videos.

Note that this is the original transcript from Planet Daria, and was written by Rowena Stubbs. She had to guess on a couple of things they said, so if you saw the special and notice that something needs to be corrected, please send e-mail to webmaster@lawndale.net with the correction.


Daria - Hey, it's Daria and Jane...

Jane - Jane and Daria!

Daria - ... and we're your hosts for MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown.

Jane - A gig we got because we're animated.

Daria - Speak for yourself.

Jane - Well, we're animated within the constraints of MTV's budget.

Daria - What does that mean?

Jane - My arms! I can't move my arms!

Daria - Actually, for this special, we're in limited animation; we won't be using any of our superpowers.

Jane - To see that, you'll have to watch our amusing little program, Daria, new episodes of which resume tomorrow night at 10:30.

Daria - Catch it quick, before they're preempted by the "Road Rules Runs Over the Real World" holiday special.

Jane - Hey, let's show a video! We've got #10 ready! It's "All Around the World" by Oasis, in which a sensitive genius croons amidst a surrealist dreamworld.

Daria - #10: bottom of the list. Lowest of the low. I'm ready.

Jane - It's gonna be a looooong countdown...

Song #10: "All Around the World" by Oasis

Song #9: "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty

Jane - That was #9 in MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown: Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down a Dream." A lovely homage to the comic strip "Little Nemo" by Windsor McKay.

Daria - "Homage." That's French for "steal."

Jane - In the next season of Daria, can we go to the moon?

Daria - Write a memo.

Jane - Coming over the horizon at #8 is "I Stay Away" by Alice in Chains. In this video, delightful puppet people encounter death and dismemberment... at the circus!

Daria - Now that's entertainment. Roll it!

Song #8: "I Stay Away" by Alice in Chains

Daria - Coming up after the break, MTV's Animated Videos Countdown continues with numbers 7, 6, and 5.

Jane - Remember: these are the greatest animated videos of all time.

Daria - Who says?

Jane - I dunno... some guy.

Daria - I mean, who voted?

Jane - Don't start anything. They told me I can keep the clothes.

Daria - Those are your clothes.

Jane - WARDROBE!


Jane - Watch this; I'm gonna make trouble. Welcome back to MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos CountUP.

Daria - Oh yeah, you're a rebel alright.

Jane - Here's #7: a-ha's "Take on Me," about the love of a flesh-and-blood woman for her animated dream-man.

Daria - Or, depending on how you interpret it, the love of some androgynous, barely musical Eurotrash for their blowdriers.

Jane - Are you sure you've quite got the spirit of this countdown?

Daria - CountUP!

Song #7: "Take on Me" by a-ha

Jane - The anticipation is killing me! Number 6! Number 6!

Daria - Now, #6 in MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown: Tool's "Sober." It's about a tiny, tormented man, trapped in a nightmarish world of decay. I wonder if they know my father.

Jane - Dark, creepy, foreboding... not a cartoon for the kiddies.

Daria - A cartoon for moody, self-absorbed teenagers.

Jane - And after that, Michael Jackson, "Leave me Alone."

Daria - My sentiments exactly.

Song #6: "Sober" by Tool

Song #5: "Leave me Alone" by Michael Jackson

Daria - That was #5 in MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown, Michael Jackson's "Leave me Alone," in which a sensitive genius croons amidst a surrealist dreamworld.

Jane - Sounds familiar.

Daria - You know, that video reminds me that we're starting a new round of brand new Daria episodes tomorrow night at 10:30.

Jane - What's the connection?

Daria - The connection is, I could be at home reading a book, but I dragged my butt down here to plug our show quick, before they preempt it with "Celebrity Clay-Fight Beats Up on Sex in the 90's." So I'm plugging.

Jane - We'll be right back. You know, show business has really changed you.

Daria - Talk to my agent.

Heartstopping words from various sponsers

Daria - Welcome back to MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown. Next up is #4: Radiohead's "Paranoid Android."

Jane - It would be funny if his name was "Freud."

Daria - What?

Jane - Freud the Paranoid Android.

Daria - And after that, #3: Dire Straits with "Money for Nothing." We've been asked to remind you to sing along with the "I want my MTV" part. Did you get too close to the paint thinner again?

Jane - And what if he had a hemorrhoid? (laughs) God, I can be so funny sometimes!

Song #4: "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead

Song #3: "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits

Jane - Coming up on MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown, the first runner up, and the #1 animated video of all time.

Daria - And a special message from the President of the United States about how kids can make the world a better place.

Jane - What?

Daria - Sorry, it's all this animation. I thought I was on Nickelodeon for a minute.

Jane - You wish!

Daria - Tell me about it...


Jane - Forthwith, here's #2 in MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown: the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Love Rollercoaster." This one features two guys from Daria's past! Do the names "Beavis" and "Butt-head" ring a bell?

Daria - Ding-dork.

Jane - So, let's sit back and enjoy "Love Rollercoaster," a video that brilliantly blurs the distinction between programming and promotion.

Daria - Like everything else on this magical network. Speaking of which, did I mention those new Daria episodes starting tomorrow night at 10:30?

Jane - No! Do tell!

Daria - If they don't preempt it with "Lovelines Presents 10 Exciting New Discharges for Summer."

Song #2: "Love Rollercoaster" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Jane - Wow! Nine videos gone already! Shall we recap?

Daria - Let's!

Jane - Numbers 10 through 2 on MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown.

Daria - It all seems so long ago.

Recap of songs #10 though #2

Jane - And here comes #1 with a bullet--

Daria - --don't tempt me.

Jane - This one won nine MTV Video Music Awards, and I really like it.

Daria - I gotta admit, I don't hate it.

Jane - The highest of praise! Here's the #1 animated video of all time: Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer."

Song #1: "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel

Jane - Well, that's it!

Daria - Please return your seats to their upright, locked and loaded positions.

Jane - We hope you've enjoyed MTV's Top 10 Animated Videos Countdown with Jane and Daria!

Daria - Daria and Jane...

Jane - And don't forget to watch Daria every... when?

Daria - I forgot. Oh yeah, Monday nights.

Jane - 10:30!

Daria - Unless we're preempted by an MTV News Exclusive report: "Homework's Not Fair."

Jane - You know, I don't know why people say we have a bad attitude.

Daria - Screw 'em. So long!

Jane - Thanks for watching!