What is 'Moral Orel'?

[@delbeto982]

Guys, I think, Un\Cultured wants us to put a pin in it.

[@unslashcultured]

📌

[@Brilchan]

I love that this is a pinned comment xD

[@unslashcultured]

May have gone a bit too heavy on the pins

[@rainymondays680]

@@unslashcultured

[@SuperMyalove]

This is my favorite adult swim show honestly it kinda pisses me off how they cancelled it and didn't let it have a natural conclusion but I can understand if they just wanted random dark humor and got a dark drama that basically should be watched in order before binging a show was so normalized by streaming platforms it was definitely ahead of it's time funny, dark and so respectful to it's fans I love it so much

[@ininja32]

Poparena said in his video, which no longer exists, that the gun made him question his father's morals, the trip made him question his father's intelligence, and now laying there with the gunshot in his leg with his father passed out, he has now come to question his father's love.

[@MateriaGirl]

Shapey's "When I'm thirsty, it feels like how I feel...when I'm alone" is legitimately one of the best lines in any media I've ever engaged with. All that build up of him as this chaotic screaming child who can't communicate, and in one sentence he absolutely destroys you (and Bloberta, who has a very lucid moment of recognizing something's severely wrong!) with the reveal that he's more aware than he lets on, and that he's desperate to be helped. I love that so much. I also think it's a moment that places Bloberta as maybe not that bad. While Clay is irredeemable, and Bloberta is clearly neglectful, her neglect is always more passive than Clay's. She's not in a great place, either. I like to think that she and Orel do okay, and part of the reason Block and Shapey end up okay is because of a moment like this, and because of Orel's resentment of Clay, and the scene with Danielle in his apartment. Bloberta might break out of things too, off-screen, and be better. The fact she took Block in without question, even as a neglectful mother, kinda makes me think she might actually be better than she seems. Her obsessive drive to "Help", even if she is the cause of a problem, might transform into a legitimately caring perspective where she recognizes people need her and she works to be who they need her to be. I would hope. I think that would be very sweet.

[@DiegoAlvarezBeltran1993.]

A selfish part of me really wants this to come back and I hope it does somehow. It's a fantastic body of work and animation with a planned tone that fits perfect today.

[@WobblesandBean]

It helped me cope with my own religious trauma growing up. It was the first time I was able to laugh at the shocking hypocrisy and abuse I endured at the hands of my mother and the church.

[@Raizar8910]

Really good video. I love the commentary behind the show and ur opinions on it.

[@unslashcultured]

Thanks! There are mamy great vids on the subject!

[@rivvyp]

I like that Orel keeps his religion at the end of the series. It'd be easy to say he's lost faith after everything that happened and how everyone in town was awful, but they choose for him to keep his faith.

[@ininja32]

The best part is at the end, is when season 3 comes around, Orel's attitude around town is different. He has lost beliefs in the adults, his mother, and even his father. I mean, he is now numb to his fathers teachings. But he doesn't lose his faith in god, in the end, he becomes a devote christain, but someone more kind and caring than the adults around him.

[@WobblesandBean]

He broke the cycle.

[@Dom_Be_Dumb]

This is like the 5th Moral Oreal analysis video I’ve seen. It still managed to be different tho.🙂

[@unslashcultured]

Thanks for the comment. Glad it feels that way!!

[@eddiepenney8852]

I'm roughly halfway through this video and I had to pause and comment. The way you tell this story, coupled with the content of the show, has me legitimately enthralled to see what happens next. I forsee watching the series in full, and it's all because of this video.

[@unslashcultured]

Thank you very much. And yes, I hope you do!

[@willnyanyan]

pleaaase tell me you did! im begging you, its. ALL on youtube ! it’s a masterpiece past season 1 , (skip episode 2 of season one..)

[@cr239]

I only ever watched this show sporadically on Adult Swim. I enjoyed seeing you piece it all together and shed light on its themes. Awesome video!

[@unslashcultured]

Not an easy watch but a profound one for sure. Thank you!!

[@ShadowoftheWolf123]

Great work! I love when shows touch upon tough realities, and its sad that they risk getting cancelled for it

[@unslashcultured]

Thank you!

[@WobblesandBean]

It genuinely helped me. I will always have a soft spot for this show, and I'm upset that they got cancelled for this, yet South Park and Rick & Morty get a free pass?

[@ShadowoftheWolf123]

@@WobblesandBean Yes, it is ridiculous and hypocritical

[@pastelcyaniide]

I love moral orel so much, one of my favorite series ever!! Fantastic video

[@unslashcultured]

Me too. Much appreciated!

[@victorsage5214]

This is an excellent video. Commenting to help it get noticed

[@hillaryfinn1548]

omg i've been waiting for this epic video to drop! and thanks for the lovely shout out

[@cafesystem9948]

Such a good video essay about moral orel!!! when i was watching moral orel i kinda had the same thoughts, but lord it is a lot to unpack for sure. Good job man!!

[@unslashcultured]

The sad part is theres so much more to talk about!! But thank you!!

[@cafesystem9948]

⁠@@unslashculturedreal!! theres a lot to the series itself, thats what i love about it!! theres so much there to think about :)

[@WobblesandBean]

I wish I could say I'm surprised the show got cancelled because of a pro-feminist episode highlighting the plight of abuse and SA against women.

[@MDonuT-of7px]

Nurse Bendy's scenes can definitely apply to men who have experienced childhood SA. Trust me.

[@k-onlegacy]

And when it was a joke in the first season they loved it, so I can guess why the exec's attitude changed when they saw it :/

[@Joann_606]

Moral Orel has been my favorite show for ages, im so glad its getting the recognition it deserves in recent years

[@ininja32]

Grounded was the craziest episode, and it has no humor. Seeing poor Orel going through that torture if him not going to church drove him to a mental patient was a shock.

[@Mik_Pick]

This is your best video yet Mr. Un 🔥🔥 I've never seen this show but I loved every minute of this trip through it

[@unslashcultured]

Thank your Mr. Pickles 🥜

[@fishiefish2638]

damn for the first time I actually did pause the video and watch the entire show and come back. damn.

[@Jill-j4c]

Me too 😊

[@Hepheat75]

This show did not deserve to be cancelled.

[@CeeAyeJay]

This is one of my favorite shows ever. This video was awesome btw good work.

[@Ashikkko]

Foreshadowing is crazy

[@goikyfan26]

34:06 One thing I wanna point out that many other people stated, when Orel tells Clay that he shot him Clay refused to believe it. But when Orel tells Clay he shot the bear himself despite not remembering or even doing it he decides to believe what Orel said. Absolutely sick.

[@MrMexi-oe8eq]

Im calling it right now, this video is going to blow up.

[@ininja32]

Actually, the blue crane, or heron, is actually his grandfather watching over him.

[@k-onlegacy]

The crane's supposed to symbolize his innocence, with the flies as a shorthand for Clay's issues/corrupting nature.

[@ininja32]

There is an interesting topic that the passing of Old Gunny symbolizes a line of abuse. Which Orel is now a part of.

[@TheTroublesomeTruck]

Wow, this was an incredibly insightful and well-crafted commentary on Moral Orel! I actually binge-watched the entire series in one sitting when I was in bed with a sore stomach and couldn't sleep. As someone who grew up in very similar circumstances (fundamentalist Christian household), I relate deeply to the show. Honestly, I'm surprised it took me this long to finally find out about it. Seriously, both you are the show are underrated gems, the quality here is top-notch. Keep up the fantastic work! 🌟

[@unslashcultured]

Thank you very much! 😁

[@AeroDKT]

I knew I was in for a ride when the campfire scene played, instantly remembered what this show was from another video

[@MyriamRichardsdotter]

It's weird how I keep seeing this series, or discussions about this series, pushed on KZbin.

[@fishiefish2638]

I think smiling friends made adult swim have a bit of a resurgence lately This show is really good, though. I’m not joking I just finished it.

[@k-onlegacy]

At least there's a growing fanbase that appreciates, unlike adult swim lol

[@3s_muycar0]

Glad I found your vid bc man did this show hit me, like I genuinely found some comfort in this and just reminds me that I gotta be that change I wanna see.😭❤️

[@unslashcultured]

Thanks for this. Much appreciated ♥️

[@ininja32]

The final episode just destoryes Clay.

[@lilymuncy2365]

Morel Orel is a masterpiece show and the best tv show on Adult Swim and I mad that Adults Swim cancelled because got too dark but they ask for it. Stephanie my favorite character of Morel Orel.

[@official1000Days]

What the heck? That video is awesome. Why does that have so little views??

[@unslashcultured]

Appreciate the kind words!

[@AppleCore247]

Psh, okay well wow is this video very, VERY underrated. I honestly thought it would at least be 500k views by now! Imagine my suprise seeing it at 23k :-(. I genuinely think this is a very well made video! I love the edit, script, and you! The discussion and explanation is entertaining to just watch the video, mainly I put this in the background and do something, but this actually caught and kept my attention! Watched and finished the show I think two or one year/s ago? Edit is fitting and well put together, honestly everything is well put together! Now anyways, lovely video! Thank you for taking the time making this video! Edit: and lovely thumbnail! Very eye-catching!

[@unslashcultured]

Wow, thanks for the kind comment. I"m happy when a video gets any kind of views/comments, so thanks for that. I'm hoping to improve my writing, editing, researching and quality as I go, but thanks for the support at this level!! 💘

[@endamcnabola]

I heard Censordoll was a practioner of voodoo, and manipulated events of the show, like Clay shooting Orel.

[@unslashcultured]

I never thought about that personally, but I wouldn't put it past the showrunners!

[@spybgon4597]

11:01 that what always gets me

[@WobblesandBean]

30:00 This is the only thing in your video that I disagree on. I think he's talking to the bottle. "She" is alcohol itself. Clay is upset that his only escape from this life that he hates is no longer working. It's a fate most addicts eventually fall into. Eventually, it gets to the point where it no longer makes you feel good. It doesn't have any effect at all. You have to take it just to feel normal, and then you're still left with the problems that drove you to it in the first place, only this time without your coping mechanism, which has become yet another problem on top of the already massive burden on your back.

[@unslashcultured]

I think he's talking to the bottle too, just wanted to point out the various readings that people could take from the scene. Thanks for this comment ♥️

[@WobblesandBean]

​​@@unslashcultured Fair point! Thanks for this, by the way. As someone who grew up in an abusive heavily religious environment, this show meant a lot to me. It showed me that it wasn't just me, that it was the entire rotten system. It helped me escape the religious indoctrination I was groomed into my entire life. ....Plus it introduced me to The Mountain Goats, which is always awesome.

[@P_araps]

funny how i got this recommended to me when i've just started watching the show since adult swim recently started airing reruns of it again

[@unslashcultured]

Im not surprised they're doing reruns considering the online popularity of it. Glad to hear!

[@metrovalleyeats]

I just binged this show in 2 days after being interested in it for a long time! As someone with a ton of religious trauma (mostly loose southern baptist) this show gagged me back to back because it's so wild the stuff the adults around me (and I as a child) believed with our whole hearts. Until I didn't. So the last episode made me cry a little lol. Kind of jealous that Orel could keep his faith and move on even though I'm moving on without mine. It's bittersweet! Definitely out there show but I really liked it!

[@Sino_fr]

YOO I THT THIS VID HAD LIKE 1M VIEWS??? underrated fr fr, i watched the entire thing

[@unslashcultured]

Thanks a lot. Im happy to have as many views as I do!! 💘

[@danielnotdamast816]

Best video essay I have watched in a while

[@unslashcultured]

Much appreciated ♥️

[@bigtuna2928]

This is the video I’ve been looking for thanks

[@namerequired8203]

My theory for who clay is speaking to when he asks "why do you quit working on me" is that he is speaking to the alcohol. Not in a literal sense but in the sense that he has been using it in the way bloberta introduced him to it. For bloberta, drinking makes people better or more interesting or something like that in her view at that time because she associated drinking with her dad, the only person in her family who acknowledged her existence So when clay starts drinking to make himself "better" it just makes him more hateful and self loathing. My theory is that he is waiting for it to improve him or numb him more effectively. Him talking to god also makes sense, but I always got the feeling he didn't actually believe in god and was only holding on to religion because it is what connects him to his dead mom. That's just my theory tho

[@RainCollins-jb4yb]

putting in my opinion even though nobody asked for it: I feel like is Nature when Clay says his iconic line, that he is just actually talking to the bottle, because I know first hand how it feels to be so addicted to something that you keep consuming to try and feel better only for it to make you feel worse every time :/

[@unslashcultured]

Yes i agree, if i could re-word my video I would reiterate that while he is talking to the bottle, and being trapped in this addictive loop, there are also various other ways in which Clay is "trapped" such as in his religion and relationship. Thanks for the comment ♥️

[@WobblesandBean]

Hey, dude. I don't know you, but I've been there, too. I hope you're doing ok, clawing your way back to normalcy is one of the toughest things to do, and most people don't even recognize how strong and incredible you are for doing so.

[@kaniahankston4310]

I used to watch this show as a kid at night along with other silly shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Robot Chicken. The vibe of Moral Oral was totally different, and made me wonder what the hell I just watched…in a good way lol

[@Mik_Pick]

Coming back to comment on an epic video, when I checked this the other day it had like 17k and now it's at 22k holy jumpins

[@unslashcultured]

I can't believe you've looped it that many times in just a day or two

[@VideosJacked]

[@unslashcultured]

I used Ricky and Morty as my example because I wanted another animated sitcom to relate it to, but yeah thats a totally valid point I did not think of hahaha

[@tripwork8463]

I would love for you to cover Before Orel. Loved this! ❤

[@youtubeletmeintoyoutube4580]

We should ask “HOW is moral Orel”

[@nategoldman550]

This was excellent. Thanks for that

[@unslashcultured]

Appreciate the kind words

[@JaxOfAllTrades26]

I really appreciated your emphasis on the fact that the show wasnt a critique of one specific thing- its a critique of institutions leading people to live unhappy lives. A lot of people seem to miss that

[@unslashcultured]

Appreciate the comment!

[@DanielWilliams-t1b]

😮 I always thought the show was based on a big bunch of cartoons that were designed in the 1960s for Christmas specials but then again I might not be the right person to have be the right person to say who what inspired such an amazing show. In all honesty this is one of the greatest animated series made of all time in my opinion and I truly think it does speak to a vast series of consequences that the modern-day American will go through. God bless everyone and I hope everyone has a wonderful day thank you for making this video!

[@ArtsyHumanbean]

I watched this show for the first time recently - you can find it all for free on KZbin - and it was an amazing experience, as a full grown adult going into it knowing it’s kinda fucked up. I appreciate the analysis and the great insights

[@CCHILABTV]

cool vid but... THEY'RE PRODESTANT!!!

[@emoneybags8445]

I love the last episode of moral Orel because both Orel and stopframe really hate clay and they are a good father/son duo to me in this episode and he gives Orel a beutiful Christmas and might be a better father to Orel possibly I don’t know maybe he might be worse than clay I don’t know but I do know is how to Orel this is the first Christmas he had in which it was him having a good time and how him and Orel make a good Christmas tree and them just being a good duo that’s so sweet and has he never had a Christmas in which he had a good time and I love how clay is jealous of how Daniel is being a better father and a good friend to Orel and gives him care so basically Daniel is the opposite of clay in which Daniel cares and nurtures for Orel while clay neglets and abuses and hates everyone especially his wife and kids while Daniel loves bloberta and pays good attention to Orel and isn’t super alcoholic as clay but sometimes sober and is always calm while clay is always so rageful

[@faucetisreal]

wonderful video :) recently finished moral orel and i yearn to hear people talk about it!! small question, whats the name of the song that appears here 4:55 [and keeps appearing]? i couldnt find it in the description :p

[@unslashcultured]

Its called "you can paint" by Goodnight,Lamplight

[@faucetisreal]

@@unslashcultured thank youuuu!!!!!

[@PawzfullofPixel]

“Put a pin in thi-“ im in your walls.

[@pj5416]

He so effortlessly turned his unwillingness to have his daughter exposed to the things in the show that traumatized the characters into poignant characterization of shapey

[@jessciiaa]

i thought i was the only one who saw rick and morty as deep and dark as i did

[@khaldub]

this was very well done.

[@unslashcultured]

Much appreciated!

[@Astrolionking]

I wholeheardly believe Dino is a goddamn liar when he says Davey And Goliath was not the inspiration for Moral Orel

[@ininja32]

Also what is the music playing in your Nature explaining?

[@unslashcultured]

I am away from my computer right now, but I will check and get back to you on this

[@ininja32]

@@unslashcultured It sounded so weird, I want it.

[@unslashcultured]

@@ininja32 it is the first song on this album, its called (disintegrate) geometriclullaby.bandcamp.com/album/phantom-psalms-2

[@ininja32]

@@unslashcultured thanks

[@octavia3608]

Underrated

[@jsEMCsquared]

I see the format from breaking bad in these awesome new adult swims?

[@yourfriendrobo]

This video is so swag, you should review more [as] shows :D

[@unslashcultured]

Thanks my friend. Ill try!

[@Brilchan]

I respect the show and I love watching videos about it but I cannot and will not watch the show itself. Its just too triggering for me also the humor is not for me but I truly love what they did

[@ddboudica]

Amazing video, your channel is really underrated. Here, have a new sub :)

[@unslashcultured]

Much appreciated!! Working on a new vid to hopefully release within this month or next!

[@FireCrewGAMING]

12:20 Came out of nowhere and hit me like a ton of bricks, I don't associate slang with black culture but maybe that's just me.

[@FireCrewGAMING]

Good video though

[@unslashcultured]

Another user commented on a similar thing, and maybe I should have just spoke about xenophobia or "otherness" as opposed to just black culture. I think after watching the show in its entirety, and seeing episodes where racism was more prevalent, I felt like the slang thing was meant to satirize the ways in which white people have scrutinized black culture. But maybe it was just about being intolerant of otherness. Either way, thanks for the comment!

[@FireCrewGAMING]

@@unslashcultured Yeah personally I see it as a jab at Christians viewing someone with an iota bit of difference to what they see as Christian then they are not to be associated with and are sinful. But that's the great thing about art we can have different interpretations on the same subject, I just didn't expect that perspective and it caught me off guard.

[@WobblesandBean]

​@@FireCrewGAMING The slang thing is very obviously referring to black people, because of the specific substance Orel gets addicted to. I can't really elaborate or else youtube will delete my comment, but it's often unfairly associated with black culture.

[@FireCrewGAMING]

​@@WobblesandBean Personally I have to disagree. When Clay punishes Orel he tells him that people know who you are by the words you use, not the things you do. This is further expanded upon with the introduction of Stephanie. Orel tells him that she has such a warm attitude, Clay retorts by saying "You kids today and your slang". To me this directly connects the notion that Clay is shunning otherness and not necessarily race. He could be a racist, but I don't think this is one of those incidents where he is. That's how I interpret it at least.

[@Theonewhoconsumesbeans]

I don't disagree with the take that Clay's aversion to slang is a dig at black culture, but it never read as being that targeted to me. Especially when taking into account the Figurelli episode and overall antisemitism it feels less like being anti- to any specific culture and more of general self-grandizing xenophobia; less "this one group is bad" and more "everyone needs to be me". Yes it results in the same circumstances but I feel like it's important to understanding the identity of Moralton as a whole Another example of this is when Joe convinces Orel to beat up those gay boys. Joe says there's boys doing "immoral things" and that they should beat them up, and it genuinely (imo) feels like Joe is targeting them for premarital kissing, not for homosexuality. Again, it makes no difference because it results in the same circumstances, but it's important to understanding the identity of Moralton as a whole to explore *why* Joe targeted those boys; it feels like less of "they are (given demographic) so we must punish them" and more of a generalized "they do not abide by the ethical code that I am thought to abide by, let's punish them"

[@unslashcultured]

This is a very valid take. I probably should have used words like "otherness" or "xenophobia" because you're right, it's definitely more of Moralton's citizens perception of difference and "they need to be more like me" than any specific identifier. Thanks for the comment!

[@Theonewhoconsumesbeans]

​@@unslashcultured I'm also guilty of forgetting a solid example lol: During the Figurelli episode when Reverend Putty outright claims the average citizen of Moralton as being the most akin to God but cannot cite any godly quality beyond their "striking anglo-saxton features" (or however he had worded it). Just feels more like "anyone who isn't us is wrong" than a targeted "you are wrong because of (quality or demographic)" Still some great stuff OP, we thank you for this bountiful meal 🙏

[@WobblesandBean]

I don't agree. I think Joe was very much angry about the boy's orientation and kissing publicly. The show is pointing out hypocritical christians who falsely claim they're fine with LGBT people, but in the same breath go "they shouldn't wave it in everyone's face"...which to them is just existing in public, doing things all straight couples do. My mother is a textbook example of this. She's the same way about slang too, she constantly makes faces at the TV any time an increase of AAVE is used in any context. The slang thing is also clearly referring to black people, because of the specific substance Orel gets addicted to. I can't really elaborate or else youtube will delete my comment, but it's very often unfairly associated specifically with black culture.

[@ericapierson-way213]

Anyone who bitches about South Park. Are exactly the kind of people South Park pokes fun out. It is a genius show. Yeah, it's gross and offensive - but it's thee perfect satire about our country and ita citizens.

[@jordonmeadows4913]

I don’t get why you keep calling this an “adult swim sitcom” when it was a part of robot chicken which was created by Seth green and only aired on adult swim.

[@unslashcultured]

The claymation and such was done by the same studio, Screen Novelties, but it was an entirely different show.

[@jordonmeadows4913]

@@unslashcultured but moral Orel is also an on going skit in robot chicken? Idk I’m Canadian and didn’t have AS growing up. I had Teletoon at night which basically showed all the AS shows. Moral Orel was always featured in Robot Chicken. I learned some interesting things though about this show delving a bit deeper to make this comment.

[@unslashcultured]

It's definitely possible that they played RC and Moral Orel back to back or something but Moral Orel wasn't a part of Robot Chicken! But they do look very similar.

[@jordonmeadows4913]

@@unslashcultured yup! Turns out that’s exactly it! Robot chicken and Moral Orel were both 15 minutes long so they played them back to back to fill the half hour time slot it looks like. I just found an old teletoon commercial. Lol

[@unslashcultured]

@jordonmeadows4913 Makes sense! I was a teletoon watcher too!

[@Makoto_Yuki_2007]

And I thought Jack Stauber music was messed up

[@OWlsfordshire]

I see a lot of complaints about this show being canceled, but that side character episode was WAY over the top.

[@WobblesandBean]

I'm confused. Are you saying it deserved to be cancelled because of that episode?

[@OWlsfordshire]

@@WobblesandBean I'm saying the show lost the plot with that episode. I can understand why the network thought it was time to move on.

[@Invincible_Falls]

"HATE, LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I HATE ADULT SWIM FOR CANCELLING MORAL OREL, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MORAL OREL FANS, AND IF THE WORD HATE, WAS ENGRAVED ONTO EACH NANOANGSTRUM OF THEIR BODY, IT WOULD NOT EQUAL TO ONE, ONE BILLIONTH OF THE HATE, I FEEL FOR ADULT SWIM AT THIS MICROINSTANT, FOR YOU, HATE HATE"

[@citrushora]

You really spent a whole hour to do a recap and only the last 5 mins to answer the question you posed in the title? What a shame

[@unslashcultured]

I'd like to think that the majority of the video is more than just a recap, but I will take this into consideration for the next video for sure. Thanks!

[@k-onlegacy]

There are analyses alongside the recaps, & I like that different parts of the story or production is what make Moral Orel as a whole lol

[@CT9905.]

There’s a reason why this show is not on television…. It’s not very Good!!!

[@D0NU75]

so this video can be resumed as "right wing bad", i'm not even from the US and this shit is tiresome to hear after 8 years.

[@unslashcultured]

The video isn't meant to degrade specifically right-wing politics. I am just reiterating what I think the show is saying about various political topics. Hopefully as I learn more about writing and editing I can make this more clear.

[@KOTEBANAROT]

Sport, the SHOW is "right wing bad"

[@upsidedownpeter5939]

you're going to be hearing it quite a lot sadly, get used to it

[@k-onlegacy]

Only right wings are the type of christians shown in Moral Orel that share the exact same values lol

[@hollyk7052]

What parts of right wing evangelicals are they referring to though? The good parts? Could you expand on why you disagree? It’s tiresome to me that people don’t want to hear criticism but won’t say why it isn’t valid.