Ep 6. God's Blunders

Moral Orel season 2 episode 6, titled "God's Blunders," takes us on another journey into the twisted world of the small town of Moralton. Creator Dino Stamatopoulos delivers an irreverent and often controversial look at a deeply religious community through the eyes of its youngest and most impressionable member, Orel Puppington.

The episode's opening scene sees Orel sitting alone in church, staring at a crucifix on the wall. The camera zooms in on the figure of Jesus, his eyes closed and arms outstretched. As Orel stares, we can see his mind working overtime, as he begins to question the theology behind the crucifixion. Is Jesus truly the son of God, or simply a man who was put to death for his beliefs?

As the episode unfolds, we discover that Orel's doubts about God and religion have only intensified since the first season. He's become something of a renegade, exploring the darker corners of Moralton and testing the limits of his own beliefs. When he learns that the church is planning a special sermon on the topic of "God's Blunders," he decides to attend and see what they have to say.

What follows is a series of bizarre and often surreal vignettes, each one showcasing a different "blunder" committed by God throughout history. We see a naked Adam and Eve scurrying through the Garden of Eden, terrified of being caught by God after eating the forbidden fruit. We watch as Moses tries to get God's attention, only to be repeatedly ignored. And we witness the travails of Job, who suffers through endless torments at the hands of a capricious God who seems to take pleasure in his pain.

At first, Orel is skeptical of these stories. He can't believe that God would ever make mistakes, let alone cause suffering for no reason. But the more he hears, the more convinced he becomes that there might be some truth to what he's being told. He starts to wonder if maybe God isn't the all-knowing, all-powerful deity he's been taught to believe in after all.

As the sermon continues, we see Orel's parents struggling to come to terms with their own feelings about religion. Clay, Orel's father, is a hard-line fundamentalist who believes in the Bible literally. He's convinced that everything he and his family do is in the service of God, and he's unwilling to entertain any doubts or questions about his faith. Meanwhile, Bloberta, Orel's mother, is secretly questioning her own beliefs and struggling to reconcile her doubts with the expectations of the community.

Throughout the episode, we also see a number of side-stories playing out, each one focusing on a different character in Moralton. There's Coach Stopframe, who's having an affair with his female basketball player. There's the town sheriff, who's trying to catch a cat burglar who's been stealing from local homes. And there's even a story about a group of aliens who crash-land in Moralton and cause all sorts of havoc.

Despite its often dark subject matter, the episode is filled with humor and satire. Stamatopoulos uses his unique brand of comedy to poke fun at religious hypocrisy, small-town politics, and the absurdity of human existence in general. He also manages to make us care about the characters, even as they struggle with issues that many of us can't relate to.

Overall, "God's Blunders" is a standout episode of Moral Orel. It's an unflinching look at the complexities of belief in a world that often seems cruel and senseless. But it's also a testament to the power of human resilience and the importance of questioning the status quo. Whether you're a believer or a skeptic, this episode is sure to make you think.