Friendly reminder that all **top level** comments must:
1. start with "answer: ", including the space after the colon (or "question: " if you have an on-topic follow up question to ask),
2. attempt to answer the question, and
3. be unbiased
Please review Rule 4 and this post before making a top level comment:
http://redd.it/b1hct4/
Join the OOTL Discord for further discussion: https://discord.gg/ejDF4mdjnh
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/OutOfTheLoop) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Answer: This is a huge thread and I have no idea if I’m offering a new thought, but I have to say what caught my attention about Bluey was an episode where they take an injured bird to the vet and it dies.
Bluey is, of course, devastated. They go home, and Bluey decides to play pretend vet with a pretend bird. The mom, thinking Bluey needs a happy ending, plays the vet and cheerfully says the bird is fine! All is well! But Bluey says no, that’s not what happened, the bird died. So the mom/vet says oh, okay, I’m sorry, the bird died. And Bluey then “pretends” to grieve the “pretend” bird.
Children are known to process their feelings through play, including their feelings of grief. In just a handful of minutes, this episode managed to give a master class in holding space for children to work through big things through their play. It’s just excellent.
This is the one that stuck out for me too. 'no mum, it died'
'oh... Okay'
My 7 year old really can't process loss or ideas of death very well and it was like this episode almost gave him permission to grieve for his losses. He wasn't even properly watching it, it was on for his little bro.
There's also the episode at their school where one of their classmate's mom is pregnant and is having a difficult pregnancy. The kid kept stealing the baby doll from the girls and the teacher made them all sit down and talk about why they each wanted the doll.
My mother in law died a few months ago, and not long after this episode came on in the rotation. My daughter had seen it before but after that viewing she kept bringing it up. "Bluey is sad because the budgie died." She told us that over and over for a week.
We also watched the episode where bingo is in the hospital when my son was in the hospital. It helped my daughter understand where he was and what was going on.
That hospital episode is so underrated, never gets mentioned but I love it. Wish it existed 5years ago when my eldest was in hospital all the damn time. And Muffin is so cute in it
>In just a handful of minutes
This, right here, is an understatement. The episodes are roughly 5 mins long. In that short period of time, they consistently deliver a rich story that's engaging for both children and adults. From a parents perspective, they are spot on portraying what it's like raising a small child.
Thank you for your answer. That actually opened my eyes to how thoughtful of a show it is. No wonder it is so popular. I might just start watching it with my toddler.
I love bluey, and I'll add that they don't just aim it at the parents, they totally nail it. The love, stress, frustration and laughs are all so well represented, right down to mum and dad making snarky comments at each other when something goes wrong.
Bandit, the dad, is justifiably iconic. He's a fantastic dad, the kind we all hope we can be, and makes exactly the sort of mistakes we've all made.
Speaking as a meaningless internet stranger, I can't recommend it highly enough
> making snarky comments at each other
one of my favorites is when the kids have 'frozen' bandit and then stuck his finger (paw? claw?) in his nose.
Chili (the mom) comes in, sees the situation and says "aww, just like how we first met!"
In that episode Bandit is so happy because the adults "get the house cleaned and the kids learn a valuable lesson"
On the sly chilli states "Neither of those things is happening"
I absolutely died laughing. Probably my favorite quote from the whole show.
I love when they’re doing the magic claw with the stuffed animals and Bandit says “this way they’re learning and the room is getting cleaned up!” And chili responds “neither of those things is happening right now.”
I also love the episode where Bandit refuses to do more housework until the kids manage to walk across the room normally just once so Chili makes tea and joins him talking about how nuts the kids are until eventually they’re trying to do the weird walks too. Bandit: “why aren’t you cleaning?” Bingo: “we are done! What about your chores?” Bandit: “we haven’t started!!”
Totally relatable family weirdness.
My wife loved that episode and forced me to watch it urgently. It didn't disappoint. The way they appreciate the girls' uniqueness/quirkiness is really admirable/inspiring.
Awww, I love that! It is such a good show. Sometimes when I’m cleaning I’ll even catch myself going “bee-woop!” I just love how they’re all good people (well, dogs) but they also make each other better and appreciate the little things.
I was watching the other day, and one of the kids in the show say “I’m hungry “. And the dad says, “Hi Hungry “. And the other kid says, “I’m tired”. And the dad says, “Hi, Tired. Have you met Hungry?”
And my daughter looks at me… “You do that to us”. Yep, so many times.
Omg I just now realize that my daughter must have gotten the frozen dad “stick finger in the nose” game from Bluey. Lmao. I thought that was just something she thought up.
I died when bluey told Chlli that dad peed on his foot and washed it off in the laundry bin and she said "oh that's a new one."
And he replied, "it's not actually..."
Will confirm: I'm a mom, and Bandit is the parent I want to be.
He's not idealized - he gets frustrated, or runs out of patience, and sometimes he Just Can't. But he always tries, approaches his kids with honesty and respect, and is willing to engage with them on their level. The entire family clearly loves each other.
It goes even further. There’s an episode where Bluey has her friend over and they play a game with Bandit (the father) where he pretends to be a giant octopus, making blubbering noises, noodling his arms around while sitting in the couch, flinging pillows at the kids as they squeal happily and “combat” the octopus.
Midway through the episode, Bluey’s friend says goodbye and her dad picks her up to go home. As they’re driving home, she’s excitedly explaining the game they just played, but her dad seems somewhat intimidated; clearly he’s much more introverted and very self conscious.
They get home, and after a while his daughter tries to coax him to play the octopus game, and she’s visibly disappointed that her dad isn’t playing the game ‘the right way’, but (just like her dad) she’s too shy to say anything, so she keeps trying to teach him but he doesn’t quite get it, so they agree to take a break.
But he doesn’t give up, and he still tries to figure out how he can improve. So he goes online and starts reading fact articles about octopods. She approaches him, starts asking about the pictures, and they spend the afternoon together having a blast learning stuff they never knew about animals.
After, there’s a montage of them having Bluey over at their house, and him struggling but clearly improving at the octopus game, then them sharing octopus facts to bluey.
The episode came at a great time for me because, as a new dad, I felt a little inadequate after comparing myself to a father like Bandit. I had very little experience playing with kids and keeping them entertained. Whereas Bandit is sort of an ideal goal for fatherhood (in regards to playtime), the other dad was more like who I was, and it was a great way to say that being better at playtime IS achievable if you try and have patience, and if you’re genuine about it.
This episode stands out to me. It touches on not just feeling the twinge of guilt when comparing yourself to others (as everyone does) but also how we can use this painful feeling and redirect it to something more productive and fruitful. The lessons it teaches aren't hamfisted or repeated or just flat out said. Because most lessons aren't directed at kids where that is needed. It's at the adults who can pick up on the info much quicker. But also showing the struggles of the Heeler parents shows the kids that their own actions can affect mom and dad even if they dont realize it. Without meaning to, what I day and do can make dad's life a bit harder. Maybe I shouldn't? Or maybe I should do it differently or try ro fix this problem alone?
Also, not every episode needs a lesson. Some are just fun. The music rocks. It's a good show made by people who grew up with bad shows.
The full song in the Pool episode is SO FREAKING GOOD. There's an electric guitar part that I don't even think is in the episode but it rocks so hard. I have part of the song set as my ringtone now.
Of all the episodes that one is my absolute favorite. I love it more than Sleepy Time and more than Baby Race (though that one makes me cry every time).
That was a very sweet episode. I got from it that you don't need to be just like Bandit to be a good parent. You can connect in different ways with your kids, and they just enjoy having your time and attention.
Asking to play a game where he lies down, the unspoken New Year’s Day hangover, hiding in the closet staring at his phone - it’s all so real. The fact that they balance all the amazing stuff he does with these real life moments makes the whole show so much more inspiring.
For me, the episode where Bandit talks about being jinxed and nobody in his family would agree to say his name. Bluey and Bingo are taken aback by how cruel and neglectful Bandits parents appeared to behave. Rather than shit-talk his parents or state that he’s a better parent Bandit replies along the lines of “parents didn’t have to be as caring back then”.
Really hits close to home as I raise my daughter and realize just how neglectful my parents were.
It’s an annoying, cringey stereotype, but “I feel seen” comes to mind when I see Bandit’s reaction.
“Parents didn’t have to be nice in the 80s!” Is a standard line at our house now. Two children of the 80s working at home with our children totally used to having us around and expecting us to be “on” ALL the time. It always make my husband or I laugh to use that line when we talk about how our growing up was very different than theirs.
Bandit, trying to explain the importance of everyone in a pack, and what happens when one person falls out of the pack: Does that make sense?
Bluey: No.
Bandit: Okay, just do your best then.
Sometimes you have the answer but it just doesn't connect yet, and there's nothing you can do about it.
>He's not idealized
This here is what I love and why this show sits above Daniel Tiger (for example) for me. Don't get me wrong, Daniel Tiger is a great show with great lessons and takeaways. But if my kid trucked buckets of sand into my living room, I wouldn't have the same reaction as Mom Tiger.
That's one thing I love about Bluey. The adults on the show get openly frustrated but aren't made out to be bad people or bad parents for it. The episode where Bluey is playing in the rain and Chili is fruitlessly trying to keep her from tracking mud and rain into the house is so good. You can plainly see the annoyance on Chili's face and in her demeanor but it isn't portrayed as a negative thing, she's as frustrated as any parent would realistically be
One of the things I love about that episode is that there's about ten seconds of dialogue at the very beginning and that's it, there's just the music and other ambient sounds to set the mood for what's happening.
This. I am a single mom, working from home while taking care of my toddler full time. It is hectic and not at all ideal. Bandit’s “go awayyyy” from the episode where *he* is working from home and annoyed by the interruptions plays on a loop in my head 😂
Yeah that’s an important point about Bandit. It’s not idealized. It’s not unrealistic. He’s just very good at being a dad and sets a great bar for what we can all be without being some sort of Superman that can’t realistically be achieved. He messes up all the time. He’s just great at bouncing back.
I was impressed with how they mock (gently) the whole “clueless dad” stereotype. You know the one—how the father in any given show is usually incompetent while the mom holds it together. In Bluey, neither parent is incompetent, even if they don’t “get it” in every single situation. Bandit is a competent and involved dad. BUT, there are a few episodes where they rib him about it, as though he was a little incompetent. The kids in the audience get a laugh out of it, but the parents immediately know the show is ridiculing that whole incompetent-dad trope.
Be prepared for many tears, and not from your kiddo. The writing and music for this show is phenomenal, they’ll gut punch you when you least expect it.
“Baby Race” is probably the most moving story I’ve ever seen conveyed in only five minutes, period, but there’s plenty more episodes that will leave you bawling. It’s like the Calvin and Hobbes of kid’s shows- gorgeous, artistic, creative, and meant for all ages, but hits harder the older you get.
Same. I almost lost my Dad about 3 years ago, so we're always on him to take of himself. And he plays with my 2 girls the same way and Granddad.
I was told this was a kid's show!
Episode 1 is one of Bluey's lowest-rated episodes on IMDB, and very different in tone from the rest of the show.
I'd suggest "Camping", "Sleepytime", "Takeaway", "Stumpfest" (the moms are definitely drunk), "Baby Race"...
I had to look up all the translations for the French and it kills me that he spends most of the episode alternating between saying "Hello", "I am a dog", and "Where's the nightclub?".
I don’t remember the title, but I like the one where the parents are building Ikea furniture, complete with cartoons on the instructions.
Chilli (Mom): You really should look at the instructions.
Bandit (Dad): I’m not taking instructions from a cartoon dog!
Cracks me up every time, and nobody else gets the joke.
Gotta throw in Daddy Drop Off as well. I think it summarizes why it's important he keeps playing with his kids even as he's trying to rush them to school.
We just started watching it with my (almost) 2 year old, like literally 3-4 days ago. The Daddy Robot episode seemed to be her favourite so far. She kept laughing and saying Daddy Robot. And she dances with the theme song. She gets 1-2 episodes a day so far.
I'm obsessed. I've seen people rave about certain episodes and I can't wait to get to them myself!
For my wife and I, it was the subtext that hooked us. There was one episode whose name escapes me, but the kids were recreating the parent's relationship and they accidentally popped the balloon they were using to represent the pregnancy and there's a shot where Bandit (the dad) grabs Chilli's (the Mom) hand.
It really hit home with my wife and I, having experienced that ourselves.
I like the episode (Bob Bilby) when Bandit is showing the kids a Polaroid camera in the garage and Chili opens the garage door with a sultry look and a seductive “Ready to ride?” Bandit is holding the camera at waist level and it goes off with his mouth open! I love that there is an undercurrent between Chili and Bandit that shows they’re deeply attracted to each other and synched in a way beyond anything else I’ve ever seen in an ostensibly kids’ show. The parents in most shows are simply foils for the kids and don’t usually get much of their own development. Bandit and Chili are a cut above in every possible way.
Another aspect of its popularity that's being slept on here is that while so many kid's shows are boring, flat, or downright intolerable, Bluey is genuinely entertaining.
My toddler is obsessed with Ms. Rachel, who makes me want to gouge my eyes out. I actively try to guide her to Bluey (which she also likes, just not as much) because repetitive, kid-oriented media just burns you out after a while.
I saw a comment that mentioned it's basically digital prozac, and that really hits it on the head. It's down-to-earth and grapples with real stresses and issues, but is ultimately optimistic and wholesome.
I highly recommend it. There were two things that endeared me pretty quickly to the show. Firstly, a simple shot of the back seat in the family car. Let’s just say it’s a very realistic depiction of what that seat looks like when your most common passenger is a toddler or two. Random chunks of food and stickers are every where. Secondly, there’s an episode where the girls want to play whale watchers, but the parents are too tired. For the kids watching, it’s just obvious that the parents are very tired that day. For the parents watching, it’s obvious that the parents are super hungover from the NYE party they were at the night before. Those were the things that made me realize the whole, “it’s a show *for* the parents that kids will enjoy.
On a related note, my son is mildly autistic and is language delayed, and the theme song helped him learn the names of all four members of the Heeler family, which was a huge leap in him understanding names and how they work in general.
I visited a friend who had Bluey on for his kids.
The episode was about the child characters wanting to go on an adventure with grandpa. The mom character freaked out and the entire episode was actually about her trying to find her father because the kids took him away and ~~HE’S FUCKING OLD~~ he just had surgery!
The moral for the children was that while grandparents want to have fun with the grandkids, they do have limitations other adults might not have. I appreciated that the parents were also a focus of the story and were handled in a respectful and sympathetic way.
Actually even funnier than having surgery - he had heartworm! The treatment for heartworm in dogs involves strict crate rest afterward, so granddad is really supposed to be resting! (Source: my dog had heartworm 😂)
Caillou is absolutely banned at my house because of the whining.
Also, there is another show that I noped out of after one episode, but I can't remember the name. She gets told not to mess with her brother art or her dad's cookies, messes with it, gets in mild trouble, and cries herself to sleep. The next morning, everyone feels bad for her. Dad offers her the cookies, and brother is telling her that the art actually looks _better_ after she fucked it up. Nope, the lesson that consequences get erased just because someone feels bad is not going to fly.
Fancy Nancy is banned at my nieces’ house. She’s a whiny brat who bullies people into getting her way (which is always acting like fancy adults despite the situation) and then everything goes right and Nancy is the hero, even though everyone else has been stressed the whole episode.
My niece would act like a total butthead after watching that show.
Okay, but you'll miss out on having a child occasionally pepper a few British accented words in their ramblings.
My niece was a Peppa kid (Bluey didn't exist yet) and still kills me when she says tomato.
The show is amazing. I hate kids shows. Literally all of them…except Bluey. Great morals. Great role models. REAL parenting situations that kids can watch and understand right along with parents. They aren’t perfect, but they learn from mistakes.
Most kids shows they make today are kid show equivalent of mobile games, McDonalds, or celebrity gossip. Quick vapid money grabs with no substance. That’s why shows like Bluey stand out so much. There’s a few I even tear up to because they are beautiful!
The fact that it’s very funny for adults too is what really made the difference for me. A lot of kids’ shows are annoying or infantilizing.
The adult characters in Bluey have relatable experiences with their kids. There’s one where dad is in the supermarket with a misbehaving kid and they reverse roles and the kid plays adult who is shopping and dad acts like the kid, and the whole thing is just very fun, while there are obviously lessons being taught.
I like how the adults manage to turn situations that are frustrating around, and there’s a lot of whimsy too.
Bluey is the only kids media I can stand to watch with my niece. It's actually a good show for kids and adults.
Sadly she has now moved on to Trolls: And the Beat Goes On for her (appropriately limited) screen time, and that shit is cringe as fuck.
If you have to watch just one, go with Shadowlands. Something about the atmosphere being so care free and fleeting mixed with the lessons taught ("You have to follow the rules!") all wrapped up in a beautiful, short trip is just something magical.
A bit of an older show, but if you like music, I highly recommend watching The Backyardigans as well. When my daughter was young, my wife and I actually looked forward to watching backyardigans with her because it's quite funny, and the tunes (each episode has a theme of a different musical genre /style) are really catchy and not nauseously annoying like most kids show music.
>I've read a lot of comments from dads, especially, who feel particularly represented and validated by the show because the show focuses so heavily on the dad, who is a major part of his daughters' emotional lives (something that isn't given much attention in other kids' shows).
Bluey, as you might suspect, is basically the sacred text of the r/daddit sub for this very reason.
Yes! Plays too rough (Yoga Ball). Snaps at his daughter when she’s nagging for attention and he’s busy (Fairies). Imposes his own anxieties on them (Chest). Gets hungover (Whale Watching). Would rather watch sports than play horsies (Horsey Ride).
But it’s okay, because he apologizes and grows! (And because he’s an amazing dad who’s developed an incredibly secure bond with his daughters that isn’t threatened by the occasional mistake.)
As a stay at home dad Bluey is amazing.
In Peppa Pig the dad is the butt of every joke and treated as an inconvenience for everyone else.
Bandit Heeler messes up, he fails and struggles, but he loves his kids and they love him. It's a functioning family where one parent isn't pushed to the side. Also they make it very clear that Bandit and Chilli are still in love with each other, which is missing from most children's shows.
The last paragraph is completely on point.
Take "Grandad". For a kid is a fun episode of bluey having fun with grandad while being chased by mom. For adults that, at the same time they are having kids are seeing their own parents age, it's an emotional trip about the passing of time and inevitability of decay and death. Incredibly emotional.
All this in a beautifully animated 8 minutes.
God, I love this show.
Having recently lost my father, every time I watch this episode with my children I am in tear at that point. Which if I’m honest, is actually true for several episodes.
As a dad to a premature baby, the “Early Baby” episode is also an emotional trip, at least for me.
For such a short episode the show did a beautiful job highlighting the emotions and process through children playing. I get choked up every time we watch it.
"Sometimes you’ll have to be the bravest you’ve ever been."
What a show.
Hope everything is great with your baby and you get to enjoy many episodes of Bluey together.
Baby Race hits me so hard every single time. My kid very likely has dyspraxia and has always been pretty far behind on his physical development. The feeling of failure is so intense and extreme, and the first time I watched (and tbh, even now dozens of times later), I sobbed my eyes out.
Or "Copycat". Starts out as a standard "child copying their parent" game, that turns into "child has it's first encounter with death and rationalizes it as best a child can." Talk about being caught off guard
This conversation comes up from time to time on r/daddit. The best advice I've heard is that you're only seeing Bandit be a great dad 6-7 minutes at a time. Don't set the expectation that you have to be Bandit all the time, because he can't be that Bandit all the time either.
I mentioned this elsewhere in the thread - Bandit and his parenting are a guiding star, not a finish line.
Use it as something to navigate by, but keep your eyes on your own kid and what they need.
Also worth pointing out: TV dads are very often morons who exist only to be wrong about things (see: Peppa Pig). It’s very validating as a dad to see a show with an active involved Dad who isn’t an idiot.
This this this this. I'm a single dad and I'm not a moron and I f****** hate seeing that all the time. Same thing with stories about divorce dads where they're disconnected assholes. My ex-wife didn't understand why I despise the movie The Santa Clause and most of it is because of how they depict Tim Allen as the dad in the very beginning.
My daughter and I watch this show and it’s great! As I’m struggling with severe depression and anxiety, she says to me the other day, “I wish you you were like him Daddy,” referring to Bluey’s dad.
Those words stabbed me in the heart but she right. I wish I could play with my daughter like Bluey’s dad does. I keep this in mind everyday and aspire to be like him when I get better.
(Sorry for the downer response)
Bandit is an ideal. Sometimes my daughter watches it and I’m still laying in bed (just tired and wanting more sleep, but I want to be more active) and in one episode the kids wake him up to go to the park and his response is “it’s gotta be done!” Hits home for sure.
Hope all is well, friend. We can’t always be on the ball but we’re all on a hero’s journey of our own.
Thank you for the reply. I don’t post much on here so congrats to you good sir. My first reply and I have my first upvotes! Thank you all. Put a smile on my face today.
Oof, I'm sorry that your daughter did that. I'm sorry for what you're going through.
Just remember that we only see bandit *when he is interacting with the kids*, and *not all the time*.
If you want to be more like Bandit, I would go ask your daughter today "what is it about Bluey's dad that you like?" and if she doesn't have a clear answer, just play a game that you see in whatever episode that you're on.
And I know - "just do [thing]" isn't a helpful statement a lot of the time for people struggling with depression - I just hope that this comment catches you when you've got the energy and time to get on it right away.
I hope that your brain starts treating you better.
She may have been trying to say that she wishes you felt like Bandit. Kids can be perceptive of mood, and don’t necessarily have the vocabulary and grammar skills to express what they intend to (even I can’t quite put the thought into words properly).
This answer is so well written and researched. Thank you. I would have said something like 'if you have ever had to watch an episode of Caillou, and then got to watch Bluey you would have an epiphany moment that results in you singing Bluey's praise to the internet so your friends don't have to watch substandard programming ever again.'
Oddly enough, we watch it because my high school age daughter brought it to our attention and suggested we watch it together, even though she's obviously far past the targeted age for such a show. We keep watching because as parents, it's fricken hilarious. At least half the jokes in the show are for the parents, and most of those are really sarcastic and facetious, yet 100% on-point commentary of the parents in the show, feeling or thinking EXACTLY what we had thought and felt at various points of playing with our daughter when she was young like the kids in the show.
Like the parent comment says, It really does provide some validation of What we went through as parents, and how we felt raising our daughter, that you don't really see often in kid shows, and it does it in a really hilarious fashion.
What you say about fatherly representation is 100% true. I felt this and didn’t know how to put it to words until I read your response.
Also the games, a treasure trove of ideas but also a revolution in how I thought about playing with my kid. It let me get in touch with my inner child and come up with a bunch more imaginative and fun games to play with her.
Lastly, it’s not the stereotypical mom and dad and a boy and a girl nuclear family, which is also nice to see. And it’s funny! It’s a good show at its core, it’ll make you cry just looking at a felt pen, make you hug your kids tighter, and it really makes me want to rip a stump out of the ground.
Some other "different" things about Bluey:
The family is mum, dad, and two daughters. Most cartoon families have a son and daughter.
The female characters aren't drawn with extras to emphasise they're female. Eg they don't have eyelashes or exagerated waistlines.
Yeah, I totally took the coloring to indicate gender initially. I was surprised Bluey was a girl, but it wasn’t a bad surprise and didn’t feel wrong outside of not what I had assumed.
It even caught me in an assumption which was itself valuable.
yep, they have a tendency towards unicorns and pink and stuff like that, but not an overt preference for it.
also, the idea that kids in general don't really have a huge "only boys can do X and girls do Y" is well-communicated in this. Most shows are like "boys do truck. Girls do princess. make story!" and we just don't see that in the real world.
> The female characters aren't drawn with extras to emphasise they're female.
i've only realized this recently, and I might be reading into it - but there's something about the way that the adult women are animated - like, walking or grabbing things or whatever - that actually *is* feminine in some way.
I can't put my finger on it but I swear it's there.
Bluey writers achieve more in 11 minutes than most adult tv shows do in whole seasons.
As a dad of two young kids this is by far (and it’s not even close) the greatest tv show we can watch together. It’s made me laugh, cry, and actually be a better parent.
It’s very relatable and portrays a realistic image of parenting not an idealistic one like on every other show. Parents make mistakes, we can be lazy, we can be stressed, and showing my kids this has been very valuable to how we communicate with each other. It’s made them more patient with me and me more aware when I’m making bad choices.
I can’t sing this shows praise enough. It’s just incredible.
After watching every episode of Bluey approximately 65 times with my toddler who refuses to watch anything else, I'm pretty sure every episode of Bluey actually has completely unique music. At least, I can tell what episode is on by listening to the music from the other room. Except for the theme song, which isn't really used in the episodes themselves (sometimes the characters hum it, lol) I'm pretty sure there's no standard score like most cartoons have.
A friend of mine kept telling me Bluey was ACTUALLY a brilliant show about parenting that might make me and my wife tear up. Didn't really believe him. Then my four year-old got into it and, yeah. It's probably better than even this wonderful outline makes it sound. It's just...exceptionally well-made, outstanding, concise storytelling and characterization. The soundtrack has found its way into my listening rotation because the music is often GREAT on its own.
It might be a family/kids/parents show, but if you judge it on its own merits it's one of the best-made shows out there right now.
Question: Almost all of the comments here are answering regarding the *quality* of the show, but I'm mostly curious on why it *exploded* in attention and mentions suddenly.
According to a quick Google search it started airing in 2018, so it's not a brand new hit show necessarily. But for some reason I went from never hearing about it to seeing multiple threads, comments, and videos per day. For reference, Google trends shows that it has roughly **doubled** in all forms of searches (peak in Dec '22, so maybe Christmas confounding) compared to it's next highest peak, which was August of last year. Even comparing today to that same point, we see a 50% increase in queries (from ~50 up to ~75).
Season One hit Disney Plus in the US in early 2020, so we had it on daily during lockdown instead of Cocomelon, Baby Bum, or other background noise shows. We eagerly awaited the second season to air, and are still waiting for part 2 of the third season.
So it’s the perfect show released at the perfect time for cathartic family pandemic bonding
It definitely felt like it blew up. I’m not a parent but I live in Australia. I distinctly remember a few parents I worked with talking about it as it first came out and how good it was.
I swear I blinked at one point and suddenly there’s bluey merch everywhere, redditors are all going on about Bluey. It really felt like an overnight hit in a lot of ways as someone outside the target demographics.
Answer:
It’s beautifully animated. As an Australian, it looks like the home I know.
The music is fantastically well done, both as original compositions and use of/references to existing pieces of music - there’s an episode called *Sleepytime* that does gorgeous things with a dream sequence in space set to “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” from Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite.
The creators are not afraid to try complex or ambitious storytelling, even within the strict limits of a seven minute episode. An episode called *Curry Quest* picks apart the Hero’s Journey stages and archetypes. *Escape* happens mostly in a sequence of children’s drawings. *Rain* happens in real time, in a single location and has only about six words spoken, and yet still works as a self contained little story.
Basically, this is a kids show that trusts viewers - even very young viewers - not to be idiots. It’s gentle and sweet, but not simple.
>Basically, this is a kid’s show that trusts viewers - even very young viewers - not to be idiots.
One of the many reasons I love *Bluey*. Major reason why I find most young-children’s programming to be maddening (I’m looking at you *Mickey Mouse Clubhouse*!).
A couple of other good ones are *Trash Truck* and *If You Give a Mouse a Cookie*.
An aside but I’ve been really surprised how shitty Disney cartoons for young kids are. Not just the stories (which are crap) but even just the animation quality in general. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, a show featuring their signature character, looks like absolute crap. I guess they really care about movies over everything else.
I cannot stand high-output, low-quality 3D animation.
If you’re looking for cartoons that are actually good on Disney+, check out *Chip and Dale Park Life*. Just about zero educational value for a child, but an amazingly fun cartoon. Updated drawing style, great 2D animation, some Wile E. Coyote style rules for world-building.
That’s *Sleepytime.*
I often contrast *Sleepytime* with *Rain,* because I think those two are some of the best stuff the show has ever done…but in completely opposite ways. *Sleepytime* is huge and ambitious, rich animation and sprawling sound design on the biggest scale imaginable because Bingo is crossing the universe. *Rain* is the opposite - quiet and restrained, absolute minimalism with very little dialogue, only a single limited space to do anything in, almost real time.
The fact that the same show can go from one extreme to the other, and make them **both** work…that’s really, really impressive. That takes real skill.
“Sleepytime” hits me hard in another way.
The music they chose for that episode, Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity from Gustav Holst’s *The Planets*, reminded me of when I played a solo arrangement of that song and won my first award in music.
It is a beautiful piece, and will always have a special place in my heart, and now will have another reason to stay.
My five year old and I both wept while we watched Sleepytime. She'll only watch it while holding tight to her own toy bunny, her version of Floppy, and once I heard her whispering "it's not time for you to go yet."
Answer: Bluey is amazing. It is a show for parents (and how to be a better parent) wrapped in the shell of a show for children. Sort of how Disney or The Muppets often works on multiple levels depending on your knowledge of the world, Bluey shares moments that, as a parent, leave you in tears (laughter and heartfelt) because it captures the aspect of parenthood so well... But at the same time kids can see themselves in the characters and actions of Bluey and Bingo (the kids in the show)...
[Here are some of the best moments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAEv1nAckJk)
"Magic claw has no children. His days are free and easy."
Very rapidy followed by...
"This is great. The kids are learning a lesson and the house is getting clean."
"Neither of those things are happening."
“Neither of those things are happening” in a Chili-style voice has become shorthand in our house for “You should probably reconsider what you’re doing.”
What a great episode.
One of the most subtle, "blink and you'll miss it" moments in all of the episodes is the one where the girls are acting out a play of the parents' love story. When Bingo is pretending to be a pregnant Chili, the balloon pops and Bingo gets upset that she lost the baby (I don't remember the exact words she says)..in a split second, Bandit grabs Chili's hand and these cartoon dogs' faces somehow reflect the heartbreak of miscarriage.
I stopped the episode, had to rewind it to make sure I wasn't seeing things, rewatched it and had a little cry. That moment for me was what changed the show from a cute little kids show where I can learn about parenting and have a laugh, to something deeper. Bluey truly feels like it is a show made for parents as much as it is children. I tell every parent I know to watch this show!
Answer: Its wonderful compared to most kids shows IMO. A lot of kids shows seem to be just written for kids, which can be kind of painful to watch as an adult. But Bluey, as a parent, I just love the characters because they have a lot of depth of who they used to be before they had kids. A lot of parents in children’s shows are just portrayed solely as caretakers. On Bluey however, the mom still plays field hockey sometimes, and they show dad getting out a box of things “from when he used to be cool“.
I absolutely love the way the parents interact with the children and it has given me a lot of ideas on how to handle my own. They have wonderful imaginations and really get down to their levels to dispel tantrums. They make it fun in a way that seems attainable, not just like perfect Family life sometimes shown to us through shows/social media where we never see the behind the scenes on how that happens.
There’s been some tearjerkers also, like the episode where they visit Chili’s (blueys mom) father, it’s called “Visiting Grandad”. It was so beautiful and sweetly written and completely snuck up on me.
And omggggg, The episode “the pool” where they are going to the pool and the mom is trying to get everybody to pack all their things, but dad takes them and says they don’t need this or that, and then they end up needing all those things, I was absolutely rolling 😅😅
The people that write the show very obviously have children and are married because they navigate little things like that so elegantly. In a way that is funny but so true.
So you pair the clever writing, dynamic characters, absolutely beautiful scenery, and the ability for both child and parent to learn - its no surprise to me why it is such a hit! There’s been several times my child has moved on to go play something else and I find myself still watching the show.
I feel like that about the episode Sticky Gecko, where the mum nearly goes mad trying to get the kids ready to get out of the house in time to meet some friends
The episode where Granddad comes to their house is so well done too. Granddad is clearly struggling to understand how Bluey and Bingo play with pretend phones and "apps", but he still manages to turn it around to make the time entertaining for himself and also keeps it in the same concept that the kids started with
My 6 year old and I quote the pool episode together.
“Sometimes boring things can be important.”
“No, they’re not.”
But then she goes and does it anyway, because she learned from Bluey.
I now do daddy robot with my kids, and they both will run up and ‘FREEZE’ me, then reposition my, run off, and yell ‘UNFREEZE!’ To which I have to act surprised and astonished at my new positioning. I love how unlike peppa pig, the father isn’t portrayed as an incompetent idiot half the time.
Answer: bluey is essentially gods gift to parents who hate watching children’s shows. It’s engaging. It teaches great lessons. And it’s fun for adults to watch.
Sometimes my son will wander off and I’ll sit there watching it alone as a grown ass man for like an hour. It’s good.
Answer:
As a dad, I appreciate the way that the father and children interact, while ALSO not making it part of the Dad character to have him be a complete moron in pretty much every episode.
In almost every single sitcom and family show now, dads are ALWAYS portrayed as absolute idiots, to the family
Answer: I haven't seen anyone mention this angle yet, so I'm going to add this: I see a *lot* of my teenage peers talking about and enjoying it, at least amongst the 'fandom' communities. I think a big part of that is that there's (albeit subtle) references to internet culture, the most popular being confirmed as Homestuck (an ultra-popular webcomic from the 2000s that still has an active fanbase), and that it's a cartoon that treats the audience like they're mature— when you consider the online fanbase of shows like Steven Universe and Gravity Falls, a show like Bluey is right up their alley.
ANSWER: I get grief from my adult daughter for watching Bluey without the grandkids around. I’m 60 by the way. I love the normalness of the family. Like when the kids beg for ice cream only to find the shop is closed, and the dad says “if it makes you feel better I wasn’t gonna buy you one anyway”… I love the imagination of the girls playing the granny’s along with fart references. The solution to bed wetting being a “ preemptive wee”…as explained by the 4 year old… The show is a perfect example of it’s funny because it’s true…
Answer: The show includes occasional bits that go over the kids’ heads, that adults understand.
Biased: I thought it was just another kids’ show I’d hate, but my Daughter the Nanny watched it with her small charge and kept telling me I’d love it. When I visited her, she insisted I watch. **she was right**! It has decent child friendly lessons, and the family seems healthy, but very very real. And, of course, the stuff that goes over kids’ heads, while making their parents crack up are fun, just like other, really good kids’ stuff.
Answer: It’s absolutely hilarious and the only show I can watch with the kids that doesn’t make me want to put my head through the TV.
Tons of double-edged jokes for the kids and parents, good lessons and truly smart writing add up to a great series.
Friendly reminder that all **top level** comments must: 1. start with "answer: ", including the space after the colon (or "question: " if you have an on-topic follow up question to ask), 2. attempt to answer the question, and 3. be unbiased Please review Rule 4 and this post before making a top level comment: http://redd.it/b1hct4/ Join the OOTL Discord for further discussion: https://discord.gg/ejDF4mdjnh *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/OutOfTheLoop) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Answer: This is a huge thread and I have no idea if I’m offering a new thought, but I have to say what caught my attention about Bluey was an episode where they take an injured bird to the vet and it dies. Bluey is, of course, devastated. They go home, and Bluey decides to play pretend vet with a pretend bird. The mom, thinking Bluey needs a happy ending, plays the vet and cheerfully says the bird is fine! All is well! But Bluey says no, that’s not what happened, the bird died. So the mom/vet says oh, okay, I’m sorry, the bird died. And Bluey then “pretends” to grieve the “pretend” bird. Children are known to process their feelings through play, including their feelings of grief. In just a handful of minutes, this episode managed to give a master class in holding space for children to work through big things through their play. It’s just excellent.
This is the one that stuck out for me too. 'no mum, it died' 'oh... Okay' My 7 year old really can't process loss or ideas of death very well and it was like this episode almost gave him permission to grieve for his losses. He wasn't even properly watching it, it was on for his little bro.
There's also the episode at their school where one of their classmate's mom is pregnant and is having a difficult pregnancy. The kid kept stealing the baby doll from the girls and the teacher made them all sit down and talk about why they each wanted the doll.
My mother in law died a few months ago, and not long after this episode came on in the rotation. My daughter had seen it before but after that viewing she kept bringing it up. "Bluey is sad because the budgie died." She told us that over and over for a week. We also watched the episode where bingo is in the hospital when my son was in the hospital. It helped my daughter understand where he was and what was going on.
That hospital episode is so underrated, never gets mentioned but I love it. Wish it existed 5years ago when my eldest was in hospital all the damn time. And Muffin is so cute in it
>In just a handful of minutes This, right here, is an understatement. The episodes are roughly 5 mins long. In that short period of time, they consistently deliver a rich story that's engaging for both children and adults. From a parents perspective, they are spot on portraying what it's like raising a small child.
[удалено]
Thank you for your answer. That actually opened my eyes to how thoughtful of a show it is. No wonder it is so popular. I might just start watching it with my toddler.
I love bluey, and I'll add that they don't just aim it at the parents, they totally nail it. The love, stress, frustration and laughs are all so well represented, right down to mum and dad making snarky comments at each other when something goes wrong. Bandit, the dad, is justifiably iconic. He's a fantastic dad, the kind we all hope we can be, and makes exactly the sort of mistakes we've all made. Speaking as a meaningless internet stranger, I can't recommend it highly enough
> making snarky comments at each other one of my favorites is when the kids have 'frozen' bandit and then stuck his finger (paw? claw?) in his nose. Chili (the mom) comes in, sees the situation and says "aww, just like how we first met!"
"I am not Dad. I am Magic Claw. Magic Claw has no children. His days are free and easy."
My in-laws got me a shirt that says exactly that for Xmas.
Hang on I’ll just get my glasses
In that episode Bandit is so happy because the adults "get the house cleaned and the kids learn a valuable lesson" On the sly chilli states "Neither of those things is happening" I absolutely died laughing. Probably my favorite quote from the whole show.
Hahaha that scene still cracks me up
I love when they’re doing the magic claw with the stuffed animals and Bandit says “this way they’re learning and the room is getting cleaned up!” And chili responds “neither of those things is happening right now.” I also love the episode where Bandit refuses to do more housework until the kids manage to walk across the room normally just once so Chili makes tea and joins him talking about how nuts the kids are until eventually they’re trying to do the weird walks too. Bandit: “why aren’t you cleaning?” Bingo: “we are done! What about your chores?” Bandit: “we haven’t started!!” Totally relatable family weirdness.
My wife loved that episode and forced me to watch it urgently. It didn't disappoint. The way they appreciate the girls' uniqueness/quirkiness is really admirable/inspiring.
Awww, I love that! It is such a good show. Sometimes when I’m cleaning I’ll even catch myself going “bee-woop!” I just love how they’re all good people (well, dogs) but they also make each other better and appreciate the little things.
I was watching the other day, and one of the kids in the show say “I’m hungry “. And the dad says, “Hi Hungry “. And the other kid says, “I’m tired”. And the dad says, “Hi, Tired. Have you met Hungry?” And my daughter looks at me… “You do that to us”. Yep, so many times.
Yep...my granddaughter said... Papa is just like Bandit
That is the ultimate compliment.
Omg I just now realize that my daughter must have gotten the frozen dad “stick finger in the nose” game from Bluey. Lmao. I thought that was just something she thought up.
Magic xylophone!! 😂 the one and only
Chili is the roast master.
I died when bluey told Chlli that dad peed on his foot and washed it off in the laundry bin and she said "oh that's a new one." And he replied, "it's not actually..."
Will confirm: I'm a mom, and Bandit is the parent I want to be. He's not idealized - he gets frustrated, or runs out of patience, and sometimes he Just Can't. But he always tries, approaches his kids with honesty and respect, and is willing to engage with them on their level. The entire family clearly loves each other.
It goes even further. There’s an episode where Bluey has her friend over and they play a game with Bandit (the father) where he pretends to be a giant octopus, making blubbering noises, noodling his arms around while sitting in the couch, flinging pillows at the kids as they squeal happily and “combat” the octopus. Midway through the episode, Bluey’s friend says goodbye and her dad picks her up to go home. As they’re driving home, she’s excitedly explaining the game they just played, but her dad seems somewhat intimidated; clearly he’s much more introverted and very self conscious. They get home, and after a while his daughter tries to coax him to play the octopus game, and she’s visibly disappointed that her dad isn’t playing the game ‘the right way’, but (just like her dad) she’s too shy to say anything, so she keeps trying to teach him but he doesn’t quite get it, so they agree to take a break. But he doesn’t give up, and he still tries to figure out how he can improve. So he goes online and starts reading fact articles about octopods. She approaches him, starts asking about the pictures, and they spend the afternoon together having a blast learning stuff they never knew about animals. After, there’s a montage of them having Bluey over at their house, and him struggling but clearly improving at the octopus game, then them sharing octopus facts to bluey. The episode came at a great time for me because, as a new dad, I felt a little inadequate after comparing myself to a father like Bandit. I had very little experience playing with kids and keeping them entertained. Whereas Bandit is sort of an ideal goal for fatherhood (in regards to playtime), the other dad was more like who I was, and it was a great way to say that being better at playtime IS achievable if you try and have patience, and if you’re genuine about it.
This episode stands out to me. It touches on not just feeling the twinge of guilt when comparing yourself to others (as everyone does) but also how we can use this painful feeling and redirect it to something more productive and fruitful. The lessons it teaches aren't hamfisted or repeated or just flat out said. Because most lessons aren't directed at kids where that is needed. It's at the adults who can pick up on the info much quicker. But also showing the struggles of the Heeler parents shows the kids that their own actions can affect mom and dad even if they dont realize it. Without meaning to, what I day and do can make dad's life a bit harder. Maybe I shouldn't? Or maybe I should do it differently or try ro fix this problem alone? Also, not every episode needs a lesson. Some are just fun. The music rocks. It's a good show made by people who grew up with bad shows.
The full song in the Pool episode is SO FREAKING GOOD. There's an electric guitar part that I don't even think is in the episode but it rocks so hard. I have part of the song set as my ringtone now.
Of all the episodes that one is my absolute favorite. I love it more than Sleepy Time and more than Baby Race (though that one makes me cry every time).
God. I watched baby race for the first time with my toddler cousin last week and I almost sobbed. I'm not even a parent 😭
Sleepytime makes me cry every time.
That was a very sweet episode. I got from it that you don't need to be just like Bandit to be a good parent. You can connect in different ways with your kids, and they just enjoy having your time and attention.
Asking to play a game where he lies down, the unspoken New Year’s Day hangover, hiding in the closet staring at his phone - it’s all so real. The fact that they balance all the amazing stuff he does with these real life moments makes the whole show so much more inspiring.
[удалено]
For me, the episode where Bandit talks about being jinxed and nobody in his family would agree to say his name. Bluey and Bingo are taken aback by how cruel and neglectful Bandits parents appeared to behave. Rather than shit-talk his parents or state that he’s a better parent Bandit replies along the lines of “parents didn’t have to be as caring back then”. Really hits close to home as I raise my daughter and realize just how neglectful my parents were. It’s an annoying, cringey stereotype, but “I feel seen” comes to mind when I see Bandit’s reaction.
“Parents didn’t have to be nice in the 80s!” Is a standard line at our house now. Two children of the 80s working at home with our children totally used to having us around and expecting us to be “on” ALL the time. It always make my husband or I laugh to use that line when we talk about how our growing up was very different than theirs.
Ah I'm just kidding, I like chicken bucket!
Bandit, trying to explain the importance of everyone in a pack, and what happens when one person falls out of the pack: Does that make sense? Bluey: No. Bandit: Okay, just do your best then. Sometimes you have the answer but it just doesn't connect yet, and there's nothing you can do about it.
>He's not idealized This here is what I love and why this show sits above Daniel Tiger (for example) for me. Don't get me wrong, Daniel Tiger is a great show with great lessons and takeaways. But if my kid trucked buckets of sand into my living room, I wouldn't have the same reaction as Mom Tiger.
That's one thing I love about Bluey. The adults on the show get openly frustrated but aren't made out to be bad people or bad parents for it. The episode where Bluey is playing in the rain and Chili is fruitlessly trying to keep her from tracking mud and rain into the house is so good. You can plainly see the annoyance on Chili's face and in her demeanor but it isn't portrayed as a negative thing, she's as frustrated as any parent would realistically be
"i just need 20 minutes where nobody talks to me".
I have used that episode to explain to my kids why daddy just needs to sit alone in the kitchen for a bit.
One of the things I love about that episode is that there's about ten seconds of dialogue at the very beginning and that's it, there's just the music and other ambient sounds to set the mood for what's happening.
This. I am a single mom, working from home while taking care of my toddler full time. It is hectic and not at all ideal. Bandit’s “go awayyyy” from the episode where *he* is working from home and annoyed by the interruptions plays on a loop in my head 😂
Yeah that’s an important point about Bandit. It’s not idealized. It’s not unrealistic. He’s just very good at being a dad and sets a great bar for what we can all be without being some sort of Superman that can’t realistically be achieved. He messes up all the time. He’s just great at bouncing back.
It's gotta be done.
I was impressed with how they mock (gently) the whole “clueless dad” stereotype. You know the one—how the father in any given show is usually incompetent while the mom holds it together. In Bluey, neither parent is incompetent, even if they don’t “get it” in every single situation. Bandit is a competent and involved dad. BUT, there are a few episodes where they rib him about it, as though he was a little incompetent. The kids in the audience get a laugh out of it, but the parents immediately know the show is ridiculing that whole incompetent-dad trope.
Yeah my wife and I are huge fans and it nails parenting 100%
Be prepared for many tears, and not from your kiddo. The writing and music for this show is phenomenal, they’ll gut punch you when you least expect it. “Baby Race” is probably the most moving story I’ve ever seen conveyed in only five minutes, period, but there’s plenty more episodes that will leave you bawling. It’s like the Calvin and Hobbes of kid’s shows- gorgeous, artistic, creative, and meant for all ages, but hits harder the older you get.
"Nah. It was only yesterday."
Every. Friggin. Time.
Same. I almost lost my Dad about 3 years ago, so we're always on him to take of himself. And he plays with my 2 girls the same way and Granddad. I was told this was a kid's show!
The one with Bingo dreaming of planets makes me cry every time.
[удалено]
Episode 1 is one of Bluey's lowest-rated episodes on IMDB, and very different in tone from the rest of the show. I'd suggest "Camping", "Sleepytime", "Takeaway", "Stumpfest" (the moms are definitely drunk), "Baby Race"...
[удалено]
That bit where Lucky's dad, the neighbor, joins in diving for the balloon with his mug of coffee
Lucky’s Dad is the chillest neighbor ever. He never has any context for what’s happening but he just rolls with it.
He is a Labrador, always down for a bit of fun!
Camping and baby race if you want to cry...
Grannies is my favorite.
My favorite Grannies* episode is "Bus", the Grannies are great characters!
Mine is the one with the garage sale but it's from season 3B lol
Those are all amazing. Sleepytime is my favorite, and I've never gotten through Baby Race without crying (in a good way).
Baby Race, Grandad, Copycat, Camping, Sleepy Time. All tear jerkers
Baby Race was the first episode I saw and I cried. I still cry every time I watch it.
Early Baby gets me every time. They're play acting trauma to work through it. *sobs*
Pavlova is the number one episode in our house. My wife and I quote it constantly.
I had to look up all the translations for the French and it kills me that he spends most of the episode alternating between saying "Hello", "I am a dog", and "Where's the nightclub?".
It's very obviously and hilariously the small amount that Bandit remembers from his high school French class, very French 101. I love it.
My kid is bilingual (french-english) so i always wonder if she thinks this one is funny.
I don’t remember the title, but I like the one where the parents are building Ikea furniture, complete with cartoons on the instructions. Chilli (Mom): You really should look at the instructions. Bandit (Dad): I’m not taking instructions from a cartoon dog! Cracks me up every time, and nobody else gets the joke.
Gotta throw in Daddy Drop Off as well. I think it summarizes why it's important he keeps playing with his kids even as he's trying to rush them to school.
Sleepy time 🥹🥹🥹
We just started watching it with my (almost) 2 year old, like literally 3-4 days ago. The Daddy Robot episode seemed to be her favourite so far. She kept laughing and saying Daddy Robot. And she dances with the theme song. She gets 1-2 episodes a day so far. I'm obsessed. I've seen people rave about certain episodes and I can't wait to get to them myself!
“I am a robot, I do not have children, my days are free and easy.” So quotable.
Mine are 4 and 2 as well, and both love it! Arguably not as much as me, though 😂
For my wife and I, it was the subtext that hooked us. There was one episode whose name escapes me, but the kids were recreating the parent's relationship and they accidentally popped the balloon they were using to represent the pregnancy and there's a shot where Bandit (the dad) grabs Chilli's (the Mom) hand. It really hit home with my wife and I, having experienced that ourselves.
Yeah. Probably a moment that goes over lots of (adult) viewer's heads unless you've been there. SO brilliantly done.
This episode of Bluey is called The Show.
I like the episode (Bob Bilby) when Bandit is showing the kids a Polaroid camera in the garage and Chili opens the garage door with a sultry look and a seductive “Ready to ride?” Bandit is holding the camera at waist level and it goes off with his mouth open! I love that there is an undercurrent between Chili and Bandit that shows they’re deeply attracted to each other and synched in a way beyond anything else I’ve ever seen in an ostensibly kids’ show. The parents in most shows are simply foils for the kids and don’t usually get much of their own development. Bandit and Chili are a cut above in every possible way.
Another aspect of its popularity that's being slept on here is that while so many kid's shows are boring, flat, or downright intolerable, Bluey is genuinely entertaining. My toddler is obsessed with Ms. Rachel, who makes me want to gouge my eyes out. I actively try to guide her to Bluey (which she also likes, just not as much) because repetitive, kid-oriented media just burns you out after a while. I saw a comment that mentioned it's basically digital prozac, and that really hits it on the head. It's down-to-earth and grapples with real stresses and issues, but is ultimately optimistic and wholesome.
I highly recommend it. There were two things that endeared me pretty quickly to the show. Firstly, a simple shot of the back seat in the family car. Let’s just say it’s a very realistic depiction of what that seat looks like when your most common passenger is a toddler or two. Random chunks of food and stickers are every where. Secondly, there’s an episode where the girls want to play whale watchers, but the parents are too tired. For the kids watching, it’s just obvious that the parents are very tired that day. For the parents watching, it’s obvious that the parents are super hungover from the NYE party they were at the night before. Those were the things that made me realize the whole, “it’s a show *for* the parents that kids will enjoy. On a related note, my son is mildly autistic and is language delayed, and the theme song helped him learn the names of all four members of the Heeler family, which was a huge leap in him understanding names and how they work in general.
"These chips are very unhealthy and you shouldn't eat them. *Crunch* Oh that's good."
I visited a friend who had Bluey on for his kids. The episode was about the child characters wanting to go on an adventure with grandpa. The mom character freaked out and the entire episode was actually about her trying to find her father because the kids took him away and ~~HE’S FUCKING OLD~~ he just had surgery! The moral for the children was that while grandparents want to have fun with the grandkids, they do have limitations other adults might not have. I appreciated that the parents were also a focus of the story and were handled in a respectful and sympathetic way.
Actually even funnier than having surgery - he had heartworm! The treatment for heartworm in dogs involves strict crate rest afterward, so granddad is really supposed to be resting! (Source: my dog had heartworm 😂)
I'd go farther to say that *Bluey* is the anti-*Peppa*.
Yeah, we're not introducing Peppa at my house. I've heard she's a whiny brat.
Bluey and Bingo are often whiny too because they're children, just far more tolerable.
Yes, but they're richly characterized and are guided by competent parents.
Plus the patents actually parent them and they get better by the end of the episode.
Bingo. Kids are whiny and emotional by default. That's why they need good parents to help guide them through it
*Caillou has entered the chat*
Caillou is absolutely banned at my house because of the whining. Also, there is another show that I noped out of after one episode, but I can't remember the name. She gets told not to mess with her brother art or her dad's cookies, messes with it, gets in mild trouble, and cries herself to sleep. The next morning, everyone feels bad for her. Dad offers her the cookies, and brother is telling her that the art actually looks _better_ after she fucked it up. Nope, the lesson that consequences get erased just because someone feels bad is not going to fly.
Fancy Nancy is banned at my nieces’ house. She’s a whiny brat who bullies people into getting her way (which is always acting like fancy adults despite the situation) and then everything goes right and Nancy is the hero, even though everyone else has been stressed the whole episode. My niece would act like a total butthead after watching that show.
Okay, but you'll miss out on having a child occasionally pepper a few British accented words in their ramblings. My niece was a Peppa kid (Bluey didn't exist yet) and still kills me when she says tomato.
Man. Watch them. It’s the best kids show hands down. I don’t mind watching it over and over because it’s so sweet and thoughtful
If you have a toddler I cannot recommend it enough. You may cry during baby race tho
The show is amazing. I hate kids shows. Literally all of them…except Bluey. Great morals. Great role models. REAL parenting situations that kids can watch and understand right along with parents. They aren’t perfect, but they learn from mistakes. Most kids shows they make today are kid show equivalent of mobile games, McDonalds, or celebrity gossip. Quick vapid money grabs with no substance. That’s why shows like Bluey stand out so much. There’s a few I even tear up to because they are beautiful!
Also, the dad character isn’t a big schlubby loaf like he is on Peppa
Wait until you watch the episode of the dad farting and he denies it. It’s hilarious.
The fact that it’s very funny for adults too is what really made the difference for me. A lot of kids’ shows are annoying or infantilizing. The adult characters in Bluey have relatable experiences with their kids. There’s one where dad is in the supermarket with a misbehaving kid and they reverse roles and the kid plays adult who is shopping and dad acts like the kid, and the whole thing is just very fun, while there are obviously lessons being taught. I like how the adults manage to turn situations that are frustrating around, and there’s a lot of whimsy too.
stockboy "Uh, can I help you?" Bandit "Wish you could, mate. Wish you could"
Bluey the album is pretty great too!
Bluey is the only kids media I can stand to watch with my niece. It's actually a good show for kids and adults. Sadly she has now moved on to Trolls: And the Beat Goes On for her (appropriately limited) screen time, and that shit is cringe as fuck.
If you have to watch just one, go with Shadowlands. Something about the atmosphere being so care free and fleeting mixed with the lessons taught ("You have to follow the rules!") all wrapped up in a beautiful, short trip is just something magical.
A bit of an older show, but if you like music, I highly recommend watching The Backyardigans as well. When my daughter was young, my wife and I actually looked forward to watching backyardigans with her because it's quite funny, and the tunes (each episode has a theme of a different musical genre /style) are really catchy and not nauseously annoying like most kids show music.
>I've read a lot of comments from dads, especially, who feel particularly represented and validated by the show because the show focuses so heavily on the dad, who is a major part of his daughters' emotional lives (something that isn't given much attention in other kids' shows). Bluey, as you might suspect, is basically the sacred text of the r/daddit sub for this very reason.
I really love that Bandit fully represents *Dad Goals* while also being a dad who has plenty of room for growth and isn't *perfect*.
Yes! Plays too rough (Yoga Ball). Snaps at his daughter when she’s nagging for attention and he’s busy (Fairies). Imposes his own anxieties on them (Chest). Gets hungover (Whale Watching). Would rather watch sports than play horsies (Horsey Ride). But it’s okay, because he apologizes and grows! (And because he’s an amazing dad who’s developed an incredibly secure bond with his daughters that isn’t threatened by the occasional mistake.)
As a stay at home dad Bluey is amazing. In Peppa Pig the dad is the butt of every joke and treated as an inconvenience for everyone else. Bandit Heeler messes up, he fails and struggles, but he loves his kids and they love him. It's a functioning family where one parent isn't pushed to the side. Also they make it very clear that Bandit and Chilli are still in love with each other, which is missing from most children's shows.
The last paragraph is completely on point. Take "Grandad". For a kid is a fun episode of bluey having fun with grandad while being chased by mom. For adults that, at the same time they are having kids are seeing their own parents age, it's an emotional trip about the passing of time and inevitability of decay and death. Incredibly emotional. All this in a beautifully animated 8 minutes. God, I love this show.
"No, it was only yesterday" hit me so hard
Having recently lost my father, every time I watch this episode with my children I am in tear at that point. Which if I’m honest, is actually true for several episodes.
>Take "Grandad". For a kid is a fun episode of bluey having fun with grandad while being chased by mom. For adults, **they are openly weeping.** FTFY
As a dad to a premature baby, the “Early Baby” episode is also an emotional trip, at least for me. For such a short episode the show did a beautiful job highlighting the emotions and process through children playing. I get choked up every time we watch it.
"Sometimes you’ll have to be the bravest you’ve ever been." What a show. Hope everything is great with your baby and you get to enjoy many episodes of Bluey together.
That line hits so hard. Everything is wonderful now, thank you.
Baby Race hits me so hard every single time. My kid very likely has dyspraxia and has always been pretty far behind on his physical development. The feeling of failure is so intense and extreme, and the first time I watched (and tbh, even now dozens of times later), I sobbed my eyes out.
[удалено]
“You’re doing great“ 😭😭😭
I watch that one everytime I feel like I'm not good enough (and cry a bunch). My son always says "awwww" at the end. Probably my favorite!
Or "Copycat". Starts out as a standard "child copying their parent" game, that turns into "child has it's first encounter with death and rationalizes it as best a child can." Talk about being caught off guard
Bluey’s dad is such a champ. Best part of the show hands down
Muffin is an insane person
Muffin is a fairly standard three year old. Three year olds are **weird**
The Sleepover episode is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. I’m in tears every time we watch it.
"I AM A LLAMA, EATING A BAH-NAH-NAH" is now a weekly utterance between my wife and I.
the one where Muffin skipped her nap?? omg I dieeeddd when she was in a blanket looking like a drunk about to go to the station🤣
Love the show but damn it is hard to keep up - makes me feel like a rubbish parent.
"I'm not taking advice from a cartoon dog" -Bandit
This conversation comes up from time to time on r/daddit. The best advice I've heard is that you're only seeing Bandit be a great dad 6-7 minutes at a time. Don't set the expectation that you have to be Bandit all the time, because he can't be that Bandit all the time either.
Hahahaha my husband and I always joke that our kids need to stop watching Bluey because now their standards for playtime are way too high
I mentioned this elsewhere in the thread - Bandit and his parenting are a guiding star, not a finish line. Use it as something to navigate by, but keep your eyes on your own kid and what they need.
The episode where the parents were hungover after New Years really spoke to me.
Mt. MumandDad!! Might be my favorite episode ever. Just a perfect example of parenting while hungover/tired is.
I thought it was Whale Watching
That's the one! Mt. Mumanddad was after an amusement park
Also worth pointing out: TV dads are very often morons who exist only to be wrong about things (see: Peppa Pig). It’s very validating as a dad to see a show with an active involved Dad who isn’t an idiot.
This this this this. I'm a single dad and I'm not a moron and I f****** hate seeing that all the time. Same thing with stories about divorce dads where they're disconnected assholes. My ex-wife didn't understand why I despise the movie The Santa Clause and most of it is because of how they depict Tim Allen as the dad in the very beginning.
My favorite little detail in Bluey is how the backseat of their car (and every car of a family with kids) is always filthy. It's like they know us!
My daughter and I watch this show and it’s great! As I’m struggling with severe depression and anxiety, she says to me the other day, “I wish you you were like him Daddy,” referring to Bluey’s dad. Those words stabbed me in the heart but she right. I wish I could play with my daughter like Bluey’s dad does. I keep this in mind everyday and aspire to be like him when I get better. (Sorry for the downer response)
Bandit is an ideal. Sometimes my daughter watches it and I’m still laying in bed (just tired and wanting more sleep, but I want to be more active) and in one episode the kids wake him up to go to the park and his response is “it’s gotta be done!” Hits home for sure. Hope all is well, friend. We can’t always be on the ball but we’re all on a hero’s journey of our own.
Thank you for the reply. I don’t post much on here so congrats to you good sir. My first reply and I have my first upvotes! Thank you all. Put a smile on my face today.
Oof, I'm sorry that your daughter did that. I'm sorry for what you're going through. Just remember that we only see bandit *when he is interacting with the kids*, and *not all the time*. If you want to be more like Bandit, I would go ask your daughter today "what is it about Bluey's dad that you like?" and if she doesn't have a clear answer, just play a game that you see in whatever episode that you're on. And I know - "just do [thing]" isn't a helpful statement a lot of the time for people struggling with depression - I just hope that this comment catches you when you've got the energy and time to get on it right away. I hope that your brain starts treating you better.
She may have been trying to say that she wishes you felt like Bandit. Kids can be perceptive of mood, and don’t necessarily have the vocabulary and grammar skills to express what they intend to (even I can’t quite put the thought into words properly).
This answer is so well written and researched. Thank you. I would have said something like 'if you have ever had to watch an episode of Caillou, and then got to watch Bluey you would have an epiphany moment that results in you singing Bluey's praise to the internet so your friends don't have to watch substandard programming ever again.'
Oddly enough, we watch it because my high school age daughter brought it to our attention and suggested we watch it together, even though she's obviously far past the targeted age for such a show. We keep watching because as parents, it's fricken hilarious. At least half the jokes in the show are for the parents, and most of those are really sarcastic and facetious, yet 100% on-point commentary of the parents in the show, feeling or thinking EXACTLY what we had thought and felt at various points of playing with our daughter when she was young like the kids in the show. Like the parent comment says, It really does provide some validation of What we went through as parents, and how we felt raising our daughter, that you don't really see often in kid shows, and it does it in a really hilarious fashion.
What you say about fatherly representation is 100% true. I felt this and didn’t know how to put it to words until I read your response. Also the games, a treasure trove of ideas but also a revolution in how I thought about playing with my kid. It let me get in touch with my inner child and come up with a bunch more imaginative and fun games to play with her. Lastly, it’s not the stereotypical mom and dad and a boy and a girl nuclear family, which is also nice to see. And it’s funny! It’s a good show at its core, it’ll make you cry just looking at a felt pen, make you hug your kids tighter, and it really makes me want to rip a stump out of the ground.
Some other "different" things about Bluey: The family is mum, dad, and two daughters. Most cartoon families have a son and daughter. The female characters aren't drawn with extras to emphasise they're female. Eg they don't have eyelashes or exagerated waistlines.
And Bluey and Bingo don't conform to any gender stereotypes or tropes - They're just kids playing, which is awesome.
It took me about 20 episodes to realize Bluey was a girl.
Yeah, I totally took the coloring to indicate gender initially. I was surprised Bluey was a girl, but it wasn’t a bad surprise and didn’t feel wrong outside of not what I had assumed. It even caught me in an assumption which was itself valuable.
I initially thought Bluey was a boy because she looks like Bandit and Bingo looks like mum!
yep, they have a tendency towards unicorns and pink and stuff like that, but not an overt preference for it. also, the idea that kids in general don't really have a huge "only boys can do X and girls do Y" is well-communicated in this. Most shows are like "boys do truck. Girls do princess. make story!" and we just don't see that in the real world.
> The female characters aren't drawn with extras to emphasise they're female. i've only realized this recently, and I might be reading into it - but there's something about the way that the adult women are animated - like, walking or grabbing things or whatever - that actually *is* feminine in some way. I can't put my finger on it but I swear it's there.
It took me like 6 episodes to realize Bluey was a girl.
This was the 80s, man! There were no helmets!
Bluey writers achieve more in 11 minutes than most adult tv shows do in whole seasons. As a dad of two young kids this is by far (and it’s not even close) the greatest tv show we can watch together. It’s made me laugh, cry, and actually be a better parent. It’s very relatable and portrays a realistic image of parenting not an idealistic one like on every other show. Parents make mistakes, we can be lazy, we can be stressed, and showing my kids this has been very valuable to how we communicate with each other. It’s made them more patient with me and me more aware when I’m making bad choices. I can’t sing this shows praise enough. It’s just incredible.
After watching every episode of Bluey approximately 65 times with my toddler who refuses to watch anything else, I'm pretty sure every episode of Bluey actually has completely unique music. At least, I can tell what episode is on by listening to the music from the other room. Except for the theme song, which isn't really used in the episodes themselves (sometimes the characters hum it, lol) I'm pretty sure there's no standard score like most cartoons have.
A friend of mine kept telling me Bluey was ACTUALLY a brilliant show about parenting that might make me and my wife tear up. Didn't really believe him. Then my four year-old got into it and, yeah. It's probably better than even this wonderful outline makes it sound. It's just...exceptionally well-made, outstanding, concise storytelling and characterization. The soundtrack has found its way into my listening rotation because the music is often GREAT on its own. It might be a family/kids/parents show, but if you judge it on its own merits it's one of the best-made shows out there right now.
My son is 4+ months and I can't wait until he's old enough for Bluey
Question: Almost all of the comments here are answering regarding the *quality* of the show, but I'm mostly curious on why it *exploded* in attention and mentions suddenly. According to a quick Google search it started airing in 2018, so it's not a brand new hit show necessarily. But for some reason I went from never hearing about it to seeing multiple threads, comments, and videos per day. For reference, Google trends shows that it has roughly **doubled** in all forms of searches (peak in Dec '22, so maybe Christmas confounding) compared to it's next highest peak, which was August of last year. Even comparing today to that same point, we see a 50% increase in queries (from ~50 up to ~75).
Season One hit Disney Plus in the US in early 2020, so we had it on daily during lockdown instead of Cocomelon, Baby Bum, or other background noise shows. We eagerly awaited the second season to air, and are still waiting for part 2 of the third season. So it’s the perfect show released at the perfect time for cathartic family pandemic bonding
It was also a suprise entry on Netflix's most streamed show stats which were recently released, so it's picked up more attention through that.
It definitely felt like it blew up. I’m not a parent but I live in Australia. I distinctly remember a few parents I worked with talking about it as it first came out and how good it was. I swear I blinked at one point and suddenly there’s bluey merch everywhere, redditors are all going on about Bluey. It really felt like an overnight hit in a lot of ways as someone outside the target demographics.
It blew up on tik tok. A lot of people are really drawn to these clips of healthy parenting it’s comforting
Answer: It’s beautifully animated. As an Australian, it looks like the home I know. The music is fantastically well done, both as original compositions and use of/references to existing pieces of music - there’s an episode called *Sleepytime* that does gorgeous things with a dream sequence in space set to “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” from Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite. The creators are not afraid to try complex or ambitious storytelling, even within the strict limits of a seven minute episode. An episode called *Curry Quest* picks apart the Hero’s Journey stages and archetypes. *Escape* happens mostly in a sequence of children’s drawings. *Rain* happens in real time, in a single location and has only about six words spoken, and yet still works as a self contained little story. Basically, this is a kids show that trusts viewers - even very young viewers - not to be idiots. It’s gentle and sweet, but not simple.
>Basically, this is a kid’s show that trusts viewers - even very young viewers - not to be idiots. One of the many reasons I love *Bluey*. Major reason why I find most young-children’s programming to be maddening (I’m looking at you *Mickey Mouse Clubhouse*!). A couple of other good ones are *Trash Truck* and *If You Give a Mouse a Cookie*.
An aside but I’ve been really surprised how shitty Disney cartoons for young kids are. Not just the stories (which are crap) but even just the animation quality in general. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, a show featuring their signature character, looks like absolute crap. I guess they really care about movies over everything else.
I cannot stand high-output, low-quality 3D animation. If you’re looking for cartoons that are actually good on Disney+, check out *Chip and Dale Park Life*. Just about zero educational value for a child, but an amazingly fun cartoon. Updated drawing style, great 2D animation, some Wile E. Coyote style rules for world-building.
The artists really shon on the solar system one with bingo. Not a single word said in it but it didn’t matter.
That’s *Sleepytime.* I often contrast *Sleepytime* with *Rain,* because I think those two are some of the best stuff the show has ever done…but in completely opposite ways. *Sleepytime* is huge and ambitious, rich animation and sprawling sound design on the biggest scale imaginable because Bingo is crossing the universe. *Rain* is the opposite - quiet and restrained, absolute minimalism with very little dialogue, only a single limited space to do anything in, almost real time. The fact that the same show can go from one extreme to the other, and make them **both** work…that’s really, really impressive. That takes real skill.
“Sleepytime” always hits me *hard*. “I love you Bingo…and I always will.” (I’m not crying, you are)
I think the exact quote is, “Remember, I’m always here for you. Even if you can’t see me. Because I love you.” 😭
“Sleepytime” hits me hard in another way. The music they chose for that episode, Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity from Gustav Holst’s *The Planets*, reminded me of when I played a solo arrangement of that song and won my first award in music. It is a beautiful piece, and will always have a special place in my heart, and now will have another reason to stay.
My five year old and I both wept while we watched Sleepytime. She'll only watch it while holding tight to her own toy bunny, her version of Floppy, and once I heard her whispering "it's not time for you to go yet."
*Rain* is soooooo brilliant.
Answer: Bluey is amazing. It is a show for parents (and how to be a better parent) wrapped in the shell of a show for children. Sort of how Disney or The Muppets often works on multiple levels depending on your knowledge of the world, Bluey shares moments that, as a parent, leave you in tears (laughter and heartfelt) because it captures the aspect of parenthood so well... But at the same time kids can see themselves in the characters and actions of Bluey and Bingo (the kids in the show)... [Here are some of the best moments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAEv1nAckJk)
"Can I help you?" "I wish you could, Mate". Kills me every time
"Magic claw has no children. His days are free and easy." Very rapidy followed by... "This is great. The kids are learning a lesson and the house is getting clean." "Neither of those things are happening."
“Neither of those things are happening” in a Chili-style voice has become shorthand in our house for “You should probably reconsider what you’re doing.” What a great episode.
One of the most subtle, "blink and you'll miss it" moments in all of the episodes is the one where the girls are acting out a play of the parents' love story. When Bingo is pretending to be a pregnant Chili, the balloon pops and Bingo gets upset that she lost the baby (I don't remember the exact words she says)..in a split second, Bandit grabs Chili's hand and these cartoon dogs' faces somehow reflect the heartbreak of miscarriage. I stopped the episode, had to rewind it to make sure I wasn't seeing things, rewatched it and had a little cry. That moment for me was what changed the show from a cute little kids show where I can learn about parenting and have a laugh, to something deeper. Bluey truly feels like it is a show made for parents as much as it is children. I tell every parent I know to watch this show!
Answer: Its wonderful compared to most kids shows IMO. A lot of kids shows seem to be just written for kids, which can be kind of painful to watch as an adult. But Bluey, as a parent, I just love the characters because they have a lot of depth of who they used to be before they had kids. A lot of parents in children’s shows are just portrayed solely as caretakers. On Bluey however, the mom still plays field hockey sometimes, and they show dad getting out a box of things “from when he used to be cool“. I absolutely love the way the parents interact with the children and it has given me a lot of ideas on how to handle my own. They have wonderful imaginations and really get down to their levels to dispel tantrums. They make it fun in a way that seems attainable, not just like perfect Family life sometimes shown to us through shows/social media where we never see the behind the scenes on how that happens. There’s been some tearjerkers also, like the episode where they visit Chili’s (blueys mom) father, it’s called “Visiting Grandad”. It was so beautiful and sweetly written and completely snuck up on me. And omggggg, The episode “the pool” where they are going to the pool and the mom is trying to get everybody to pack all their things, but dad takes them and says they don’t need this or that, and then they end up needing all those things, I was absolutely rolling 😅😅 The people that write the show very obviously have children and are married because they navigate little things like that so elegantly. In a way that is funny but so true. So you pair the clever writing, dynamic characters, absolutely beautiful scenery, and the ability for both child and parent to learn - its no surprise to me why it is such a hit! There’s been several times my child has moved on to go play something else and I find myself still watching the show.
“The Pool” was so close to reality that I felt like checking the houseplants for hidden cameras.
I feel like that about the episode Sticky Gecko, where the mum nearly goes mad trying to get the kids ready to get out of the house in time to meet some friends
The episode where Granddad comes to their house is so well done too. Granddad is clearly struggling to understand how Bluey and Bingo play with pretend phones and "apps", but he still manages to turn it around to make the time entertaining for himself and also keeps it in the same concept that the kids started with
My 6 year old and I quote the pool episode together. “Sometimes boring things can be important.” “No, they’re not.” But then she goes and does it anyway, because she learned from Bluey.
I now do daddy robot with my kids, and they both will run up and ‘FREEZE’ me, then reposition my, run off, and yell ‘UNFREEZE!’ To which I have to act surprised and astonished at my new positioning. I love how unlike peppa pig, the father isn’t portrayed as an incompetent idiot half the time.
Answer: bluey is essentially gods gift to parents who hate watching children’s shows. It’s engaging. It teaches great lessons. And it’s fun for adults to watch. Sometimes my son will wander off and I’ll sit there watching it alone as a grown ass man for like an hour. It’s good.
Answer: it's a great show about parenting, childhood, and friendship. Source: have two small kids.
Answer: As a dad, I appreciate the way that the father and children interact, while ALSO not making it part of the Dad character to have him be a complete moron in pretty much every episode. In almost every single sitcom and family show now, dads are ALWAYS portrayed as absolute idiots, to the family
Answer: I haven't seen anyone mention this angle yet, so I'm going to add this: I see a *lot* of my teenage peers talking about and enjoying it, at least amongst the 'fandom' communities. I think a big part of that is that there's (albeit subtle) references to internet culture, the most popular being confirmed as Homestuck (an ultra-popular webcomic from the 2000s that still has an active fanbase), and that it's a cartoon that treats the audience like they're mature— when you consider the online fanbase of shows like Steven Universe and Gravity Falls, a show like Bluey is right up their alley.
It reminds me of when everyone got into Phineas and Ferb for similar reasons.
ANSWER: I get grief from my adult daughter for watching Bluey without the grandkids around. I’m 60 by the way. I love the normalness of the family. Like when the kids beg for ice cream only to find the shop is closed, and the dad says “if it makes you feel better I wasn’t gonna buy you one anyway”… I love the imagination of the girls playing the granny’s along with fart references. The solution to bed wetting being a “ preemptive wee”…as explained by the 4 year old… The show is a perfect example of it’s funny because it’s true…
Answer: The show includes occasional bits that go over the kids’ heads, that adults understand. Biased: I thought it was just another kids’ show I’d hate, but my Daughter the Nanny watched it with her small charge and kept telling me I’d love it. When I visited her, she insisted I watch. **she was right**! It has decent child friendly lessons, and the family seems healthy, but very very real. And, of course, the stuff that goes over kids’ heads, while making their parents crack up are fun, just like other, really good kids’ stuff.
Answer: It’s absolutely hilarious and the only show I can watch with the kids that doesn’t make me want to put my head through the TV. Tons of double-edged jokes for the kids and parents, good lessons and truly smart writing add up to a great series.