Targeted towards 5 to 7 years old, ‘Bluey has been able to captivate my 17-year-old heart. Bluey is an Australian animated TV show that follows the life of 6-year-old Bluey who is an Australian blue heeler. It premiered on Oct. 1, 2018, but was released in the United States on Sept. 9, 2019, on the Disney Channel and Disney+.
Across the show’s 151 episodes, Bluey learns about the issues that every kid faces, but the show also chooses to demonstrate the struggles that parents also go through when raising their children. This along with lovable characters, and bittersweet episodes lead to the Bluey community expanding beyond just young kids.
I first saw Bluey on a YouTube thumbnail that showcased an iceberg about the show, and it peaked my interest in the character. I got to know about the origins of the Bluey show, theories about why certain characters act the way they do, facts about the characters and many more. It made me want to give the show a try, so I watched the first episode on Disney+ called “The Magic Xylophone” and from there I fell in love with the show. From the adorable sister bond of Bluey and Bingo and Bandit’s attitude toward his daughters, to the simple background music, the show brought me back to days when I was a sweet innocent child. Bluey is the type of show that I wish I could have watched when I was growing up.
Although Bluey is the main character for whom the show is named, other characters also have starring moments. Bluey’s 4-year-old sister, Bingo, is determined and curious about the world around her and is absolutely adorable. Bingo also reminds me a lot of my youngest sister, Vanessa, because like her, Bingo loves to have a good time. Their parents, Chili and Bandit, could not be more perfect cartoon parents. Bandit always finds ways to make his family laugh, but makes sure he incorporates lessons for them to learn from. Chili is a very sweet and understanding mother who likes to make sure her daughters have everything they need.
Bluey is filled with adorable and different characters, so it can be hard to pick a favorite. One of the best characters is Bluey because she is so silly, has an open mind when things go wrong, and she always steps up to be a leader for everyone. But the character who I find most amazing is Muffin Cupcake Heeler, Bluey and Bingo’s 3-year-old cousin. Other than being extremely cute, any time that Muffin comes on screen you know that chaos is about to ensue. In the episode “Sleepover” Muffin is the funniest character and because of that, it has become one of my favorite episodes. In the episode, Bluey and Bingo want to stay up late, but Muffin is already sleepy and moody. Muffin is in a drowsy state of mind causing her to say ridiculous lines like “Coconuts have water in them” and even goes as far as riding a flamingo and declaring herself the flamingo queen. Granny Mobile is another favorite of mine because of Muffin’s Grouchy Granny attitude as she bosses others around, but of course it’s all fun and games. The most memorable moment is how Muffin was able to gather enough money for a vacation trip at a garage sale even going as far as selling a mobile for $1,200 to another grouchy granny. Her attitude in this episode was absolutely hilarious and funny to watch.
There is just something so satisfying about Bluey episodes and I think that’s because of the problems that get presented. The problems that Bluey, Bingo and their friends run into are problems that all kids encounter from having playtime differences with your friends to wanting to stay up late or wanting your parents to play more often with you. One of the episodes that teaches kids about not giving up even if the challenge is tough is “Bike.” In this episode, Bluey decides to stop trying to learn how to ride her bike at the park. After she quits she and her dad, Bandit, observe her cousin Muffin struggling to put her backpack on and Bingo unable to reach the water fountain to take a drink. After multiple attempts, they both give up like Bluey, but they try alternate decisions, and they succeed. This convinces Bluey to give her bike lessons another try.
Because Bluey has become one of my favorite shows, I wanted to hear other people’s opinions here in the school. Though a few people thought I was too old to watch something like Bluey, I am happy to report that I found people among the community who share my love for Bluey and its characters.
Science teacher Sarah Noack doesn’t just love Bluey because her kids do, but she also appreciates how realistically depictive the show can be.
“There are a lot of shows that teach lessons, but that is all they are doing,” Noack said. “I like Bluey because it is super real-life, and it looks the way that my house does and sounds [like my house too], and it teaches amazing lessons.”
She is also grateful that the show has made her realize that moments spent with her kids are important to create long-lasting memories.
“Time is fleeting, and I need to play with my kids just as much as I need to cook dinner and do the laundry and all those things,” Noack said. “It’s important that I [am] building memories and the show reminds me of that a lot.”
Science teacher Kristen Cerame first heard of Bluey from Noack, and she and her daughter’s love for the show grew because of how humorous the show is.
“It’s a fun show, and there is a lot of humor and empathy,” Cerame said. “[My daughter] is [now] an empathetic person, so she understands the interaction with the kids and loves the characters.”
When asked about her favorite character, Cerame said Bingo with no hesitation.
“I mean who doesn’t love Bingo, and that is my daughter’s favorite too,” Cerame said. “It’s hard to say because they are all awesome and fun [and] Muffin is definitely the diva of the group.”
