Customer Reviews

Moral Orel, Vol. 1, The Unholy Edition

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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Yes, there are jokes about crack addiction and zombies, but the real gems in this show are the clever wordplay, the well thought out characterizations, and hidden details. Moral Orel is not a show with pop-culture references, cheap cartoon violence, or stoner non-sequiters. It is a refreshingly honest and relevent satire - not to mention some incredible character animation!

It's from Common Sense Media:

"Created by Dino Stamatopoulos, a writer known for his regular contributions to adult comedy shows like Late Night with Conan O'Brien and TV Funhouse, this sinfully clever stop-motion series packs a wallop of a message in a short amount of time -- and, in essence, that's part of the problem. In fact, so much controversial humor peppers the show's 15-minute run that the shock value of the humor could overshadow the program's subtle message.
So while adults are more likely to see MORAL OREL for what it is -- a biting social satire mocking religious fundamentalism and hypocrisy within the Christian church -- kids (even some older teens) probably won't be able to appreciate the true sophistication of the humor. (And in case you were wondering, young children definitely won't get the joke.)
Borrowing its distinctive animation style from classic Rankin-Bass shows like Davey and Goliath, Moral Orel follows the often-shocking misadventures of 11-year-old Orel Puppington (voiced by Carolyn Lawrence), a devoutly Christian boy who tries his best to live life by "the book" but often misinterprets God's teachings. Week after week, Orel's good intentions lead to disaster.
But instead of learning from his mistakes, Orel is usually led astray by his pseudo-reflective father, Clay (Scott Adsit), whose advice is rarely helpful and always misses the mark. For example, at the end of an episode chronicling Orel's brief addiction to crack cocaine, Mr. Puppington cautions Orel that crack "is a gateway to slang," prompting the boy to solemnly vow: "When I do drugs, I'm going to speak properly." Parents should be aware that those are the types of "lessons" kids could inadvertently learn from watching this show.
Fans of Moral Orel will undoubtedly enjoy South Park and will probably also get a kick out of revisiting old episodes of Davey and Goliath for some pointed comparisons. Other recommendations include Strangers with Candy, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons."

And a Common Sense Note states:

Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that while this satirical Cartoon Network comedy is animated, it's part of the Adult Swim line-up for a reason: It's rife with graphic humor and isn't appropriate for young children. (For example, when the 11-year-old Orel takes a drag from his very first crack pipe, he snaps at his talking Jesus figurine and tells him to shut up.) Troubling content aside, however, the show can serve as a way for parents and older teens to talk about the pitfalls of religious fanaticism -- although families who are deeply religious may find the program offensive.
Families can discuss the ways in which religious dogma can be misinterpreted by those with good intentions. Does a person who is considered to be religious always act morally? What statement are the creators of this series making about the state of modern-day Christianity? How does this cartoon compare with Davey and Goliath, the early 1960s animated series it gently parodies?

This show is one of the funniest shows ever made. I first stumbled upon this show on Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network, I thought it was an episode of Robot Chicken poking fun at Davey & Goliath. Turns out it was Moral Orel! Orel is a young boy who wants nothing more than do right in the eyes of God. However despite his best efforts no matter how hard he tries, he always screws up in the end. What makes the show funny is as the viewer you can see the trainwreck that is about to happen and just sit there and wait for it to happen.
The show isn't for everyone, but for those with a slightly off sense of humor you will love this show.

Moral Orel is a stop motion animated show on Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" segment, which centers around the life of Orel Puppington, a young boy who consistently fails in his attempts to understand and abide by Protestant Christian values. Orel takes his cues from the authority figures around him--his parents Clay and Bloberta, school coach Stopframe, Rev. Putty, and others. Unfortunately for Orel, he always misunderstands the actions of his mentors, who are mostly shown as bitter, jaded, and merely paying lip service to their religious beliefs. These misunderstandings lead to the comedy in the show, with young Orel believing that he's following the Lord's wishes by smoking crack, reanimating the bodies of dead townsfolk, or practicing euthanasia. At the end of each show, Orel's misbehaviour is discovered and he's taken to his father's study. The lessons his father explains to him aren't what one might expect, however... Moral Orel is at once a parody on classic values-based programming such as the 1960s series "Davey and Goliath," and a commentary on the lip service paid to religion by society at large in a modern world.

Season one episodes include:
1. The Best Christmas Ever - After Rev. Putty teaches Orel that Jesus will one day return to the earth, he believes that his younger brother, Shapey, is the second coming of Christ. Orel's parents plan for their divorce, and Christmas looks to be an unhappy one.

2. The Lord's Greatest Gift - After learning that God's greatest gift is life, Orel recruits his friend Doughy to help protect that gift. A library book, a graveyard full of dead townsfolk, and Orel's convictions spell trouble for the population of Moralton.

3. Waste - Orel learns that God doesn't look kindly on the wasteful. After lessons from Coach Stopframe and his father, he sets out with two goals in mind. Orel must stop his own wastefulness, and ensure he doesn't end up the failure his father predicts of him.

4. Charity - Orel learns that God is present in everyone and everything. He ends up excusing himself from school, and going on a trip across town believing that he is able to stop people from sinning and heal them.

5. Omnipresence - Orel learns that God is present in everyone and everything. He ends up excusing himself from school, and going on a trip across town believing that he is able to stop people from sinning and heal them.

6. The Blessed Union - Orel learns that husbands should do everything they can to keep their wives happy. He goes around town and asks women including his mother, what they want.

7. God-Fearing - Halloween is boring for Orel when he believes that he doesn't have anything to fear since God is with him at all times. Hoping to get scared, Orel decides to make God angry with him by breaking all 10 Commandments.

8. Maturity - After getting shot in the eye with Shapey's BB gun, Orel's father tells him to be more repsonsible and mature. In order to learn more about maturity, Orel goes to the local bar and drinks alcohol which is known to him as "Maturity Juice".

9. Loyalty - After running into Orel at church, Coach Stopframe asks if Orel would become Bible Buddies with his nephew Joe, who isn't settled into christianity yet. Despite Joe doing bad things for fun, Orel believes that it he should be a loyal friend and go along with it.

10. God's Chef - In order to please himself (if you know what I mean) and still go to heaven, Orel has a scheme that turns Moralton topsy-turvy.

- to be on this show. There are people who choose to be offended by it, but that always puzzles me, as the shows humor is targeted at a certain kind of born-again hypocrite, and I don't see why anyone would choose to identify with that.
It's truly a treat to be in a room with the people that make "Moral Orel". They are brilliant, funny and exceptionally talented. The animators, as well as the writers and other cast members, are top-notch.
I give it two thumbs up, and I've seen every episode.
;)

That song, in between episodes on Disc 2, is worth the price of purchase by itself!
The whole production is an excellent spoof of American WASP "Christianity" - and Religion in general.
It is sure to offend many in the "Moral Majority" - but for those of us who have found life outside said group - it is a hoot!
Gumby must be morphing in his grave.

Many attempt to categorize this series in preexisting genre, but the simple fact is that Moral Orel surpasses anything already in existence. For those who say that it is an open mockery of Christianity, I am willing to bet that they either: A. Did not watch a single episode, or B. Did not watch the whole series through. In reality, Moral Orel serves as a humorous, evolving, and meaningful series that no one should miss the opportunity to see.

The thing you need to know about Moral Orel is that it combines humor and meaningful depth. The most attractive thing about the series is how it evolves and seems to grow over time. There is a distinctively different feel as the show progresses and we see a clear evolution in each character as their history is revealed. While other adult comedy shows like South Park, Family Guy, and King of the Hill take on situational episodes, Moral Orel makes its clay based characters seem more realistic and takes on a humanistic approach.

There are those that criticize the series as an open mockery of the Christian religion. While the show does appear to make Christianity appear silly at times, what the viewers actually fail to realize is the mockery is actually directed towards the human character. Those who claim to be self-righteous or even above others all suffer inherent flaws and dissatisfaction with a certain aspect of life. On the other side of the spectrum, those who say that this is an example of how Christianity is bad would be mistaken as well. While Orel does receive some bad advice many times, some of the lessons can be very good too. One of my favorite moments is when Rev. Putty is speaking in church to a crowd of people who are all feeling malcontent about their lives and he speaks about how "Nothing can be good." That is one of the more mature moments in the show. For both sides of the argument, I say watch the very last episode and see how everyone turns out. That says a lot about the series.

So, with arguments aside, if you are looking for a funny comedy with great meaning too, Moral Orel is a great choice. Episodes are about 15 minutes long each and easy to watch. I consider it to be a very feel good series and VERY well created.

This release, as with all Adult Swim releases is simply packed with great behind the scenes extras. Not only are the shows themselves hilarious, but the creators of the show will keep you laughing behind the scenes! Definite buy for fans of the series.

Here is the first Steven Wright joke I heard: "Curiosity killed the cat, but for a few days I was a suspect." It took me an awkward while to laugh. Now I can't get Steven Wright off my DVD player. . .
The humor in "Moral Orel" is more fast-acting. It's great stuff. . .even after some of the sadness kicks in. I wonder if it is going to be as addictive and as memorable as Wright's comedy.
Orel is Beaver Cleaver, reincarnated in claymation. He is, of course, moral, trying to always please God, attempting not to sin. To waste, according to Orel's forever preaching minister, is sinful. So Orel learns to turn his urine into an energy drink, resorts to masturbating into a pastry bag (a device which allows him to not "spill his seed" and also allows him to impregnate most of the town's women), uses the crack cocaine given to him in exchange for his charitable donation to a drug dealer. . .and his odd exploits innocently continue, always plausible, always funny.

It isn't until a few shows into this collection of the first 15 episodes of "Moral Orel" that you start to also see the catalog of pain: the lonely alcoholic father; the lonely frigid housewife; the lonely gay high school coach; the lonely vain minister. . .Clearly, the only people enjoying themselves here are the children. And, of course, the audience.

Moral Orel is a stunningly raw portrayal of Americana through dark comedy that becomes increasingly darker as the series progresses. You will never feel so psychologically involved with animated characters.