Credit: Ludo StudioAs it currently sits as the most popular show currently streaming, it’s safe to say that Bluey is clearly at the top of its game. However, some fans want to see the beloved blue heeler taken down a peg.
The Heeler clan has captured our hearts for over 150 episodes, and viewers of all ages have found comfort in the show’s animated world, but some fans are calling out one element that seems to be missing.
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One of the biggest strengths in the show’s writing and development is how realistic and grounded the animated cast has become. Both the parents and the pups are written and behave like actual human beings, but even some of the most vocal Bluey buffs take issue with the fact that the kids never seem to get in trouble.
Parents “Lose It” Over Bluey
The show rarely shies away from difficult conversations or subject matter, but discipline or punishment is rarely one of those topics. Bluey and Bingo rarely do anything that constitutes actual misbehavior, and some parents and viewers believe that Bandit and Chilli should have “absolutely gone off” on the pups.
While the subject of timeouts has been addressed a few times (talking about you, Muffin), some parents believe some episodes should have seen Bluey and Bingo punished. A recent post on r/Bluey opens up a whole can of worms by asking which episodes Bandit and Chilli should have put the pups in their place.
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u/salamanderme has the highest-rated comment when discussing the episode “Daddy Drop Off.” Although brief, the commenter’s response received a lot of attention.
However, u/JOOBBOB117 replies with a much more vocal response just underneath.
“Oh my god, every time I watch this episode, I am mentally screaming at both of the girls and Bandit. I would be pulled over on the side of the road, staring at both of them until I got an answer or looking through the car myself.”
Getting kids ready for school can often be a hassle, but there’s no need to scream at everyone’s favorite dog dad.
Further down, u/Mimi4Stotch writes a much more vivid response and states that they physically had to stop themselves from watching the episode. In their comments, the user shares the following.
“YEEESSSS! I’ve stopped this episode and had a talk with my kid, saying: Bandit should have said, ‘ok, girls, we are pausing the game right now. This is serious; we need to get all of our things for school, and I need a straight answer.'”
“This episode makes me so angry. Sometimes, you’ve got to draw a line in the sand. They could have still been late and had the story still go the same—with winding Bingo up and being late because it happens with kids— but pausing the game, having a serious moment… grrr! It makes me upset thinking about it now, haha!”
“Daddy Dropoff” isn’t the only episode mentioned in the thread, as many users are quick to demonstrate. Another grievous offender seems to be “Movies,” as the parents in the thread are having none of Bingo’s behavior as Bandit tries to control the situation.
When the episode was brought up, u/MagnorCriol aired their grievance with the episode by writing,
“Oh my god, that’s one of the only episodes I actively dislike watching because I can’t take the way either kid, especially Bingo, are acting and I hate that Bandit is just letting it. Kids will be kids, and it’s important to let kids be silly, etc., etc., but they wasted SO MUCH money and time on the popcorn, and Bingo running around being loud and getting up in front of the screen is just disruptive to everyone else.”
To which u/Sillygoose0320 replies,
“Any form of discipline in that episode would have helped. Even a simple “alright, no popcorn, sorry” after the second spill. Come on, Bandit, parent already.”
In defense of the commenters calling out Bandit’s parenting style, he does let Bluey and Bingo get the upper hand more times than he would care to admit. He’s even gone on the record stating, “The thing is, I do this to myself.
Related: ‘Bluey’ Changes Direction, Follows Disney’s Lead
As many fans are quick to lecture cartoon dogs on how to raise other, younger cartoon dogs, one user brings up a very important factor involving the pups’ many games. Although Bandit and Chilli are always down to play, things get out of hand for them more often than not.
u/linuxgeekmama makes a very astute observation when they write,
“I think the way the show handles consent is not great. Sometimes, other people aren’t going to want to play for whatever reason. Harassing them or trying to make them feel bad about it isn’t a good way to deal with that. No means no, and that’s a really important thing for kids to learn.”
In the words of the immortal Dr. Seuss, “It’s fun to have fun, but you’ve gotta know how.” Bandit and Chilli might be the gold standard for parenting, but are their methods actually practical?
Has the Show Made Parents Soft?
To take a page from Bandit’s handbook, “It’s just monkeys singing songs, mate. Don’t think too hard about it.” As often as we take advice from these cartoon dogs, they’re still cartoons at the end of the day.
One of the reasons Bluey works so well is its huge focus on morals and creative play. Bluey and Bingo are still pretty good kids, but seeing them punished to a significant extent might hurt the audience’s perception (regardless of age).
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That said, both of the show’s leading pups are still flawed individuals. Bluey can be loud and quite selfish, and Bingo can be excessively whiny. This doesn’t make them bad characters, but it does make them more realistic.
Bluey hasn’t made parents soft, but it has changed how many adults see parenting. Ultimately, an animated show isn’t made to replace genuine parental involvement. Still, that doesn’t mean both parties can’t benefit.
Do you have an issue with parenting in Bluey? Tell Inside the Magic about it in the comments below!