Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Older teens can tackle this 'toon's adult themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 16 parent reviews
Based on 41 kid reviews
Kids say this show is a dark, satirical exploration of religious and moral hypocrisy that is not suitable for children, featuring heavy themes such as abuse, addiction, and trauma. While it is praised for its brilliant character development and humor that resonates with mature audiences, many reviews strongly caution against letting younger viewers engage with its intense subject matter.
- dark humor
- mature themes
- not for kids
- character development
- religious critique
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
MORAL OREL is created by Dino Stamatopoulos, a regular contributor to adult comedy shows like Late Night with Conan O'Brien. This sinfully clever stop-motion series packs a wallop of a message in a short amount of time -- and that's part of the problem. So much controversial humor peppers each episode's 15-minute run that the shock value of the humor could overshadow the program's subtle message. 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 by "the book" but often misinterprets God's teachings. Orel's good intentions lead to disaster.
Is It Any Good?
Parents should be aware of the types of "lessons" that kids could inadvertently learn from watching this show. For example, in an episode chronicling Orel's brief addiction to crack cocaine, his father cautions him that crack "is a gateway to slang," prompting the boy to solemnly vow: "When I do drugs, I'm going to speak properly." 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 appreciate the sophistication of the humor. (And in case you were wondering, young children definitely won't get the joke.)
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about 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 parodies?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 13, 2005
- Cast : Britta Phillips , Carolyn Lawrence , Jay Johnston
- Network : Cartoon Network
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2022
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