Just as the intensity of the holiday season started to take hold, fans of a certain family of Australian Blue Heelers got the holiday present they didn’t know that they needed, until it dropped into their streams this past Monday, December 9th. That’s right, Ludo Studio passed us a parcel full of good cheer with the third set of Bluey minisodes in 2024!
This stocking full of minisodes doesn’t necessarily surprise us, but it plays some of our favorite notes and even offers fresh insight into an old fan-favorite episode! Before we dig in, we have to run the usual disclaimer:
While this article is all about ranking Bluey content, it’s important to note that this is just for fun. Any time we rank or classify Bluey episodes, we have to set a few important ground rules:
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There is no such thing as a bad episode of Bluey.
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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.
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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.
Now that we’ve established the ground rules, let’s get to those new episodes!
6. Where’s Bingo?
This episode is a big ol’ warm blanket of nostalgia that celebrates one of the most universal parenting games: pretending you can’t find the kid on your shoulders. It tugs at the heartstrings, and every innocent childhood giggle at the utter absurdity of the gag transports parents back to their happiest memories with their children. Having said all of that, Bluey is so rich with these emotional connections that an episode like this is always going to rank behind an episode that features a more unique game or perspective. Of course, Bandit is able to pull some extra strength out of the bit with his unique delivery of his suspicion that something is going over his head: “Now you’re being shifty!” Parents everywhere will likely revise their approach to this classic game after viewing the episode.
5. Strong Potion
This episode makes great use of the common Bluey trope of throwing us into the middle of a game without explaining the rules. Why? Because we don’t need to know the rules. When Bingo resists the call of a magical potion in service of a mundane visit to her parents’ bedroom, we know that the game is afoot. After Bandit plays his part and kicks Bingo out of the room, Bluey takes on one of the Heelers’ favorite play personas: a crooked salesperson. Bluey raises an eyebrow with all the sincerity of a used car dealer and hooks Bingo up with a strength potion. Not only do we get a laugh from watching Bandit throw himself around the room in service of the strength gag, but we get to see Bluey’s crooked salesman identify her next mark when Bandit lands at her feet outside the bedroom. This is a fun riff on a classic Bluey play style.
4. Goldilocks
This episode serves as a companion piece to the excellent “Three Pigs” from the initial August 2024 Bluey minisode drop. It has a lot going for it. Not only is it a mirror of “Three Pigs” (Bandit and the girls have moved to Bingo’s bed for this round of storytelling), but it is yet another spectacular vehicle for voice actor David McCormack. It’s always a treat to watch McCormack cook on screen, but this version of the bit is slightly less successful. We don’t see Bandit take the same care to involve the girls in his storytelling this time, and he seems a bit more fixated on his somewhat unsophisticated “get a job” politics as he reframes the story of Goldilocks as a simple case of breaking and entering. It’s not the best look for Bandit, even though I still believe he is full of care and empathy for his fellow canines. I should also mention that the episode wins back quite a few points when it culminates in a karate sequence and the bears’ decision to renounce the trappings of civilization.
3. Alongside
This episode falls into the tradition of wordless but beautiful episodes of Bluey that experiment with narrative structure in a way that helps the episode make an emotional impact. In this particular entry, we get a split-screen comparison of Honey the Beagle and the titular Bluey. Honey is depicted as an industrious and responsible only child while Bluey displays a much more hectic array of emotions and vibes. This is a cute idea, but what makes it special is that it puts the two girls side by side without any sense of judgment. Both girls display unique strengths, but when their family vehicles end up alongside one another and the split screens merge, the girls each exhibit pure joy in the presence of their friend. They can come together despite their different experiences and priorities. This episode also gets bonus points for the appearance of the Busker (Bluey composer Joff Bush’s bespectacled canine avatar) and Honey carrying the newspaper in her mouth like a real life doggo.
2. Robo Bingo
Perhaps at some point in your youth, your teachers hit you with the “please explain how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich” bit. In this bit, the comedians literalize student instructions in an effort to coax them into more precise communication. In “Robo Bingo,” our favorite little weirdo, Bingo, puts Chilli through the ringer by playing the part of a robot who requires very precise instructions in order to complete even the simplest task. It’s an adorable episode in which Bingo shows off her comedic muscle with her unflinching commitment to the bit. At one point, Bingo walks herself into the wall/step stool with all the grace of a derelict Roomba until Chilli instructs her to stop moving. This reviewer is always here for Bingo being Bingo, and this episode deserves a special place in the Bingo pantheon.
1. Butlers
In this sequel to fan favorite Bluey episode “Escape,” we are pulled back into the childishly hand-drawn world of Bluey and Bingo’s fun, but complicated, dream house. We meet Barnsley, a new member of the “butler” staff, as he makes his way through the lush topiary gardens of the dreamhouse. After dodging a hidden croc-pit booby trap for unsuspecting parents, Barnsley enjoys the luxurious trappings of the dreamhouse…everything from its extravagant aviary full of sycophant birds to its very active kitchen that is inundated elaborate requests from a couple of fickle children. Barnsley gets a beat to believe he has landed a cushy job keeping toys out of the outdoor spa skimmer, but is soon shocked to learn that he must hold down his post at all times…even when the dream house becomes a rocket ship. It’s a bad day for Barnsley, but a great day for Bluey fans. This is the kind of minisode that a Bluey fan can recommend to a newcomer in order to capture the unique, creative magic of the show.
Well folks, that’s one dad’s ranking of the latest batch of Bluey minisodes. The final assessment? Bluey deserves a place on the nice list in 2024. Nevertheless, this reviewer is asking Father Christmas to deliver a new round of full-length episodes as soon as the hard-working folks over at the Ludo Studio workshop get a chance to enjoy some well-earned rest and relaxation.
That being said, please reach out with your personal favorite episodes. It’s unclear how long we’ll have to wait for the next Bluey drop, but we here at The Pop Break are very committed to keeping the discourse alive!
Until next time, have a happy holiday and a stellar new year. For real life!
