Ah Bluey, what a show. At this point, whether you’re a parent, you know someone with kids, you don’t know any kids, you don’t know anyone with kids, you are a kid, or you were never a kid and don’t even know what one is, you’ll have heard of Bluey. Why though?
Bluey Isn’t Just for Kids
The main reason Bluey has been such a phenomenon is that it’s not just for kids. A lot of kids’ shows aren’t designed for your average child or even your less-than-average child. Instead, they’re made for some weird version of kids that the designers have in their mind, who can’t follow a story or even manage dialogue. They’re vapid at best, and frankly insulting and harmful at worst. Yes I’m talking about Peppa Pig, she knows what she’s done.
Bluey doesn’t talk down to kids, it’s not a show that stands up tall and shouts at them with simple words in the assumption that they’re idiots. Instead, much like a good parent or teacher, it gets down to meet them eye-to-eye, and it explains things carefully and lovingly. Every episode is its own lesson, every moment is almost painfully real, and the whole thing is wholesome, even when it’s dealing with harder topics.
It Doesn’t Shy Away From Pain
This section is a little heavy, so feel free to skip ahead to the next one. There’s an episode where Chilli, the mom of Bluey and Bingo, finally gets a visit from her sister Brandy. It’s been some years, and the reason is because Brandy hasn’t been able to have kids. It’s not explained why that is, but it’s clear that that’s the reason. It hits like a sledgehammer in an episode where Bingo begins to think she’s a big cat because of a onesie.
There’s also an episode where Bluey and Bingo put on a show for Mother’s Day. The show tells the story of how Chilli met their father, Bandit, albeit with some creative upgrades from the kids. It’s a very funny episode, but the main lesson at the core is how you have to keep going even when things go wrong. Chilli tells Bingo to go through the checklist, which is to have a little cry, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going.
It’s an adorable and powerful message, but the kicker comes at a moment when a balloon pops. Bingo ends up with a balloon up her top to represent pregnancy, and while the kids are messing around the balloon pops. We then see the smile disintegrate from Chilli’s face, and Bandit’s hand immediately goes to hers. It’s such a subtle thing, but for so many people it’s going to hit incredibly hard. This isn’t something kids will get, but it’s something most parents will understand.
Bluey Is an Inspiration in So Many Ways
Of course, the heavy moments are only part of it, and probably not what most people would point to when talking about their love of the show. Instead, the show acts as a guide to so many parts of parenting. No parent is perfect, no matter how much they strive to be, and the same is true even of these fictional dogs. Bandit and Chilli both mess up, and so do the kids. Nobody is perfect, but they’re all loved and keep moving forward together anyway.
Bluey is a show about hope, love, kindness, and all the best parts of humanity; it just so happens to be set in a world of anthropomorphized dogs. Each episode on its own is hopeful and delightful, but watching the show from start to finish across all three of its seasons, at least for now, is an overarching story of how kids change, of how parents have to wrestle with themselves, and of how at the end of it all, love is the best thing about a family.
It’s just wholesome, and whether you find comfort in that because you had that growing up, or you find comfort in that because you want to find that in your life in your future, we can all be comforted by it.
