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The best Bluey episodes ever to make you laugh, cry and want to be a better parent
Wackadoo! As Bluey’s Big Play tours the UK, we celebrate the very best of Australia’s greatest export
Bluey is a genuine phenomenon that has pretty much conquered the globe since its small-screen debut in 2018. Growing exponentially since then, the show was the most streamed show in the US last year, and is on track to maintain top place this year too. It plays like a pre-school The Simpsons with its central family and colourful supporting cast, its sharp humour, and its simple but immediately recognisable visual style.
And it’s not just TV screens that Bluey has dominated. The family of Australian Blue Heelers have been seen on all types of books, toys and merchandise as the media empire expands. You can also see sisters Bluey and Bingo, and their parents Chilli and Bandit, for real life on stage, as Bluey’s Big Play is back touring venues around the UK.
Brisbane’s first family are brought to life via high-tech puppets and familiar voices, in an original story featuring many moments that’ll delight Bluey devotees and – much like the show – charm the parents who are in the audience. Like the best episodes, it’s also surprisingly touching. To mark its return to UK stages, we’re counting down the greatest Bluey episodes, including the funniest, most moving, inspirational and just plain relatable episodes from the Heeler family’s three seasons so far…
20. The Magic Xylophone (S1 E1)
The very first episode of Bluey sets out its stall immaculately. Not only does it establish what will become familiar pleasures like the opening theme song with accompanying musical statues game and the “This episode of Bluey is called…” title reveal, it also shows how creator Joe Brumm (who, unusually for TV, has written every episode of the three seasons so far) perfectly captures the way the children play. The family have an almost fantastical commitment to a bit, in this case when the ‘magic’ xylophone can freeze someone stock-still at the striking of a note. There’s also the cheeky humour (“bum bongos”), cutesy-classical soundtrack and striking visual style that’s bold and soft at the same time. You don’t need to be frozen on the spot by a magical instrument to remain seated for more episodes…
19. Blue Mountains (S1 E21)
Unlike a lot of kids’ programming that can get boring for parents fast, Bluey is frequently dazzlingly inventive. Case in point, this episode in which Bluey, Bingo and mum Chilli create characters by sticking googly eyes on their hands and then walking them along on two fingers. The ‘blue mountains’? Dad Bandit sprawled on his back on a picnic basket, knees up (he also gets involved in the game as a sneaky fox). Younger and older viewers can enjoy some of the gags on different levels, but everyone can enjoy the art style, which takes on a hazy glow when the characters are seen in extreme close-up.
18. Mum School (S2 E23)
Bluey is never shy of making a direct parenting analogy, and ‘Mum School’ is one of its best. Before bedtime, Bluey plays a game where she has to look after a group of balloons (helium-filled Greenie is a particular challenge), while Chilli scores her on her mothering. Extremely relatable for anyone who has ever felt their parenting being judged (by themselves, or others), but it’s all delivered with a light touch. In parallel, Bandit is struggling to get Bingo to comply with the evening routine, and gets a scoring himself. The message that you get to start again every day is a welcome one, and it’s touching without being one of the series’ tear-duct annihilators.
17. Butlers (Bluey Minisodes)
If the seven-minute Bluey episodes prove that good things come in small packages, the Bluey Minisodes take that maxim even further. One of the funniest is ‘Butlers’, which takes the form of a scruffy sketch drawn by the girls (like in the episode ‘Escape’). It perfectly captures the way children’s minds work, and their boundless unfettered imaginations. It also features the vocal talents of UK comedians Rob Beckett, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker as the butlers keeping the kids’ dreamhouse running despite its impossible rules.
16. The Show, aka “The Miscarriage episode” (S2 E16)
The best Bluey episodes often have an encouraging message without feeling like lectures. They also smuggle in surprisingly mature themes in subtle ways. In ‘The Show’, some ambitious role-playing is par for the course, and Bluey’s impersonation of Bandit is hilarious. But this one hits a bit differently. It’s Mother’s Day, and Bingo is feeling sad about having ‘ruined’ it after dropping a specially prepared breakfast. To make up for it, she and Bluey put on a show about Chilli and Bandit’s courtship. The overall lesson is of resilience and picking yourself up again: the show must go on, even after a mishap. But older viewers might read more into the episode: when the balloon Bingo is using to play-act Chilli’s first pregnancy pops, and Bandit takes Chilli’s hand to comfort her while they watch, it seems to indicate a miscarriage that they experienced before Bluey was born. It’s understated and flies over the heads of younger audiences, but it will resonate powerfully for some.
15. Dragon (S3 E43)
Warranting inclusion for its inventive art style, this is one of several Bluey episodes that defies conventions with its visuals. The bulk of the story takes place in the sketches done by the Heeler family, who are all showing off their varying degrees of artistic ability, so each of their characters has its own unique look. It’s an extremely enjoyable little adventure, with dragons, motorbikes and, um, Humpty Dumpty, but this being Bluey, it also manages to include an unexpectedly bittersweet moment as we meet Chilli’s late mum for the first time to date. An ode to not giving up, regardless of your current skill level.
14. Bin Night (S2 E32)
This low-key delight – like many of the best Bluey episodes – manages to cram a great deal into seven minutes, with multiple strands playing out in parallel. And – also like many of the best Bluey episodes – it’s perceptively attuned to the rhythms of everyday life. Revolving around bin night, we follow Bandit and the kids putting the rubbish out each week over a short period. There’s the fun of Bandit puppeteering the bins and the kindly presence of neighbour Doreen, but gradually we pick up information about the development of Bingo’s relationship with a challenging new kid at kindergarten. All that, and some very subtle educational content on moon cycles. Something to think about next time you put the recycling out.
13. Easter (S2 E51)
Chilli and Bandit might not be flawless as parents – the Easter Bunny didn’t visit on time last year, and had to provide an apology note – but they still put most caregivers to shame with their imagination and effort. Easter sees Bluey and Bingo waking up to think they’ve been missed again, before a series of consecutive clues builds into the ultimate treasure hunt. It’s a straightforward, pacy episode that’s giddily enjoyable, but it also bundles in some enormous laugh-out-loud moments, such as when one clue leaves the girls having to face the scariest room in the house: Dad’s toilet, which “stinks so much we’ll die”. After all the frantic puzzle-solving, it concludes with a lovely payoff.
12. Pass The Parcel (S3 E13)
Bluey is not afraid to tackle the big questions. Such as, how do you play ‘Pass the Parcel’? This episode nails the tension of generational difference in party games (and parenting in general). Lucky’s dad is dismayed to find that it’s standard practice these days for every layer of the parcel to have a small gift, with the game strategically timed so that each child gets a prize. He introduces the kids to the old-school version (one big prize in the centre under many layers of wrapping), and after an initially disastrous reception it proves rather popular. Another win for this episode: it’s an opportunity to see lots of different breeds of dog, always a delight in Bluey.
11. Takeaway (S1 E14)
Bluey has always been great at finding the magical in the mundane, and frequently supercharges the creativity through restriction. In this episode, Bluey, Bingo and Bandit have to hang on a little longer outside the Chinese takeaway restaurant when the spring rolls aren’t ready. Thus follows role playing, inopportune toilet breaks, big questions (“Who had the first baby?”) and greedy crows. It’s silly, sweet and slapstick-heavy, and the snap of a fortune cookie provides a slyly poignant note to end on, with a reminder to have fun while you’re still young. Little details are often just right in Bluey; the sound effect on a speakerphone call shows that care that elevates this show.
10. Fairytale (S3 E25)
A throwback to the first time Bandit and Chilly met (possibly), this episode also invites comparisons to The Simpsons’ backstories for Homer and Marge. “A fairytale that is true”, it’s told by Bandit as a bedtime story for the girls and happens “in a place called the 80s”. Back on a childhood holiday, young Bandit glories in being mean to his brothers and gets a taste of his own medicine when he’s jinxed and cursed to silence for an extended spell. The enforced quiet time allows him to reflect, before the spell is broken by a “princess” who may or may not be Chilli. If it’s true or not depends on whether you believe in fairytales…
9. Rain (S3 E18)
An example of the show’s willingness to be experimental and diverge from the expected template, ‘Rain’ is almost dialogue free. Bluey plays in the front yard during a thunderstorm, and the rain water slowly builds to a trickle on the front path. Cue the young Australian Blue Heeler putting her mind to building a barrier using a newspaper, toys, her feet… Even without (audible) words, the storytelling is elegantly clear. There’s scruffy, wet fur, mucky floors and frayed patience – and parental love and reconciliation. The quietness of the episode puts the particularly gorgeous animation (clouds, a double rainbow) at the forefront.
8. Grandad (S2 E29)
A Bluey episode that shows what a deep bench of wonderful supporting characters there are, much like The Simpsons. There are so many characters you can hang an episode off. Here it’s Grandad. The shaggy character design is great, but it’s another episode that plays well to different audiences. For the younger, it’s a fun outdoors caper with an adventurous grandparent, while older viewers can relate to Chilli wanting to look after her dad, and to Grandad not feeling his age. Bluey has that 360-degree empathy for all of its characters. And while it’s not a deeply upsetting episode, it ends on one of the most touching images the show has ever closed on. “No, it was yesterday…”
7. Daddy Dropoff (S2 E8)
Much of the joy of Bluey for grown-ups is its relatability, and many of the best episodes are built around familiar family rituals. ‘Daddy Dropoff’ is framed by another character, a shy kindergartner, before getting to the main thrust of the episode: Bandit rushing to get the kids to school on time. There are forgotten jumpers and hastily assembled lunches, but the ever-game Bandit finds time to play en route, despite running late. Allowing the time for those moments to cheer Bingo up before “kindie” leads to her making friends with the shy kid: cue a heart-squeezing photo montage.
6. Grannies (S1 E28)
Not only is Grannies one of the out-and-out funniest episodes, it introduced the show’s best ongoing gag: namely, Bluey and Bingo’s penchant for dressing up as old ladies Janet and Rita. It’s also a testament to the superb voice-acting of the (still anonymous) children behind Bluey and Bingo. Their naturalism is always great, but the granny role play shows off their comedic chops. Also smuggled in is a light-touch lesson on the benefit of not always having to be right, and there are some big, realistic laughs when it comes to grandparents making video calls, unpleasant household chores (“What are these kids eating?!”) and the never-ending laundry pile.
5. Onesies (S3 E32)
Featuring a more overt reference to pregnancy issues than the miscarriage reference in The Show, Onesies introduces Chilli’s sister Brandy, who’s visiting for the first time in four years. The episode walks a tonal tightwalk between the frenzied silliness of the children’s OTT playtime – Bingo believes she is a cheetah when she puts on her onesie, demonstrating the kind of commitment that makes Daniel Day-Lewis look like a part-timer – and the tender treatment of Brandy, who struggles to spend time with her sister and nieces as it’s heavily implied that fertility issues have prevented her from having kids of her own. It’s a gentle way to introduce such issues to a younger audience. Fun fact: Brandy is voiced by Australian A-lister Rose Byrne.
4. The Sign aka “The longest episode” (S3 E49)
The penultimate episode of the story so far, The Sign was marketed like a possible finale before Surprise! came along, and it certainly would’ve worked as a last episode. But what makes it really stand out is that it’s 28 minutes long. By far the longest in the show’s history, it still flows like a classic episode, and it hinges on a wedding and, more importantly, the possible sale of the Heeler’s family home. “Why do stories always give us happy endings?” ponders Bluey, but a well-worn parable helps to illustrate the value in not knowing what will happen next. The Sign plays like a fan’s dream, as amid the comedy and emotion there are callbacks aplenty. The couple who are (supposed to be) getting married are Frisky and Rad, whose relationship we’ve seen blossom since they were accidentally double-booked as babysitters, and there’s a glimpse of Greenie from Mum School up in the clouds. One of the most heart-stopping finales since Ross wondered if Rachel got off the plane.
3. Camping (S1 E43)
A firm favourite among the Bluey faithful, Camping was one of the first episodes to demonstrate how the show could catch parents off-guard with a tear-jerking sucker punch. When the Heelers go on a camping holiday, Bluey strikes up a friendship with French-speaking Jean-Luc, finding much in common despite the language barrier. There’s a bucolic beauty to the setting, all twinkling streams and endless stars, and there’s a comforting quality to the routines and rituals of holiday life, from campfire marshmallows to the glow of tents at bedtime. But one morning, Jean-Luc isn’t there; his family has packed up and left. If that gets the lip wobbling, a flashforward coda opens the floodgates.
2. Baby Race (S2 E47)
A classic Bluey ep that’s very much ‘for the parents’, this one can still serve as a lesson for overcompetitive viewers of all ages. Bluey’s comparing her monkey-bar abilities to others’ in the playground, so Chilli recounts the story of her first steps. As well as providing a ridiculously cute flashback to baby Bluey, and showing some of Bandit and Chilli’s early days of parenting (that are ripe for further exploration), Baby Race is funny as well as wise. And it all leads up to a tear-jerking one-two punch. A friend’s act of kindness lands the first blow, before an unexpected final moment hits again (“Maybe she saw something she really wanted.”) An always relevant reminder to run your own race.
1. Sleepytime (S2 E9)
The greatest Bluey episode of all turns the bedtime putdown into a deeply moving interstellar marvel. Bingo (the show’s stealth MVP) has her pre-sleep stories, before determining to have a “big girl sleep” for the night. Things don’t quite go to plan, as the overnight endeavour plays out in both reality and the beautiful planetary dreamworld inspired by her final bedtime story. There’s minimal dialogue, but Chilli’s repeated line of support will have the hardest hearts welling up, and the animation is glorious. Like Inception meets 2001: A Space Odyssey, only with cute fluffy rabbits. That it all builds to the swells of Gustave Holst’s ‘Jupiter’ only adds to the emotion. Any parent who watches it is guaranteed to give their child an extra bedtime story that night.
Bluey’s Big Play is currenty touring the UK. Find tickets, venues and upcoming dates here.
