You've probably heard of "Bluey," the Australian animated children's series that has won over a large amount of adult fans in the U.S. since it started streaming on Disney+. In some ways, it's pretty typical for a show aimed at very small children. Like "Peppa Pig," it centers on a family of four anthropomorphic animals - a six year-old blue heeler puppy named Bluey, her four year-old sister Bingo, and their loving parents, Chili (Melanie Zanetti) and Bandit (David McCormack). Each seven minute episode follows the kids learning life lessons and tackling common childhood stumbling blocks. Unlike "Peppa Pig," and unlike most children's shows I've seen lately, "Bluey" is about the family learning and growing together as a unit, and specifically keeps its focus on the parents and the kids in relation to each other.
All the best episodes of "Bluey" that I've seen involve playing. Often these are elaborate games of pretend that range from basic children's games, like keeping a balloon from hitting the ground, to wilder scenarios like a stalk of asparagus granting the power to turn everyone into different animals, or Bluey driving a train and trying to manage escalating service disruptions. The parents, notably, are Bluey and Bingo's most consistent playmates. We see plenty of interactions with friends and relatives and members of their community, but many episodes are simply the four members of the Heeler family turning a mundane chore or situation into something fun. They solve problems, learn lessons, and figure out disputes through play. The improv rule of "yes, and" seems to reign supreme in their household, with delightful results.
It's the treatment of the parents, Chili and Bandit, that makes "Bluey" so unique. There's an emotional realism to them that helps show that they're individuals rather than simply dopey comic relief, or the standard, infallible mother and father figures. They're modern parents who both work outside the home, and split household chores and parenting. And though they're excellent parents, they make mistakes and will get frustrated. One of the most beloved episodes of the show is "Baby Race," where Chili tells the kids about the time she got too competitive with the other moms over baby milestones. I'm sure most adult fans have figured out that while "Bluey" is aimed at small children, it offers lessons for parents too. The episode "Piggyback" is both about Bingo powering through a long walk, and the rest of the family coming up with various ways to motivate her to keep going.
You can tell that the creators behind "Bluey" have kids, and are heavily invested in putting forth a genuine picture of modern parenthood. The Heelers may be dogs, but the behavior of Bluey and Bingo are exactly right for six and four year-old human beings. Their level of activity, the nature of the humor, the still developing personalities, the age-appropriate challenges, and the way they engage with certain topics all ring very true to life. Their home is full of chaotic energy and everything is always on the verge of being a mess. This is the only cartoon I've ever seen that nails how physically demanding it is to have kids this age. Bandit in particular is constantly shown roughhousing with his daughters, toting them around, and being called on to playact horsies and monsters and robots.
Produced by Australia's national broadcaster, ABC, "Bluey" has excellent production values. The characters are beautifully designed, and the animation of them is fluid and detailed. There's a wonderful specificity to the environments, where Brisbane landmarks regularly pop up, and white ibis can be spotted eating out of trash bins. The characters are unambiguously Australian, and I appreciate that their accents and vocabulary have all been retained for international distribution. As a result, "Bluey" has a distinctive, appealing vibe to it. And it's so consistently entertaining and sustains such a positive mood, it's no wonder that it's won over so many ardent fans. I confess that I occasionally watch it without my kids when my mood needs a boost.
And at seven minutes an episode, it lends well to bingeing. I always end up watching several in a row, but fortunately there are plenty of episodes, and the show's such a success that it won't be ending anytime soon.
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