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Credit: Ludo StudioTo say that the little blue dog from Brisbane has taken us all by the heartstrings would be a grand and glorious understatement. Bluey is easily one of the biggest and most successful kids’ shows in recent years, but its effect on the parents in the audience is truly something to be studied.
As much as Bluey, Bingo, and the rest of the cartoon dog characters teach their young viewers empathy and imaginative play, the series is notorious for slipping in meanings and messages directly talking to the grownups watching as well. While the show’s intended audience might be dazzled by the bright colors and cutesy humor, their parents are also getting life lessons.
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The show currently has three seasons on Disney+, and you could write a book about how many episodes have some application point for parents to observe. However, if new Bluey buffs genuinely want to test their emotional strength, this writer has narrowed it down to the episodes below.
“Grandad”- Bluey Teaches That Life Is Short
An episode featuring Bluey and Bingo visiting their grandparents is nothing new, but when Chilli takes the girls to see Grandad Mort, adults are treated to an emotional sucker punch that reminds them that both parenthood and childhood are fleeting. As Bluey and Bingo explore the forest with their grandad, viewers are given a glimpse into Chilli’s childhood and how both she and her father have watched each other grow.
One of the most brutal truths about life is that almost all of us will watch our parents grow older, and “Grandad” slowly hits viewers with that message amidst the exploration of the Australian brush. Dozens of viewers cite this as one of the most relatable episodes in the series, having shared a close connection with a parent or a grandparent. Plus, few endings hit fans right in the feels more than “No, it was yesterday.”
“Space” – Interstellar and Internal Conflict
While it might sound controversial, some of the best episodes are the ones where Bluey and the rest of the Heelers take a backseat. In “Space,” we follow Rusty, Jack, and MacKenzie as they pretend to be space explorers on an interstellar mission to explore a black hole. It’s all cute cartoon dogs until it takes a turn into an emotionally triggering place.
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Described as one of the show’s darkest episodes, the episode shows Mackenzie uncovering some deep feelings and wrestling with separation anxiety from past trauma. An article from the BBC says it best,
“Watching a young child grapple with such all-encompassing, overwhelming thoughts will be especially hard on parents, who tend to carry their kids’ emotional burdens as well as their own. When he finally confronts the “black hole” connected to his memory, well, parents may struggle to keep it together.”
“Onesies’ – Bluey Talks Infertility
“Onesies” is where things truly start to get real parents from this point forward, and it comes with a weight that few episodes repeat. As Chilli’s sister, Brandy, comes to visit Bluey and Bingo, a game involving jungle animal onesies, it turns bittersweet as fans learn about why Brandy hasn’t visited in the past four years.
As pointed out by Parents.com, the episode explores how parents wrestling with infertility can experience an emotional journey that can drastically affect their relationships with the children that they love. While it’s never said why Brandy doesn’t have puppies of her own, the visual and emotional storytelling from Joe Brumm and his team of animators convey it in a way that both parents and kids can comprehend. Sometimes, it’s about more than “not meant to be.”
“The Show” – Motherhood and Miscarriages
If one episode of Bluey could be considered infamous, it’s “The Show.” While kids might only see Bluey and Bingo putting on a play about their parents for Chilli on Mother’s Day, more attentive parents notice something far more personal and tragic.
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Fans made the implication that the scene where Bandit grabs his wife’s paw after Bingo, portraying a pregnant Chilli, accidentally pops the balloon under her shirt, hinting at a pregnancy loss. Shortly after that, Bluey creator Joe Brumm confirmed this was true.
Episodes like these are what separates Bluey from other kids’ shows. Simply put, it’s not afraid to “go there” and encourage a dialogue about complex subjects.
“Sleepytime” – The Quintessential Bluey Episode
At this point, what hasn’t been said about “Sleepytime?” Considered by many to be the best episode in the series, so much is told through the team’s legendary storytelling skills.
While “Sleepytime” doesn’t have much in the way of dialogue, the reality of parenthood, the transitions of growing up, and the incredible visuals and music that help establish the show’s reputation are all cranked to eleven in these eight minutes of pure serotonin. The psychedelic portrayal of a night in the Heeler household set to Holt’s “Jupiter” did far more than expose viewers to cartoon dogs and classical music.
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In one brief episode, Bluey performs a brilliant representation of a loving home and family but doesn’t get so saccharine and sweet that it steers away from reality. It’s this relatability and visualization of familial love that has left so many viewers clutching a tissue box. In short, Bluey is simply good TV on multiple levels.
Even with episodes that continuously slam viewers with an emotional sledgehammer, it’s quickly become one of the most streamed shows on the screen. With such commitment to representation and familial relationships seen through the eyes of these cartoon dogs, it’s easy to see why.
What Bluey episode affected you the most? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!