Ep 3. Waste

Moral Orel is a stop-motion animated series that tells the story of Orel Puppington, a young boy living in a small Midwestern town, who is constantly trying to be a good, upstanding citizen and a devout Christian. In season 1 episode 3, titled "Waste," we see Orel's attempts to do good taken to a new level as he sets out to clean up the local dump.

The episode opens with Orel and his father Clay driving through town, when they come across a group of people protesting the town's garbage dump. The dump is overflowing with trash and the protesters are angry that the town isn't doing enough to address the problem. Orel is inspired by their passion and decides that he wants to do something to help.

Orel convinces his best friend Doughy to join him in cleaning up the dump. They gather a group of other kids from school, and together they set out to collect and sort the trash. Orel is determined to recycle as much as possible, and even goes so far as to create a "waste hierarchy" chart to guide their efforts.

As they work, Orel and his friends start to uncover some disturbing things buried in the trash. They find dead animals, toxic waste, and even a dumpster baby. Orel is horrified by what he sees, but he refuses to give up. He believes that if they work hard enough, they can make a difference.

As they continue to clean, Orel's father Clay starts to take notice of what they're doing. At first he's skeptical, but when he sees how committed Orel is, he decides to pitch in and help out. Clay may not share Orel's idealism, but he respects his son's commitment to making a difference.

The episode reaches its climax when Orel and his friends discover a huge stash of discarded prescription drugs. Orel sees this as an opportunity to do some good, and decides to distribute the drugs to the townspeople who can't afford them. He enlists the help of a local pharmacist, who helps him create a makeshift clinic in the dump.

As they hand out the drugs, Orel's good intentions start to backfire. Some of the people they give the drugs to start to abuse them, and chaos breaks out. Orel is devastated by what he sees, and realizes that his idealistic worldview may not always be practical.

The episode ends with Orel and his father watching as the dump is bulldozed over, burying all of their hard work and the problems they uncovered. Orel is saddened by the loss, but he takes comfort in knowing that he did what he could to make a difference.

Overall, "Waste" is a powerful episode that touches on themes of idealism, practicality, and the consequences of our actions. It shows how even the best intentions can have unintended consequences, and how hard it can be to make a difference in an imperfect world.