Moral Orel/Help

Help
Season 3, Episode 7
Airdate	November 4, 2008
Written by	Scott Adsit Dino Stamatopoulos
Directed by	Duke Johnson
← 3x06 Dumb	3x08 → Passing
Moral Orel — Season Three

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Help is the seventh episode of the third season of Moral Orel and the thirty-seventh episode overall. Bloberta ponders the question posed to her by Orel at the end of "Nature", "Why did you marry Dad?"

Starring: Scott Adsit, Jeanette Baity, David Herman, Carolyn Lawrence, Britta Phillips, Bill Salyers, Dino Stamatopoulos

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Intro: This episode is a flashback Bloberta has when Orel asks her why she married Clay. It begins with a group of women showing off their engagement rings. Most every woman of age seems to be getting married, with the exception of Bloberta. Principal Fakey's future wife is seen here, assured that their marriage will be a success (However, in the present, Fakey has an affair with Nurse Bendy and treats his wife very poorly.) Bloberta and the future brides appear to be in the basement of Censordoll's home. (It is revealed her first name is Fran) and they are making picket signs in preparation to protest, of all things, marriage. All the women leave but Bloberta insists on helping, trying to prove how clever she is. Censordoll is not impressed with her abilities and promptly shoos her away. Bloberta is seen going home where her mother, younger brother, eldest sister and father are all singing. She tries to join in the choir but is abruptly stopped. Her mother appears to be very domineering, praising her other children yet neglecting Bloberta. She is especially harsh on her husband, who cowers in fear. Bloberta is told by her mother to leaves to "to do something useful," such as cleaning her room. Her father comes in, nervously, to speak with her, telling her how he tries to include her in family things but her mother won't have it. In these moments alone she is seen to have a flask, already obviously having a drinking problem. Later on she is at Fakey's wedding and she notices Clay, who admits that he thought the wedding was a "regular service" and didn't leave as he thought it would be awkward. Clay is very pure of heart, handsome and, of course, a bachelor. Bloberta assumes he will be a good choice for a husband. She asks him to go the reception with her. They order apple juice and sit down to talk. Bloberta questions why Clay doesn't 'drink drink' and assures the righteous Clay that "Jesus Drank-a lot" and he should too. This leads to Clay overindulging and becoming very drunk. Bloberta then asks him to dance where she tries to pressure him into proposing, wanting to be accepted. Clay refuses, unsure and unready for marriage. At this point, Clay is much like Orel: He wishes to study his bible at home. A few drinks later, Clay has lost most inhibition and is leering at the women passing by. Bloberta promptly leaves him to go to the bar, announcing to the bartender she has given up drinking, She begins to furiously clean the bar while Clay is flirts with women around him. Annoyed with Clay's actions, Bloberta gets up and punches him, knocking him out until the next morning. She is seen the next day tending to his wounds and explaining how much she "helped" him and how much he "should need" her. Stumbling across words, Clay agrees to marry her. It's a rushed decision, made without knowing much about one another and the two seem unhappy from the start. The wedding ensues and their usual habits begin as Clay drinks through the whole wedding and Bloberta angrily watches and cleans obsessively. The credits roll with pictures of the wedding. A song is rolled in the opening and closing sequence "Old College Try" by Mountain Goats.

Trivia

The Show

• Intro: The beginning of this episode uses another song by The Mountain Goats to reflect Clay and Bloberta's relationship. The song is "Old College Try" which, like "No Children", is also from the album Tallahassee. The album tells the story of a dysfunctional married couple known as the "Alpha Couple," whose marriage is falling apart.

• Timeline: This episode takes place entirely during a sideways glance Bloberta gave at the end of "Nature, Part 2".