"Bluey," the show of a thousand surprises, now has a shocking new episode for American viewers.
Technically speaking, the episode isn't "new," but it is the only "Bluey" episode not available on Disney+. Rabid fans of the series will be delighted to stream it on the official "Bluey" YouTube channel.
The episode is titled "Dad Baby," and it centers around a game of pretend play that is the cornerstone of virtually every installment of the show. This game has a potentially controversial plot, however. Bandit, Bluey's father, is "giving birth" to baby Bingo.
Creator Joe Brumm discussed the episode with The Hollywood Reporter in June 2023.
"You’ve gotta be really careful in preschool," he said. "Lots of words have to get changed, and then behaviors and concepts get dulled down. And eventually I would just hit these walls, and sometimes I’d say, 'Look, I can’t change this. This is too funny.' Or, 'I like it too much.'"
He goes on to reference the "banned" episode. “'Dad Baby' for instance, doesn’t get shown in America. But what are you going to do, not make 'Dad Baby'? I love it," he said.
What is the "Dad Baby" episode about?
The seven-minute episode begins innocently enough, with little sister Bingo discovering an old baby carrier and asking her mother, Chilli, what it is. Bandit dons the carrier (which they delightfully call a "papoose") and Bingo, being the cheeky 4-year-old that she is, immediately climbs inside.
Bluey notes that it looks as though "Daddy has a baby in his belly," and shouts, "I know what we can play!"
"This isn't going to end well," says Chilli as she calmly flips through a magazine. Having birthed two babies, she would know.
Bandit tries to "act pregnant" by complaining about his back, his feet, his hunger and his stretch marks while Chilli swats at him with her rolled up magazine to tell him exactly what she thinks about his "act."
So far, there really isn't anything in the plot to ruffle feathers. But then, after Chilli reminds the "baby" to start kicking, Bluey sets up her father to "deliver" Bingo in the kiddie pool in their backyard.
"I'm coming out!" yells Bingo as she squirms out of the bottom of the baby carrier. Bluey enlists Lucky's dad to pretend to deliver the baby.
"How hard can this be?" says Lucky's dad, who really wants to wrap this up and watch the cricket game. "I'll just grab a leg!"
Bingo is not interested in being born quite yet. She climbs back inside the baby carrier. Eventually, though, Bluey pulls on Bingo's foot while Lucky's dad pushes from above.
Lucky's dad tries to abandon his friend in this moment of need, but Bandit grabs his hand and says, "You're not going anywhere," followed by, "Sing to me, Pat!"
Bingo is eventually pulled out, causing Bandit to yell, "BISCUITS!" Bingo says in a tiny voice, "Born." And everyone cheers.
As an obviously exhausted Bandit stares at his "newborn," Chilli yells from the balcony: "Well done, honey! She's beautiful!"
When will there be more "Bluey"?
The timeline of the fourth season of "Bluey" is unclear, but all signs point to spending more time with the Heeler family in the future.
A show spokesperson “double confirmed” to the Australian Broadcasting Company that they have “no plans to end the show.”
It might feel like a dog's age until the new season begins. But in the meantime, there are 154 episodes to rewatch and share.
In the same 2023 interview, Brumm got to the heart of why "Bluey" means so much to so many families.
"It’s funny for the kids — like, kids love it because it’s silly and it reminds them of themselves — whereas I think it makes parents get emotional because having kids is emotional and it’s just a mirror to you," he said. "You’re not crying because of Bandit’s love for his kid, you’re crying because of how much you love your kid and he just reminds you of that."
