Moral Orel: The Show That Went Too Far 

why is 15:33 the most replayed moment, lol

The biggest Irony of Moralton is everyone is obsessed about appearances, but at the same time, everyone is so self-centered, no one really cares. They are in a prison of their own making and only a few people like Stephanie really get to live the way they want to.

Good video. Nah, Moral Orel didn't go too far. It went far enough... we just weren't ready for it back then. Moral Orel had to walk so that Bojack Horseman could gallop. Also, why are people talking about Moral Orel all of a sudden? Don't get me wrong... I love to see it getting a second look, but did something happen to put it in the spotlight recently? It seems a lot of people are making video essays about it just these past four months or so.

people think this show is anti-religion. I always saw it as being anti-hypocrisy.

When i was little, this show got to me because I was very Christian and i thought it was a safe show LOL. It is SO much like another really Christian show. I think David and Goliath or something like that.

I always found it strange that when rape was played for laughs, episode 2 season one, it was seen as alright but as soon as the show addressed it as a serious topic without laughs it suddenly is something that goes too far and needs to be cancelled

i personally think moral orel shouldn't have been cancelled because it was just starting to look into more serious topics about everyone in moralton etc. i would have loved for it to have had a 5th season, hopefully moral orel makes a comeback

Having grown up with an abusive father and later an abusive stepfather, this show means a lot to me. Seeing everything Orel went through but still managing to come out of it a wonderful, loving, respectable human being gives me hope I can break the cycle of abuse too.

I really like the point you made in the end about how tackling assault was acceptable in the first season because it was played for laughs while in the third season it was demonstrated in such a serious and uncomfortable way that it was considered "too far." It being brought up in such an uncomfortable way was refreshing, imo, and I love it when shows explore how the effect trauma has on a person, especially in their moments alone with themselves. Damn, I wish this show could've gone on for longer, it got so insanely good. Great video!

I thought about this same question while finishing the show last night. I was surprised and enamoured by the huge tonal shift once Orel begins to realize how Clay really was at the end of season 2. Season 3 episode 4 "Alone" I think tackled some of the issues facing middle America and the Bible Belt pretty well and in a surprisingly sensitive manner compared to the first 2 seasons. That and the episodes from the perspective of people other than Orel encapsulate a lot of the pain a lot of people in that community felt so that they could put on the appearance of a happy little town. Addressing childhood trauma, sexual assault and an abortion that follows in a serious and more sensitive manner was unexpected but refreshing, but I understand why people are uncomfortable discussing heavy topics like this. However, it's not like Moral Orel hasn't made jokes about this same stuff in the past or even worse, and Adult Swim still makes shows that address very serious topics but not in a way that Moral Orel did much better.

I grew up very Catholic and this show, really does speak to me, so many of the corrupt things are hidden away, and its so disgusting…. i was also heavily prayed over due to my tricuspid atresia heart condition that I have, looking back at it, it really was creepy to grow up that way

I feel like the media type (stop motion) really adds to the whole aesthetic of the show

As a kid who grow up rough and not necessarily super Christian, The show taught me that just cuz some kids had two parents and a white picket fence, didn't mean their grass was greener it was still just grass..

See, what I think is interesting (and i might just be looking too deep into this,) is it's kinda like a bait and switch in a sense. At least, when it comes to Clay's alcoholism. It seems like in a lot of adult comedies, the dad drinking a lot is played for laughs and isn't taken seriously, so everyone kinda just went with the drinking and doesn't take it seriously. So when it kinda builds up to Nature, and shows the darker side of it, it kinda snaps people out of the expectations they had for a silly comedy. I brought up the alcoholism as an example, but you can see it in other parts too; the disinterested wife, the burned out teacher, the lady who sleeps around; it kinda pulls the curtain back on those tropes to show you how the characters in those tropes feel/what drove them to filling that role. Sorry for the rant lol; I could just be looking too deep into it, but I like doing that lol

I feel like topics like that where shunned on in the community. Like people only saw cartoons as childish or if they where for adults they could only be jokes. Shows like moral oral and Bojack horseman really pushed that narrative. Showing that it’s not just kid shows that can talk about hard topics. And sometimes adults need to hear that message too.

“Went too Far” *_NO. IT DIDNT. NOT FAR ENOUGH_*

Growing up Evangelical I actually felt that this show didn't go far enough to show the levels of horror and abuse that come from that community.

this show was so important to me when i was a kid.. and while some of the later stuff still haunts me, they're also some of the greatest moments

Genuinely good analysis. One piece of constructive criticism: there were a few sentences where you trip over your words a bit. Scripting, filming multiple takes, and editing can go a long way with this. Looking forward to your future here!

I grew up in a highly religious family that was on just the outside of cultish behavior (Religious extremeism) I was a rebel that watched late night TV and Moral Orel was the show that brought logic and reason into my mind and helped me start understanding from the religious trauma that I had been facing. It was funny at the appropriate times and it was serious at the appropriate times. When you are making a show mocking religious extremeism its not always going to be "Wholesome". My favorite episode was when orel got a piecing.

1:29 "Did Morel Orel go too far?" Me: Hmmmm *looks at title*

Took me some time to notice the Mountain Goats in the background Their songs really correlate with the show in some sense

This is a great breakdown. It goes with my statement I say, “Moral Orel is the Bojack before Bojack” It took the heavy subjects and lucid story telling walked with elegance, not making fun of it poorly as Family guy would. Or Disguise a topic or platform or commentary like South Park. It addressed it and make a good show. It sucks that it was shelved in its prime, but I’m glad that people are going back to what a different and good show it truly was. I also admire how the show is also an excellent satire on the Protestant/ Christian religion and how it can brainwash it’s believers(especially the youth). Also I’m not sure why everyone is talking about the Show all of a sudden either? Probably tiktok or tumblr finding an old show to trend and gush about now not sure.

Really cool video, i always enjoy more Moral Orel content. You did a great job here!

what's funny is you can see how much adult swim regrets cancelling the show from all their RU-vid channels posting videos of it and now how its got a cult following and i honestly hope if they go to the creator of the show to ask him if he can or wants to continue making more episodes an seasons that he says no to them especially after all the things they did to him

Bro how did i miss this? Great video bro!

Such a great series and such a good video thank you!

Jesus I've never been triggered by anything except for that episode of Bojack where he kills himself. It still hurts and kills me to see even small clips like in this video. Whenever I was much younger I tried to opt out of the terms and conditions of life and I had what I think were vivid hallucinations. I left my body watching my family discover it and me hopelessly trying to convince everyone it was ok and they were going to be fine. I'm better off this way. I then began to float away into space until I saw a small door and inside was absolute oblivion. The purest nothing you can imagine and my body began to get sucked in like a black hole. Everything around me began to get absorbed into the great nothing and I realized this was it. I was really dying but I didn't want oblivion. This 'nothing' terrified me more than anything I'd ever felt and I began fighting as hard as I could to escape it. The battle lasted for what felt like hours until I finally woke up in the real world. I'd somehow survived. That episode was the first time I really started to understand the purpose and reasoning behind trigger warnings. It's not some soft namby pamby, it's a warning to help keep people from reliving the worst moment of their life or at least prepare them for the possibility of it happening.

Moral Orel went too far, and I wouldn't have it any other way

You gotta speak clearer and mess up less or cut it better my man but good video

I'm so glad I'm getting more videos like these now

Good video, thought you were a popular youtube due to the high quality lmao (Seriously though good video)

Still upset Adult Swim cancelled it :(

I wish you had talked about Stephanie Putty and how she deceptively ends up being the best person in Moralton by far, though I know that's not the subject of this video. Stephanie deserves a video all to herself if there's enough screentime to analyze. I don't think the show went too far, like you said sexual violence was fine by Adultswim when it was played for laughs but suddenly not fine when it's taken more seriously. Plus Adultswim is the same channel that made us watch an entire Rick and Morty episode about horse jizz. That episode wasn't even funny let alone something that made you think. Morel Orel isn't always funny but it wants to make you think and feel. I'd trade the most recent Rick and Morty season for one more Morel Orel season in a heartbeat.

Robot Chicken can be disturbing. This show is actually comforting.

I've never seen this show before, but damnnnnn this was really interesting and not as serious as I thought it would be. Nice job on the commentary/analysis simon

This show gave me insight as to what it'd be like to be totally, opressively immersed in religion

Did something happen with this show recently? I've only heard like 3 ppl talk about it before this month and now its filled up my sub box

Awesome video! Keep up the good work! Got yourself a new sub today

I recognized the version of “Amazing Grace” that you used, but what are the other songs you used here?

1:14 Haha, that's not Shapey, loved that joke.

This is a great video! You did well and I went to comments to see some discussion. I’m sorry people are so rude in the comments and you are doing well. Some peoples “constructive criticism” is just plain bullying. Keep up the good work! Progress comes with experience!

Some time's it's necessary to cross the line push the envelope to let your voice be heard moral oral was a great show to me because it was not afraid to be itself

This show did not go far enough! It was genius! With an ongoing story and message that almost everybody missed! This show was waaaayyyy over most peoples heads! Without Moral Orel there would never have been shows like Rick & Morty!

Hey! Great video! Forgive me if this is maybe because of a stutter issue, but there are a lot of times where you are stumbling over words and could maybe use a 2nd take. I highly recommend it (If it can be helped obviously) if you're doing these kinds of video essays. Keep up the good work!

What with all the shuttering????

Wonderful show, I get so many emotions from it, and a lot of it makes me think a lot

its crazy, because for someone like me, who grew up in an “okay” christian home who dealt with some abuse but not alot. the show is still amazing to me, and i hold it dearly, its so good at capturing emotion

honestly considering how far Robot Chicken goes this show really didn't go that far and Robot Chicken has been on air forever... would have been a cool idea if they featured it as a little extra on Robot Chicken

I thought the quote from the executives that Dino gave for why it was canceled was that Alone was "too depressing", not that it "went too far"? Great video overall though! I loved it

ok I thought you were gonna tear into it and was prepared to click right off but like how. did. you. get. everything. right. (essentially) I thought it'd be another guy talking about how they don't think they should show that kind of trauma progression bc of the title but NO you really cAME THROUGH like smh so happy rn you're great

You should watch smiling friends it’s a really good show and really funny as well

I feel like the real reason portraying ra*pe‘s brutal aftermath on it‘s victims in a serious manner, made many men uncomfortable mainly because they had to face the reality that this is a horribly common experience women have to go through especially in christian dominant society wich is absolutely to me a sign that these men who said: „this is going too far“ simply can‘t accept the brutal reality of this horrible world. I mean I guess whenever that horrible crime is made a joke it‘s not as offensive to them because they can imagine it not being all that bad. But when they have to face the brutal reality of the horrible ways women are treated in our society and how horrible that trauma really is, then they don‘t wanna believe it because I‘d imagine some of them would have to face also what they might have done themselves to women wich wouldn‘t be surprising seeing all the assault coming out of the entertainment business mainly done by men to women and young girls. But for me it‘s honestly just hypocritical that they can watch gore and horrible movies about war traumatizing people, but when it‘s women‘s issues being shown in a respectful accurate manner, they suddenly find it offensive. I guess if you cover your face as a man and sing it‘s not actually happening? But yeah it really just shows to me personally that people don‘t wanna face the seriousness and the victims own struggles of that crime. Because then they‘ll have to actually look at themselves and society as a whole and how much disrespect they have given to something that‘s in reality as bad as ptsd from a veteran. Yet unlike veterans, women don‘t consent to that trauma and also don‘t have a chance to decide if they wanna risk it. Because we don‘t get a say in it. It‘s a crime after all. Not an honorable service that chews you broken and spits you out. Instead it‘s a social issue that‘s just common to happen to you if you‘re a woman but nobody really takes all too seriously. So much so that many men can‘t even explain consent to you if you asked them. And although I luckily was never assaulted like that. I can still really relate to that episode because that kind of childhood trauma of horrible abuse doesn‘t go away. And you‘ll never fully be able to become healthy again mentally after that. Wich is something so little people actually talk about or realize. I mean people just expect you to move on like nothing happened. Child abuse? Get over it! Ra*e? Get over it! Like that‘s the attitude people have. And I can‘t even really blame them for that because those people just don‘t know how horrible it really is to have that mental gash that just won‘t heal up. That mental anguish and your life being ripped apart. They assume instead that It‘s just like a little car crash or surgery. May be bad in the moment and to recover, but you get over it fast usually. But that‘s the thing. Mental trauma especially childhood trauma doesn‘t go away. And you have to work HARD to even be able to carry tha weight with you without completely breaking down. I mean to this day i struggle with mental dispair, with sui*idality, self harm, depression, anxiety, paranoia and isolation, and I have seen a therapist for a long time. And although for me being all these things once every week or 2 is an improvement. But when others see it they get shocked about it. Because it‘s still a LOT to deal with. That‘s why I genuinely don‘t think the show went too far. You don‘t go too far by exposing the reality of trauma. Especially of trauma that is so often used in media as a vehicle for drama or as a joke. Going too far is downplaying it. And making it a joke. That‘s too far because unlike the episode of Moral Orel, most ra*e depictions were deeply disrespectful, and almost fetish like when it was done in horror movies as shock material or as drama in some show. Yet Morel orel did something that is so incredibly rare in media wich is that it just understands that trauma. It just gets it. The paranoia, the self hate, the denial, the struggle with telling yourself you actually liked it for some weird self victim blaming delusion. That‘s the ugly truth behind it. But it seemingly was too ugly to some. Because they‘d have preferred it to happen behind closed doors. To just use the brutalization of women as a tool for men‘s comedic or drama gratification. Or to develop a male character. And so they‘d have preferred to leave the victims unheard. Because if they heard them, they‘d have to confront their own nasty mindset towards it. Realizing just how horrible the thing is, they just accept as a ugly experience most women have to face bit wich can also easily be used as a gag. And so they‘d have to face their own ugliness. And how that really hurt women. And that‘s just something many men in our society sadly don‘t wanna confront. It honestly reminds me a bit of handmaids tale and how many men reacted to it. Being so horrified by it. And that reaction is of course completely warranted, but it‘s kind of a signifier of how little men actually realize how horrible sexism and misogyny is especially when it becomes authoritarian and fundamentalist like it is in Saudi Arabia for example. But handmaids tale brings that to america. And shows them the thing they usually don‘t see. That women‘s brutalization and degradation is horrifyingly cruel and evil. Yet also so common. And so prevalent across so many places. And staring into that reality of that struggle can be overwhelming and disturbing. But it‘s also important because it doesn‘t sugar coat abuse. It doesnt offer a happy ending. It doesn‘t offer a man to save the women. It offers reality instead. And the incredible cruelty that exists not only in those that hurt people, but in those that see them being hurt, yet out of sheer ignorance or lack of empathy don‘t actually help further hurting them indirectly. Wich is also a thing i have experienced having a disability. And having my life made even more miserable by people‘s selfish desires to not ever make an effort to make things more accessible to me, instead forcing me to struggle because they feel entitled to being the „superior healthy majority“ wich is a kind of indifference I hate. Because many times people‘s lack of understanding or genuine respect or kindness makes my life really hell. Because my illness is bad ebough, but having it fueled into harming me by human greed and indifference really makes it much worse than it would be just on biological terms. But then again how dare we ask for any understanding or empathy from the social „norm“ of people. Everyone has to cater to those because god forbid we make able bodied people do even just a single task we force onto the disabled to be inclusive. The cripples ofc have to bend over backwards. But if a neurotypical has to so much as bend their finger, that‘s too much. Wich is ofc also incredibly frustrating. But a reality. So yes the show is great in that it doesn‘t hold back on reality and depicting horrible things with nuance and respect towards the ones affected. Because while shows like south park or simpsons only really ever did the acceptable aka mocking that trauma and abuse for laughs and satire, Moral Orel did it to show the Real repercussions of these things, and that reality was simply ebough for those that had gotten way too compfortable about women‘s abuse as well as child abuse. And how horrible that really is.

This show really got to me. My dad and his whole side of the family are intensively alcoholic. My dad himself is very reformed from what he used to be like, he’s hardly the problem. It was his brother. I don’t want to get too into it, but last Christmas Eve my uncle passed away from thyroid cancer. Thyroid problems are commonly caused by anxious disorders like bipolar, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Either that, or alcoholism. He had all of those disorders, and he was far from sober. Almost a year before he died he broke into my family’s house because his girlfriend attacked him with a knife. I was terrified, because all I’ve seen of him was violent drunkenness and sorrow. I vented to my friend while it was happening, which partly made me loose that friend forever. If you’re some sort of family figure.. please know that your actions have consequences. And not just for other people, yourself.

Did you know Censordoll was meant to be a voodoo practitioner, manipulating everyone with her map and pieces, and she made Clay shoot Orel.

The show didn't go too far, if people wanted to make that argument than the shock value of Season 1 is the worst the show gets. It went deep and was deemed too serious, which is so unfortunate because even today people do not want to talk about sexual abuse (i am counting Fran's situation as sexual abuse since non-consensual, as just was young and could not decide, sex organ removal falls under the wide scope of sexuality.) A lot of the characters in this show felt real, and maybe that is just because I grew up around rather hurtful people or what, but there's just a real feeling to this characters that I both want to have in my own characters, and something that I feel not every show could have. With the later seasons in the works being planned to incorporate the rest of Moralton, the character depth would have been do much bigger. The ending of this show is probably m biggest comfort, neither of my parents were that great, though my mother much worse. What she would say to me and the rest of the awful people around me would say constantly affected me, made me feel like I was both a worthless person and an evil person, both of which things I could never change from. I'm still growing and learning how to love myself and learning how to live and be happy, but seeing Orel, a kid who was around quite honestly terrible people and grow up to be happy and to be loved make me know that I can do the same.

How are you so underrated???

What’s the song at the end of the video

I hope this show would ​comes back.

This show was so underrated oh my god!

i'd say moral orel is pretty tame by today's standards

Isnt this script like the exact same as steve reviews, im not saying you did anything i just meant they sound very similar like, talking about the exact same episodes, talking about stuff in the same order, coming to the same verdict, and etc.

Awesome

10.19 that bird saw hem AND his dad

Did you do any second takes?

There's some bits in this video where I can't understand what is being said, but other than that solid video.

it's SUPPOSED to be like that

really good video but you do have to do more than one take and edit out the stutters and stammers. that’s what i do when i started my reviews

I liked this analysis. Ur delivery of the script coulda had some work, since I thought u may have stuttered a bit too much.

God would smite this forsaken town.

I didn’t watch every single episode, but I do remember back in 8th-9th grade watching this on low volume so it wouldn’t wake my mom up. My mom converted to Conservative Christianity (initially grew up Catholic) and really forced it on me as well. Although I do believe in God, I’m way more liberal in my views. Shows like this are necessary to point out fallacies of Christianity and its denominations; it helped me by showing examples of what a Christian extremist (aka Jesus Freak) looks like.

Do you like mountain goats and io Perry

Respect narrating that whole thing.

your s41tty narration actually is fitting for Moral Orel , good job

This show never went too far unfortunately, bc at the end of the day, it was accurate. This was a pretty standard representation of a highly religious, judgmental, and secluded town.

Just call Dino star burns

This show... Every episode I was hoping the town would get wiped off the face of the earth.

This show honestly didn’t go far enough

Me: All of your comments are wrong according to the 27th commandment. I'll be seeing you all.... in my study! You: (Gulp!)

I love Moral Orel too. I have it on my Apple Account.

It was ahead of it’s time

I don’t know why this show is in my reccomended suddenly

This show was a perfect and dark satire of fascist, christian nationalist America. They should have never cancelled this show.

You sound nervous during this review. I noticed you're aso stuttering a bit too. My advice? Record smaller sound bites, and, most importantly, relax.

I’ve always liked how the show handled the religious jokes with respect. Sure it lampooned and greatly exaggerated the ridiculous side to Christian fundamentalism but it also never said that religion as a whole was a bad thing and that things aren’t always as black or white as some people make it out to be. The humor was not insulting or pushed the limits like Family Guy or South Park and each character in the show had their own flaws and backstories that made them feel real.

I just finished the show so I'm looking for anyone talking about it. This is really the first time I have genuinely understood the "this show was ahead of its time" sentiment. It's insane that this came out in 2005. Another video on this coined the term "reverse flanderization" when it comes to this show and I think that is 100% correct.

…this is a interesting show

Does this guy know he can edit out mistakes?

BRO PLEASE LEARN TO MIX AUDIO, you played my favorite songs but they were so quiet that I couldn't hear them! this isn't am insult by the way I'm just slightly annoyed

Damn the video quilty is to high and the subs are to low

This is a good review, but buddy, speak. clearly. Every time you studder or have to repeat a sentence it's distracting. Re-record the line clearly and without having to repeat it, it will only make you sound more intelligent

Maybe you should type a script or rerecord your lines after all that stuttering.

It didn't go far enough.

Personally as a victim of R. The teacher finding some sort of love from the experience is relatable as it happened to me at a young age and making it into love helped me cope as I wasn’t really loved by my parents. I’m sad cuz even though I’m not christan this could have been my comfort show in a really twisted way.

Good video. But work on the line reads. Read off a script or re-record the lines.

OH MY FUCKING GOOOOOOD THE STUTTERIIIIIIIIIIIIING PLEEEEEEEAAAAASE DO MORE THAN ONE TAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

not gonna lie, the stutter makes this unwatchable bro