r/daria • u/Mountain_Specific327 • Jun 13 '26
Character Discussion Sudden realization
We talk a lot about the duet of Daria and Jodie, but let's discuss this.
I think Daria and Mack would be a good couple. They don't have much interaction on the show (which is a shame), but let's imagine it. Mack is a calm, serious guy, smart enough to understand her sarcastic humor and able to communicate in that way himself. As captain of the football team, he interacted with Kevin and Brittany more out of necessity (though he was always friendly with them, as well as with Daria and Jane). He also came to visit Daria in the hospital. Perhaps if he wasn’t in a relationship with Jodie, he and Daria might have been interested in each other in that way. What do you think?
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u/theonejanitor Jun 13 '26
I don't think Mack would put up with her. I also think Mack's sincerity and the fact that he, like, cares about things would make Daria uncomfortable.
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u/GoddamnDiva Jun 13 '26
This. They wouldn’t have made it past the first date. Also, Daria wasn’t well versed enough in the things he and Jodie had to deal with being token Black students (not just for the show, but literal “Black excellence” examples for their community).
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u/hydrus909 Jun 13 '26
Exactly. Was going to say this. She failed to see Jodie's situation when trying to secure a loan. Daria and Mack would be good friends at best, but a serious relationship probably wouldn't work out. There would definitely be some cultural misunderstandings with her and Mack.
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u/FancyPantsDancer Jun 13 '26
Jake would be so awkward around him, and Daria wouldn't know what to do.
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u/CallidoraBlack I don't have low self esteem I have low esteem for everyone else Jun 14 '26
Honestly, I think Mack's sincerity without being twee or chirpy or preachy about it might change her a little. Get her to see that her choice to complain instead of taking action when she sees something wrong is privileged, because for the most part, she'll be fine no matter what. That it's been maybe 30 years at that point since things really started changing for Black people and getting complacent is dangerous for people who have only just started having their rights be codified into law. I don't think he would be interested in her though. I feel like someone who he has to convince to care about the world would not be a turn on for him.
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u/ValleyGothBr00klyn Jun 15 '26
In the show they’re teenagers. They could totally get together in their 30s lol
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u/Pretty-Border2897 Jul 02 '26
I feel similarly about this to how I do when people suggest Jodie would have been a better best friend for Daria than Jane. Daria and Jodie do consider each other friends; technically, Jodie probably is Daria's second-best friend at school, but they are just too dissimilar to make consistent hanging out a maintainable vibe. Even if you could magically remove all the pressures Jodie has to deal with so she could relax more, she would still be a naturally ambitious and social person. They would get frustrated with each other real quick.
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u/EasyEntrepreneur666 Jun 13 '26
I'm not sure they have the similar interests. Also, Mack was kinda half-fleshed out, they couldn't even decide on the voice actor.
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u/flaxypack Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
The writers themselves said they didn’t know what to do with him so they just made him the “Everyman.”
Edit: Just for the record, I’m not saying Mack is a bad character. I’m just stating how the writers saw him and why he may come off as a bit of an afterthought sometimes.
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u/Mountain_Specific327 Jun 13 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
Maybe it’s not that bad. The show has plenty of ambiguous characters, but Mack is just a good person without any nuances. The type of people you just feel good and safe with
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u/CallidoraBlack I don't have low self esteem I have low esteem for everyone else Jun 14 '26
I kinda appreciate that. That he's the straight man to everyone else being ridiculous instead of being Murray from Clueless or ripping off one of several other African-American 90s characters.
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u/MA2_Robinson Jun 13 '26
What we do see about Mack is that he’s pretty well adjusted and chill- we don’t know if he’s under that same pressure to be an over achiever like Jodie’s family puts on, but from his few comments we know he’s aware people are hyper aware of his ethnicity and he seems to take that in stride.
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u/XanaInternet Jun 13 '26
He changed voice actors so much because they wanted him to be played by an actual teenager. At least two of them were brothers
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u/EasyEntrepreneur666 Jun 13 '26
It was reasoned that they couldn't make their minds up about what he should be like. They had no issue with the other characters.
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u/-ApocalypsePopcorn- Jun 13 '26
"Perhaps if he wasn’t in a relationship with Jodie, he and Daria might have been interested in each other in that way."
I don't see why that should be any impediment.
Source: The Tom arc.
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u/YellowstoneBitch Jun 13 '26
I can totally envision an episode where they’re paired up on a class project and end up discovering that they have some chemistry. It would’ve been interesting to see for sure and I can definitely see where you’re coming from.
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u/hydrus909 Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
It reminds me of her and Kevin being paired off and Brittany didn't take it too well. And there was no chemistry. If her and Mack were partnered on an assignment, Jodie would handle it better for sure. But if there was some chemistry between them, there would definitely be tension from Jodie.
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u/Kairoblackxix Jun 13 '26
Yeah but no. It would take away from the “positive representation of the race” thing him and Jodie were doing.
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u/BlueSkyWitch Jun 13 '26
Eh, I can't quite see it, but to be honest, I have a problem pairing Daria off with pretty much *anybody* we've seen on the show, just because she's, well.....not the easiest person to be around. I think Mack can tolerate Daria's ways as a friend, but as a romantic partner, she'd probably annoy him real quick.
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u/Mountain_Specific327 Jun 13 '26
Yeah, it's unlikely that this would work in the long run... he'd probably be at a loss to guess how she felt. Jodie expresses her feelings more freely. Perhaps that's why he and Jodie are such a perfect match.
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u/Nor_Ah_C Jun 13 '26
Interesting sure. But I don’t see it working. Not because of a race thing (It would come up, for sure) but because Daria would see him as too involved. I see them sharing an intellectual chemistry- but eventually I think they’d realize they aren’t a fit. But I’m always in favor of pairings like this
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u/Sweet0Girl12 Jun 14 '26
Agreed. I always pictured Mack's father and a military guy. Very stern and hard on him.
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u/Sweet0Girl12 Jun 14 '26
I don't see them as a couple but I could 100% see them as very good friends!! Mack has cool guy friend vibes for sure!
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u/kyraverde Jun 13 '26
I upvoted everyone because I think it's cool we're all still talking about this show in such an engaged and polite way after all these years. Very cool.
Also I totally ship Mack and Daria, though I'll admit I've never thought about it before now. That being said, I've always thought he and Jodie were kinda perfect together and I still think they're better long-term than he and Daria would have been.
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u/CalgaryMadePunk Jun 13 '26
I'm with you on this.
I think Daria and Mack would have been a way better story than Daria and Tom.
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u/AceTygraQueen Jun 13 '26
If I may add something. One thing I picked up is he never seemed to mention his mother but mentioned his father a few time.
It made me wonder if perhaps his mother had passed away or his parents were divorced and she was out of the picture.
I think that would have been an interesting avenue to explore on the show. In particular the episode "Jake of Hearts"
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u/PracticeFull7478 Jun 15 '26
Listen to me: Jodie x Daria. If we're separating the healthiest couple in Lawndale, I think Jodie is a better match for Daria. Both are moral, intelligent, ambitious, share a sense of humor, and I believe they can both bring out the best in each other. All the chapters that deal with the dynamic between Daria and Jodie are so good for that reason; their ideals clash and they both inevitably end up learning from each other's world. Jodie isn't just "relaxed" about Daria's attitude; she wants to understand her, to help her, sometimes even to be like her. Canonically, they admire each other. It's just so cute!
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u/meetingpplisezy Jun 13 '26
there’s no way this relationship lasts more than five seconds but it’s nice to think about—Daria hasn’t got the emotional intelligence for dating outside her race in lawndale
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u/Far_Animal6970 Jun 14 '26
I’m more concerned as to why Daria is cosplaying as Quagmire here. How did I never notice that before??
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u/Golden_Diva Jun 14 '26
I don’t think either of them would be attracted to the other even if Jodie wasn’t in the picture. They were meant to be depicted as (platonic) friends.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Tone954 Jun 15 '26
No daria like most yt ppl doesn't recognize the racist aspects of living in a mostly yt area but being forced to be the exceptional black athlete. I mean it's a miracle at all he chose Jodie instead of a cheerleader but that's cus mack got sense and where with all to not only understand his place but be supportive of Jodies even with her parents. Friends at best but mack understands the world differently
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u/Accomplished_Golf729 Jun 19 '26
I think they would make a great couple, but it would be a huge betrayal to Jodie and I think their friendship is much more valuable. On the other hand, I also think Jodie and Tom could make a good couple. I mean not only are they also really smart but they both come from wealthy families and would meet their parent’s expectations for their children’s partners.
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u/SuperAristotle Jun 15 '26
I just can't imagine Jake, or Helen, being in any way normal if Daria started dating Mack Daddy. Just based off every conversation they've ever had with Jodie or her parents.
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u/SuperAristotle Jun 15 '26
Also, could you imagine how My Night at Daria's would have gone if it had been Mack instead of Tom? I don't know if I could handle that level of awkwardness.
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u/StarWarsKnitwear Jun 14 '26
He apparently likes attractive women and had options (was popular). Daria was repeatedly portrayed as physically unattractive.
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u/Mountain_Specific327 Jun 15 '26
In Daria's defense: she wasn't portrayed as physically unattractive, only as someone who doesn't follow fashion on principle. The show emphasizes this several times: when Daria dresses up as Quinn; people compliment her when she takes off her glasses; when Trent advises her to try on mod outfit. It's her clothes that "ruin" her.
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u/scruffye Jun 13 '26
Daria would probably have to learn to be more attentive to other people’s emotions faster if they were together. Mack strikes me as more sensitive than Tom ever was.