A SMASH-HIT kids’ cartoon about a family of dogs is wooing Hollywood stars, topping TV viewing figures and leaving parents in floods of tears.
Bluey, which first aired in 2018, has reached such cult status worldwide that it has been dubbed more epic than Oscar-winning movie Oppenheimer.
And yesterday Australia’s embassy in London changed its name from Australia House to Bluey House for the day, to mark the show’s “cultural significance” — and the welcome release of a new episode.
Aptly titled Surprise, it alleviated the fears of children and parents around the world that the series was coming to an end.
It dropped a week after a 28-minute episode — four times longer than usual — which showed Bluey’s family home in Queensland put up for sale.
The Sign’s plot prompted speculation that the much-loved pup and her younger sister Bingo, mum Chilli and dad Bandit could be preparing to say their final farewells.
Its Australian creator Joe Brumm, who honed his craft as an animator in the UK working on Peppa Pig and Charlie And Lola, had warned he couldn’t stand making kids’ telly for much longer due to censorship.
Confirmation of a fourth series of Bluey, which is a co-production between the BBC and Oz broadcasters, has delighted millions of fans.
And it seems the latest episode may, in fact, be the warm-up to a future Bluey movie.
Joe, whose two daughters were the inspiration for the series, said: “I’m loving going longer on The Sign, and I’d love to try to go longer still.”
Brisbane-based Joe, 44, relied on his own experiences growing up in Queensland with a pet Heeler dog, called Bluey, and becoming a father to write the scripts.
Part of Bluey’s popularity is down to it focusing on the everyday — and often mundane — occurrences in family life, which Joe tackles with wit and humour.
He said: “The thing that really started standing out, when it came time to write the show, was I was spending a lot of time, early morning, playing with my kids. And a lot of games would be mainly role-playing.”
Joe’s brother Dan voices Uncle Stripe and their mum, Chris, stars as Nana Heeler.
Meanwhile, the actors who voice Bluey, Bingo, and their friends are actually the children of the show’s production crew.
Their identities are kept top secret, because their parents don’t want them facing the pressure of fame.
Bluey has become essential viewing for preschoolers and their parents.
Shown in 60 countries across the world, it was the most-streamed series in January and February and the second most viewed programme in the US last year.
Social media verdict
- “Just saw an episode of Bluey called The Sign that blew Oppenheimer out of the water.”
- “Bluey episode The Sign is straight-up Avengers: End Game level.”
- “Bluey is out here running circles around the Oscar-nominated films.”
- “My therapist isn’t gonna know what hit her.”
- “It’s like watching SpongeBob as an adult – except it rips your heart out.”
It has even attracted a host of famous fans.
Hollywood actresses Natalie Portman and Eva Mendes have made cameos and Aussie stars Kylie and Dannii Minogue have voiced a spin-off audiobook.
On why the family show is so popular, Dannii has said: “There is life before Bluey, and life after. Once you know Bluey . . . you are hooked.
“It is fun for so many ages, as we can all relate to different members of Bluey’s family.”
Its success has also spawned a theme park in Australia, its own land at Alton Towers and stage show spin-offs.
Podcast couple Chris and Rosie Ramsey admitted being in tears at the end of the extra-long one-off episode.
The emotional attachment to the family of this breed of cattle dog, which can be either red or blue, was such that some viewers threatened to riot if the characters sold their fictional home in Brisbane.
‘The Sign’ had its own premiere in London earlier this month and the likes of Call The Midwife’s Helen George and reality TV star Bianca Gascoigne were on the red carpet.
But as with all modern-day much- loved creations, Bluey has not been without its controversies.
Several episodes of Bluey have been censored due to complaints from politically correct viewers or for fears the toilet humour could be offensive for little ones.
One, where Bingo feels her flab, was edited for “fat-shaming”, even though it encouraged exercise.
The phrase “ooga booga” was removed over concerns it was a racial slur, and the producers issued an apology.
Who's who in Bluey
- Bluey: A female seven-year-old Blue Heeler dog in Brisbane, always looking for fun adventures.
- Bingo: Bluey’s sister is a five-year-old Red Heeler dog who competes for attention in the home.
- Bandit: Bluey and Bingo’s dad is an archaeologist who would often prefer to rest, but is an enthusiastic participant in his kids’ games.
- Chilli: The level-headed working mum is dedicated to her family.
Disney in the US censored a vomiting scene and for a while removed an episode packed with fart jokes.
Joe is not happy about the constant interference in children’s TV.
He said: “The nature of it is that you make stuff and then it just gets edited and chopped and changed, things taken out. Because it’s children’s TV, the people you give it to sort of think that’s appropriate.
“I can’t handle that so well — so I think my days working in it are probably a bit limited.”
Joe stood his ground when there was talk of dubbing over the Australian accents to please foreign audiences.
Some Americans struggle to understand colloquial language such as “dunny” for toilet.
The thing that really started standing out, when it came time to write the show, was I was spending a lot of time, early morning, playing with my kids. And a lot of games would be mainly role-playing games
Joe Brumm
Their children, though, are so hooked that they are now speaking with Aussie accents and using phrases like “brekkie”.
It is so loved in the States that Hollywood stars Eva Mendes and Rose Byrne asked to make cameos in Bluey.
The programme is proving to be the biggest thing from Down Under since Crocodile Dundee was number one at the US box office in 1986.
On Sunday at the Australia House celebration, the show’s producers were handed a Special Recognition Award for their cultural impact across the UK and the globe.
High Commissioner Stephen Smith said: “Bluey’s phenomenal success in the UK and globally is testament to the ingenuity and artistry of Australia’s creative industries.”
Bluey’s appeal even crosses over into the canine world, with some dogs now watching the show.
Animal behaviour experts believe this is because the main colours used in the series are the red, yellow and blue in which dogs view the world.
A lot of the inspiration for the series, though, was British programmes Peppa Pig and Gavin & Stacey.
Animator Joe worked on British hits Peppa Pig and the popular Charlie and Lola cartoon in London before returning to Australia in 2010.
He said: “Gavin and Stacey was influential in a big way.
“I loved how it genuinely crossed generations, like The Simpsons back in the day. I thought, ‘Why shouldn’t a kids’ show make parents laugh too?’
Bluey’s appeal even crosses over into the canine world, with dogs watching the sho
“When the time came to do Bluey, that became the challenge.”
What sets Bluey apart from The Simpsons and Peppa Pig is that unlike in those hit shows, the dad isn’t portrayed as a bungling goofball.
Instead Bandit, voiced by Australian singer Dave McCormack, is a hands- on father who displays real emotional intelligence when dealing with kids’ dilemmas.
Bandit does make mistakes, but like his kids he learns from them and he is seen as a role model for good parenting.
The programme has also been hailed for promoting the importance of play.
In a modern world dominated by social media and smartphones, the storylines reveal the joy in simple games such as pass the parcel or using cardboard boxes.
There is life before Bluey, and life after. Once you know Bluey….you are hooked
Dannii Minogue
The latest episode is a return to the shorter format and the type of story that turned the cartoon into a global phenomenon.
In ‘Surprise’, Bluey’s dad Bandit has to dodge balls being fired by his exuberant daughter while also trying to get his daughter Bingo’s tennis ball to “sleep”.
Then there is a fun twist at the end.
Fans are clearly hoping there will be more surprises in store.
'This has made me a better mother'
By Caroline Iggulden
BLUEY’S seven-minute episodes somehow manage to pack in more pathos and humour about the ups and downs of domesticity than EastEnders has done in decades.
Moving and hilarious in equal measure, it has touched on everything from ageing, death, marital conflict and making friends to childhood conflict and ADHD.
But the treatment is never saccharine, hectoring or woke.
Instead, with the deftest of touches, it accurately reflects the chaos and joy of ordinary family life.
I was in bits watching The Sign, the recent extended-length episode where a momentary pang of doubt crosses Bluey’s mum Chilli’s face as she talks about moving house.
It instantly made my stomach flip thinking of all the times I have buried my worries about something in order to put on a brave face for my kids.
I am not quite sure how a cartoon dog managed to do this to me, but it happened.
The bumper episode gets to the heart of why Bluey has become an international phenomenon.
The show manages to speak directly to parents, without ruining the whimsical storytelling for the kids.
We see ourselves as Bluey’s parents Chilli and Bandit, who often find themselves frazzled and floored by the whirlwind pace of life with youngsters.
But these dog parents always remind us to appreciate the magic among the mania of family life.
I must have seen the episode called Takeaway half a dozen times, and it still makes me laugh.
No parent who has attempted a simple errand, like picking up a Chinese order with kids in tow, could fail to be amused by the slapstick ordeal that ensues.
I honestly feel that watching Bluey has made me a better mum.
It is so easy to get bogged down in the knife-edge logistics of providing for a family, juggling work and a home.
Bluey always reminds me simplicity is the key when it comes to kids.
They don’t really want tons of stuff or an endless stream of activities.
They just want you to join in their make-believe game, say something daft to make them laugh – or simply put your phone down and listen!
These Aussie doggies never fail to give me paws for thought . . . for seven minutes at least.
