Moral Orel

Overview

• Moral Orel is an American adult stop-motion animated black comedy-drama series.
• Created by: Dino Stamatopoulos.
• Aired on: Cartoon Network's Adult Swim from December 13, 2005, to December 18, 2008.
• Setting: Takes place in the fictional town of Moralton, located in the Bible Belt state of Statesota.

Main Characters

• Orel Puppington: A 12-year-old devout Protestant boy, voiced by Carolyn Lawrence, who tries to live by a fundamentalist moral code.
• Clay Puppington: Orel's abusive, alcoholic, and closeted bisexual father, voiced by Scott Adsit.
• Bloberta Puppington: Orel's emotionally distant, obsessive-compulsive mother, voiced by Britta Phillips.
• Shapey Puppington: Orel's misbehaving half-brother, voiced by Tigger Stamatopoulos.
• Rev. Rod Putty: The town pastor, voiced by William Salyers, initially bigoted but later becomes more open-minded.
• Coach Danielle Stopframe: Orel's gym teacher, in love with Clay, voiced by Jay Johnston and later by Scott Adsit.
• Doughy Latchkey: Orel's best friend, sensitive and unintelligent, voiced by Scott Adsit.
• Stephanie Putty: Rev. Putty's daughter, punk, and atheist lesbian, voiced by Britta Phillips.
• Nurse Bendy: School nurse, victim of past abuse, voiced by Britta Phillips.

Themes

• Genre: Animated sitcom, black comedy, comedy-drama, psychological drama, satire, tragicomedy.
• Satire: Critiques Middle American suburban life, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant culture, religious fundamentalism.
• Darker Themes: The series addresses child sexual abuse, rape, abortion, and latent homosexuality.
• Tone Shift: Starts as a satire but becomes darker with psychological drama elements, especially in its final season.

Plot Development

• First Season: Satirical black comedy; Orel misinterprets church sermons leading to misadventures.
• Second Season: Focuses more on subplots and the consequential darker themes leading to Orel's loss of faith.
• Third Season: Structured as an interconnected story revealing deeper character backstories and relationships.
• Finale: Culminates in Orel's realization of his father's flaws and his future potential for a better life.

Production Details

• Total Seasons: 3
• Total Episodes: 43 (including 1 special)
• Production Companies: ShadowMachine, Fragical Productions, Starburns Industries (2012), Williams Street.
• Executive Producers: Dino Stamatopoulos, Keith Crofford, Nick Weidenfeld.

Reception

• Praised for performances, characterization, emotional weight, and depiction of complex themes.
• Developed a cult following and received critical acclaim.
• Described as a mix between "Davey and Goliath" and "South Park" but evolved into a unique and darker narrative.

Additional Information

• International Broadcast: Aired in Canada on Teletoon’s night block and Canadian Adult Swim.
• Prequel Special: "Beforel Orel: Trust" aired on November 19, 2012, exploring Orel's religious origins and family dynamics.
• DVD Releases: Various volumes released covering the series' episodes and special features.
• Availability: Available on digital video on demand and streaming on Max since September 1, 2020.