I pulled out 6D Title girl in a bygone MTV cartoon: DARIA because it’s a show that my sister and I used to watch. I found out about it because she was watching it. It had a lot of 50D Frequent teenage sensation: ANGST. The music in the show was amazing, and I remember they even had the band Garbage on, and Garbage did a TV commercial for Daria. In cartoon form, of course. I hope I’m right about that.

Theme!

20A Prompt action when things are unraveling: STITCHINTIME.
32A Beat around the bush: HEMANDHAW.
42A “Oh, blast!”: DARNITALL.

54AWhat ties everything together, including 20-, 32- and 42-Across?: COMMONTHREAD. Stich, hem, darn. All use thread.

Finished this one in 8:11.