Next month, animated television phenomenon Bluey is set to premiere two episodes globally for the very first time. Up until now, fans outside of Australia have had to wait a year or more to see episodes that originally aired in their country of origin. The Pop Break is here to hype this release and hopefully convince some non-parents to hop on the bandwagon for one of the most important and beloved animated series of all time.
Our first stop on this hype train is a quick preview of five episodes that are sure to make you laugh. If you are a non-parent who figures this whole Bluey thing isn’t for you, we are here to challenge that assumption. We’ve curated a list that centers humor over life lessons and illustrates Bluey’s ability to push the boundaries of traditional children’s programming.
While this article sets out to identify some of the funniest Bluey episodes, it’s important to establish three universal truths:
- There is no such thing as a bad episode of Bluey.
- The “worst” episode of Bluey is still miles ahead of most other shows produced for children or adults. Every episode on this list and beyond is oozing with noteworthy humor, style, and emotion.
- Lists like this are subjective and should only be used to facilitate conversation and build community around this pop culture phenomenon. Bluey knows how to dig deep into our souls, and each episode will land differently in the heart of each viewer. All of those takes are valid.
Here we go!
Grannies (1.28)
We start our list with the birth of one of the longest-running and most crowd-pleasing bits in all of Bluey: Bluey and Bingo’s elderly playtime alter-egos: Janet and Rita. In this episode, our young protagonists put on fun, albeit ageist caricatures of “grannies.” If you’ve never watched the show before, you may be thinking, “that sounds more cute than funny.” If we were talking about standard children’s programming, you might be right. Instead, the Janet and Rita personas zero in on human flaws and foibles. Our “grannies” are a bit spaced-out.
They can’t hear very well and they are unable to park their play car safely (“Nice parking spot, Rita!”). They are also manipulative and quick to violence; they know how to play their gentle appearances to their advantage in order to get away with whacking folks with their canes or shoplifting from a pretend grocery store. Bingo delivers one of the first memeable Bluey moments when she is caught “stealing” baked beans: she stumbles and exclaims, “I slipped on my beans!” We even get a video conference with Bluey and Bingo’s actual Nana, who can’t quite fix her tablet camera at the right angle. “Grannies” is the perfect episode to establish the show’s blend of optimism and irreverence.
The Sleepover (1.39)
This episode centers on a simple premise: overtired children might as well be drunk. When Bluey and Bingo get a visit from their demanding and impatient cousin, Muffin, they find out that she is trying to learn how to get through her days without a nap. As a result, the kids won’t be able to stay up as late as was originally promised. Bluey and Bingo do not appreciate this change to the sleepover itinerary, so they set out to keep Muffin awake for as long as possible. Their journey involves a stressful dinner, some stolen french fries, and Muffin in the back of a (pretend) squad car wrapped in a blanket. We also get the origin of Bingo’s recurring “husband” persona (“Everything looks so good, babe”). If you aren’t a parent, this episode will put you in a position to impress the parents and children in your life when you exclaim, “I am the flamingo queen!”
Asparagus (1.49)
This episode is absolutely bonkers. Sure, it’s loosely framed around a half-lesson about table manners or whatever, but that’s little more than an excuse to let the Heeler family lean into some of their most committed playacting. Bluey uses a “magic” stalk of asparagus to turn her family members into a series of animals; they unleash absolute chaos on the household and pull off a series of relentless sight gags. Some of the highlights include Bandit quite literally peacocking for Chilli, a “walrus” falling from a tree branch, and Bingo and Chilli hunting their neighbor, Pat (aka Lucky’s Dad). Ultimately, this episode is a tour de force that showcases the unexpected, mischievous, and chaotic sort of fun that we don’t always get from children’s programming.
Stumpfest (2.15)
A traditional Bluey setup involves the Heeler parents prioritizing playtime above all else. In “Stumpfest,” we finally get to see the parents cut loose and leave the kids to their own devices. Bandit invites his buddies over to flex their muscles, drink some brews, and remove two pesky stumps from the back yard. Meanwhile, Chilli and Aunt Trixie embrace their inner wine moms from the comfort of the deck; they egg the children on in a campaign to save the second stump from the destructive dads. Ultimately, the dads have to make some silly concessions to the child activists. Yes, there is a nice lesson here about parents needing playtime just as much as their children, but that doesn’t make it any less funny when Uncle Stripe aims a sophomoric boast at his wife upon freeing the final stump: “You like that, Trixie!?”
Unicorse (3.7)
One critique that folks occasionally lob at Bluey is that the Heeler parents set an impossible bar for the amount of creative energy and commitment parents should bring to playtime with their kids. Well, “Unicorse” is here to show you that even Bandit and Chilli have a breaking point. When Bluey gets up from bed (again!) to disrupt her parents’ television time, Bandit takes out his frustration through a puppet proxy named Unicorse. Bandit’s puppet avatar is rude, annoying, and disruptive while Chilli attempts to read a bedtime story. He refuses to call Chilli by the correct name, suggests that children are his favorite food, and even brings a frivolous lawsuit against his daughter. Bandit isn’t helping. He isn’t offering parenting advice. He is simply blowing off steam and (rightfully) mocking a poorly-written children’s book. This is cathartic and indulgent fun for the tired parents out there, but the sheer brute force of this unexpected immaturity makes this episode a comedic romp for all audiences.
That’s five episodes to get you off to a fun start on your Bluey journey! Next time, we’ll show you the more serious side of this “children’s” show with five episodes of Bluey that will make you cry.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the global debut of “Ghostbasket” on April 7 and the record-setting, 28-minute episode, “The Sign,” on April 14th!
Bluey is currently streaming on Disney+ and airs weekly on Disney Junior and The Disney Channel.
