In 2023, Bluey was the second-most popular streaming show in the US, where it was watched for 731 million hours.
But like childhood itself — for both children and the parents who watch them grow — nothing as perfectly beautiful as Bluey is meant to last forever, unchanged.
Bluey, explained You have to watch Bluey — and you absolutely should — to really understand what makes it so superior to the vast, often-polluted river that is children’s TV content.
The lessons Bluey has for children and parents alike aren’t told; they’re lived.
A sudden, major move is about as traumatic as it gets for kids — and that’s precisely how Bluey responds.
The longest shortest time Bluey is the closest thing a multibillion-dollar media property can be to a truly artisan production.
My own son, the one who cried the “happy tears,” is turning 7 soon, aging out of the Bluey zone.
Maybe that’s why I love Bluey so much — so much I almost hope it ends now, at its zenith.
In the unlikely event that you are childless or have been living under a rock, allow me to present you to someone. I call her Bluey. She is seven years old and resides in the picturesque Australian city of Brisbane with her younger sister Bingo, her parents Bandit and Chili. She is also a dog, specifically a blue heeler. plus a cartoon. In addition, she is enormous.
Bluey, an animated children’s show created by Australian animator Joe Brumm, debuted in its native Australia in 2018 before sweeping the globe. With 731 million hours of viewership, Bluey ranked as the second most popular streaming program in the US in 2023.
However, the minds of Bluey’s tens of millions of young fans and the pockets of their parents, who have purchased enough books, dolls, albums, juices, cookies, and even theater tickets to make the Bluey brand worth an estimated $2 billion, are a better indicator of Bluey’s power. (That’s a lot of money, as Bluey might put it. ).
Because of this, the most recent episode of Bluey, which raises the possibility of a show finale, was extremely shocking, not only to her hordes of devoted young fans and their parents but also to major media companies like Disney, who are counting on an endless stream of Bluey-related content.
However, nothing as flawlessly lovely as Bluey is intended to last forever, unaltered, just like childhood itself — for both kids and the parents who watch them grow. This could be the lesson the program has been attempting to impart to us all along.
Bluey clarified.
The true essence of Bluey’s superiority over the vast and frequently contaminated river that is children’s TV content can only be fully appreciated by watching it, which you should do without fail. Both five-year-olds and forty-five-year-olds can find it humorous.
However, Brumm and his associates’ skill at weaving real-life themes into their vividly imagined childhood setting is what elevates Bluey into the category of masterpieces. Parental conflict, infertility, aging parents, and sibling rivalry are all complex topics that are occasionally discussed in between games of keepy-uppy. And not in an abridged, After School Special manner. Bluey teaches both parents and kids by living his lessons, not by preaching them.
The most recent episode, a 28-minute special named “The Sign,” which aired globally on April 14, allows you to witness that for yourself. Chili says that Bandit’s new job “can give them a better life,” but it will require them to sell their cherished Brisbane house and relocate across the nation.
For kids, a big, abrupt move is about as stressful as it gets, and Bluey reacts exactly like that. She develops an obsession with the “For Sale” sign outside her home, figuring that if it is taken down, the house won’t be able to be sold. This is pure child logic.
Nevertheless, whether in Bluey or the actual world, life goes on despite one child’s crisis. Although Bluey is grappling with the sign, her mother Chili is confronting her own uncertainties regarding the move, and her beloved babysitter is attempting to decide whether to proceed with the wedding.
For all of our readers who are six years old and younger, beware of spoilers: the family decides against moving forward in the end. Given that the show hasn’t typically avoided dealing with harsh realities, this choice was out of the ordinary.
A significant stream of what my wife and son referred to as “happy tears” were shed at our house, at least, following the conclusion. However, a large portion of the anxiety surrounding “The Sign” is not related to the episode per se, but rather to the very real possibility that it could signal, if not a definitive conclusion for Bluey, then at least a major shift.
There would be an abundance of “sad tears” if its current incarnation did come to an end. However, it would also highlight what makes Bluey so exceptional—and so unique among children’s programming.
longest duration, shortest time.
In terms of media properties worth billions of dollars, Bluey is the closest thing to a truly artisan production. Everything about it, including the lingo and accents, has remained resolutely Australian. Every episode is written by Brumm or with his assistance. Instead of contracting it out to less expensive nations, he has continued to produce at his studio in Brisbane.
All of that leads to greatness, but it also can lead to burnout, as critics have noted Brumm’s portrayal of his stand-in Bandit to hint at. He expressed his concerns that he would become repetitive and that the quality couldn’t possible keep rising in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek earlier this month. With “The Sign’s” gentle finale and the show’s tardiness in announcing a potential fourth season, fans are getting terrified.
Studios that have a significant financial interest in Bluey’s continued production, such as Disney and the BBC, naturally don’t want to see it end. To keep viewers interested and attract new ones, the streaming ecosystem requires a steady stream of fresh content, which is one of the reasons people are so enthused about the terrifying prospect of AI-generated content. To maintain the flow of IP, a little quality loss is acceptable.
Although the show’s producers have assured viewers that Bluey will return in some capacity, it is unclear what will happen with the character going forward. However, Brumm has made it known that he is reluctant to take on the roles of Bluey and Bingo as the current actors grow older and that he finds it harder to draw from his own daughters’ experiences as they get older.
I know what you mean. My son, the one who shed the “happy tears,” will soon turn seven and leave the Bluey zone.
One of the most important things to know about the longest shortest time, parenting, is this. Raising a child is a lifelong experience of loss on top of the restless nights, the never-ending hours to fill, and, yes, all that joy. We say goodbye to the one-year-old who was reaching out to be picked up, the four-year-old who bravely marched to his first preschool day, and the six-year-old who was content to cuddle up on the couch and watch Bluey. The ones they were, the ones we knew and loved, are gone forever, but they are replaced by new people we can’t wait to meet.
Perhaps that’s why I adore Bluey so much—to the point where I practically hope it ends right now, at its peak. Watching it is like opening a time capsule; even though I know I can’t, I would want to cling desperately to that moment. I have a feeling Brumm is aware of that as well.
