Blueyis an animated series set in a world full of anthropomorphic dogs, revolving aroundthe titular Bluey Heelerand her family and friends. This includes her father Bandit, mother Chilli, and sister Bingo. Most episodes revolve around some sort of game Bluey is playing. However, the series has become known for depictingsurprisingly emotional and poignant scenes, with a lighthearted premise giving way to a tearjerking story.
Even adult fans of the series admit to getting emotional while watching the series. Occasionally, whole episodes seem dedicated to serving as a metaphor for a real-life issue that the characters are actually going through. Other times, the story is simple enough, but one scene reveals a character has gone through something tragic in their past, even if it is only implied. Moreover, even when a story ends on a happy note, it can still bring a tear to the viewer’s eye.
Season 3, Episode 34
“Space” is a somewhat experimental episode that focuses on three of Bluey and Bingo’s friends. Bluey herself only makes a brief appearance in the story. Jack, Mackenzie, and Rusty pretend to be astronauts on a mission to Mars or a black hole. However, during the game, Mackenzie keeps disappearing. When he disappears again, he believes his friends have left him behind. He returns, now wanting to venture into the black hole represented by a tunnel.
Treating Trauma With Play Therapy
The gamefunctions as a form of play therapy, as Mackenzie deals with a traumatic memory in which his mother appeared to abandon him while he was on the slide. In his memory, Calypso,the children’s kindhearted teacher, appears and explains that his mother was still there and was just on the other side, telling him, “MacKenzie, you know what’s here now, you don’t have to keep coming back.” After confronting the memory, his friends pull him out of the tunnel.
10 Topics Future Bluey Episodes Should Cover to Make Us All Cry
Bluey is a children’s show about cartoon dogs that is surprisingly mature and full of emotional moments that make parents cry.
19"Sleepytime"
Season 2, Episode 26
“Sleepytime” revolves around nighttime in the Heeler household. Bingo tells her mother she wants to wake up in her bed, while Chilli assures her she’ll always be there for her. Falling asleep, Bingo dreams ofan adventure in spacewith her toy bunny, Floppy. All this time, however, she’s sleepwalking through the house, causing her to walk into her parents' bed until Bandit walks her back. Bingo returns, with her sister Bluey joining in and taking the blankets.
“Remember, I’ll Always Be There for You…"
While cold and shivering in her dream, Bingo moves toward the sun and returns to her room, losing Floppy in the process.While dreaming, Bingo and Floppy find an entire ring of bunnies, causing Bingo to let her bunny friend go. In the real world, Chilli checks on her daughter and returns Floppy to her. When morning comes, Bingo has accomplished her goal and wakes up in bed.Ultimately, the story is a metaphor for growing up, both for the younger and older viewers who have little ones in their lives.
18"Copycat"
Season 1, Episode 38
“Copycat” starts off with Bluey mimicking whatever her father is doing, with Bandit seeing how far he can test her limits. However, things take a turn when Bluey comes across an injured budgie, which they take to a vet. Unfortunately, the vet isn’t able to save the budgie.
Dealing With Death
The story is notable fortouching on death directlyin animation meant for children. On the ride home, Bluey tells her father she doesn’t want the budgie to be dead, but there’s nothing they can do. When they reach home, Bluey has the idea to have Bingo pretend to be a budgie, slowly reenacting the day’s events. Towards the end of the game, Chilli tries to give the budgie a happy ending, saying it survived, but Bluey insists that it should die like the real one. However,Bingo still wants to play budgie, as if the bird has survived, but Bluey notes that, as with the first budgie, it’s out of her hands. The story ends with Bandit noting that Bluey has stopped copying him.
17"Baby Race"
Season 2, Episode 50
In “Baby Race,” when Bluey starts to boast about her skills on the monkey bars, Chillishares a storyabout the importance of everyone running their race at their own pace. As shown in a flashback, when Bluey was a baby, she learned to roll over at a young age. This goes to Chilli’s head as she boasts to the others in her mother’s group. When baby Judo sits up before Bluey, the two mothers try to see which baby will be the first to walk.
Everyone Runs Their Own Race
Chilli grows desperate, taking Bluey to the doctor and eventually not even seeing the other mothers.Viewers are even treated to a shot of baby Bluey trying to reach out to her despondent mother while she’s wallowing in self-pity. However, one of the mothers, Coco’s mother Bella, reassures Chilli that she’s a great parent. In the end, Bluey learns to walk while reaching for her mother. Ultimately, this isa story for new parentsas much as it is for kids.
Season 2, Episode 16
“Army” sees a new student at Bluey’s school named Jack, who tends to be forgetful and has problems following directions. Calypso advises him to play with Rusty, who lets him join inhis “army” game.
“Well, You’re Really Good at Playing Army…”
As the game goes on,Jack reveals a bit more about himself to his new playmate, saying he has problems with directions and remembering things, or even staying still, implying that this is the reason he had to change schools. However, Rusty notes he’s good at playing army, which involves all the things Jack said he has problems with, subtly telling him to give himself more credit.
Rusty admires his father, but there’s a hint of sadness when he notes he’s currently on patrol.The “army” game throughout the story can be seen as Rusty coping with how he misses his father. The episode also ends on a heartwarming note, with Rusty’s returning father picking him up from school and giving him a promised present of condensed milk, which Rusty even shares with Jack.
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Bluey is beloved around the world, but the show might look different depending on where you watch it.
Season 2, Episode 27
“Grandad” is a story dedicated to those dealing with an aging parent or loved one. Chilli takes Bluey and Bingo with her to visit her father after he’s just had heartworm. However, when they arrive, Chilli’s father is busy digging up a tree stump instead of resting as the doctor had ordered. Grandad soon runs off with his granddaughters while Chilli is on their trail. Hiding in the woods, they use a canoe and even camouflage themselves with mud.
“No… It Was Yesterday…”
When Chilli catches up to them, Grandad defends himself, saying whether he should take things slowly is his own decision.While hiding at a neighbor’s house, he feels guilty when he overhears Chilli mentioning how she still “needs” him. Reaching something of a compromise, Chilli and her father sit on the dock while Bluey and Bingo go swimming. Chilli and Grandad end the episode reminiscing about how he took Chilli swimming when she was younger.
14"Camping"
Season 1, Episode 43
“Camping” follows the Heeler family on a camping trip. While out in the woods, trying to make a house out of sticks, Bluey encounters a boy who only speaks French. Despite the language barrier, Bluey and the boy, later revealed to be Jean-Luc, manage to have fun together for the following days.
“Hello, Bluey.”
However, one day,Bluey learns that Jean-Luc and his family have already left, not having understood him when he tried to tell her he was leaving.Bluey deals with the fallout of having lost her new friend. Chilli comforts her, telling her that people come and go in life, and it’s sad when they leave, but points out that the time they were here still makes it all worth it. Years go by, and the Heelers visit the campsite when Bluey appears to be a teenager. This time, however, an older Jean-Luc is there, even greeting her in English, showing that he remembered her.
13"Onesies"
Season 3, Episode 31
In “Onesies,” the Heelers get a visit from Chilli’s sister Brandy, who comes complete with presents for her nieces: the titular onesies. However, they are initially the wrong sizes, causing the sisters to switch onesies, reflecting how it’s been a while since Brandy last saw them. Bingo, wearing a cheetah onesie, soon gets really into her costume and pretends to be a cheetah.
“Because It’s Not Meant to Be…”
The episode became famous for a scene where, while hiding, Bluey asks Chilli why Brandy hasn’t visited them in so long. Chilli explains that Brandy really wanted something she couldn’t have, while it cuts to her playing with Bingo.This implies that Brandy wants children of her own, but can’t for unspecified reasons. However, Brandy’s wish would come true in the special, “The Sign,” in which she appears to be heavily pregnant.
12"The Show"
Season 2, Episode 19
“The Show” starts with Bluey and Bingo trying to celebrate Mother’s Day. After spilling her breakfast in bed, Bingo is upset. Chilli reassures her, telling her to have a good cry and reminding her that “The show must go on.” This gives Bluey the idea to put on a show loosely based around Chilli when she was younger.
Having to Move On
One scene, in particular, has become famous among fans of the series. While depicting Chilli being pregnant with Bluey,a balloon used to simulate the unborn Bluey breaks. In addition to making Bingo sad, as she once again thinks she’s ruined her mother’s gift, the scene also cuts to Bandit and Chilli, who make shocked expressions, with Bandit clutching onto Chilli’s hand. The implications were not lost on viewers, with the scene being taken to imply Chilli might have struggled with fertility issues in the past, even having possibly suffered a miscarriage.
Series creator Joe Brummeven discussed the storyin the Isabelle Oderberg book,Hard to Bear. As the story goes on,Bingo mustering up the courage to follow through with the show likely serves as a parallel for her mother having to harness her own inner strengthduring times of trial. This is even highlighted with Bluey and Bingo playing the parents they look the most like, Bandit and Chilli, respectively.
11"The Sign"
Season 3, Episode 49
“The Sign” is a half-hour special for the Bluey series, revolving around the Heeler house going up for sale as Bandit got a new job. However, Bluey isn’t too happy about it. By contrast, Bingo seems surprisingly fine with the move, though it soon comes to light that she doesn’t understand what’s going on.
“Am I Making a Mistake?”
Meanwhile, Chilli’s friend Frisky and Bandit’s brother Rad are about to get married, but Frisky soon gets cold feet. Rad and Frisky’s situation parallels the moving subplot, as it turns out that Rad plans to have him and Frisky move after the wedding without telling her.The story is filled with tense moments, especially as the children bemoan the upcoming move. It also turns out that the adult characters aren’t necessarily happy with the plans. However, the story ends on a surprisingly happy note. Despite realizing he’s probably making a mistake, Bandit decides not to go through with the move.
