Credit: Ludo StudioIt’s no secret that Bluey is a top-rated show, quickly becoming one of the most streamed programs on our screens thanks to Ludo’s partnership with Disney+. However, would the beloved Australian animated series be as successful as it is without acknowledging the traumatic subjects it does?
Part of the show’s identity is that Bluey isn’t afraid to “go there” and tackle challenging subjects like divorce, loneliness, and even death. Because too many shows are afraid to treat kids like thinking and feeling viewers, the series has utilized that element to the fullest extent, and the creators at Ludo Studios are more than well aware.
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The series and its themes have progressed from games of Keepy Uppy and a metaphor for divorce disguised as rugby teams (“The Decider”) to discussions about premature births (“Early Baby”) and the aftermath of infant loss ( “The Show”). In a strange way, it’s as if the show is maturing with its audience.
Trauma Bound by Bluey?
Another reason both parents and their kids keep coming back to Bluey time and time again is because of how grounded in reality it is. Sometimes, that means tackling hard, real-life situations that all humans deal with. The fact that cartoon dogs are teaching these lessons does not diminish them by one iota.
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The show explores several genuine and very relatable subjects by mirroring them through several characters. Jack, an excitable and easily distracted Jack Russell terrier, is used to represent individuals with ADHD or other neuroatypical conditions (“Army”), it’s heavily implied that Aunt Brandy is coping with infertility (“Onesies”), and we even see the beloved Heeler patriarch, Bandit, struggling with depression (“Stickbird”). The YouTuber Pugly goes into much greater detail on how thoroughly the show represents these situations, as demonstrated by his analysis of Mackenzie in the video below.
The Bigger Picture
His analysis only further affirms the understanding Joe Brumm and the rest of Bluey’s team have on these topics, and it’s a skill that has only further developed as the show has progressed. With several deeper episodes dominating the latest batch of episodes, its logical to assume that the pattern will continue onto the predicted season 4.
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Bluey remains a beacon of optimism and joy in a weary world, as demonstrated by its enormous fan following, but the fact that it isn’t afraid to tackle real problems that real families battle can’t be ignored. Does the show need these emotionally complex episodes to be successful? Maybe not, but they definitely help the series stand out from the Peppa Pigs and Cocomelons of the world.
Do you think Bluey is relying too much on these “traumatic” episodes? Tell Inside the Magic in the comments below!