What's all the fuss about Bluey?
Unravelling the many layers of a cartoon about talking dogs. Plus: A brilliant new season of Heartbreak High, a stunning Auckland theatre performance and more.
It’s been 25 years since a new reality TV show called Popstars arrived on our screens, and little did I know back in 1999 that this New Zealand format would go on to change the global television landscape as we knew it. We’ve been looking back at the legacy of Popstars and TrueBliss this week on The Spinoff, as well as enjoying the bumper 28 minute episode of what is arguably the best Australian comedy-drama ever made, aka Bluey. I watched The Sign on Monday, and I’m still having a quiet sob to myself. Happy watching!
The many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs
It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when Australian kids’ show Bluey dropped a special extended 28 minute episode. Bluey has become a global phenomenon that captivates audiences both young and old, but why is it so popular? Here’s everything you need to know about why Bluey should be your next must-watch TV show – even if you don’t have kids.
Is it really just a kids show about some talking dogs?
No way. A standard six-minute episode of Bluey gives more insight into the human condition than a lot of grown-up TV shows, and does it with more heart and humour. If you’ve never seen it before, Bluey is a comfort blanket of a series that tells sweet and gentle stories about the everyday lives of Bluey, a seven-year-old Australian blue heeler, her younger sister Bingo, and their parents Bandit and Chilli.
For kids, Bluey is a bright and colourful show about some relatable young pups, but for adults, it’s a show with much deeper layers. It’s a fun reminder of how kids see the world around them and a realistic portrayal of the joys and frustrations of parenting, and they’ll also resonate with the more mature themes (some episodes touch on grief, loss, miscarriage and mental health).
This universal appeal is why Bluey’s New Zealand director Richard Jeffrey believes the cartoon is so popular. “Anyone can watch it with a family anywhere in the world, and say ‘oh my god, that’s my life’,” he told The Spinoff last year. There’s nothing sanctimonious or condescending about Bluey, and watching how Bandit and Chilli deal with problems might just be the best parenting advice you’ll get.
How popular is Bluey, really?
Since 2018, Bluey has broadcasted in over 60 countries and won an International Emmy, several Logies and a BAFTA. In New Zealand, Bluey was TVNZ+’s most streamed show (a whopping 29 million streams) in 2022, as well as the number one programme across all on-demand platforms in Australia and the eighth most streamed show in the US. For a kids’ show, that’s impressive. Not even Jem and the Holograms pulled those kinds of numbers.
Why is everyone talking about Bluey at the moment?
New episodes of Bluey have dropped around the world (including TVNZ+) this month, including a special 28 minute episode called “The Sign”. 10 million Disney+ viewers around the world watched The Sign during its release week, which translates to about 291.2 million viewing minutes.
So what’s the deal with The Sign?
Grab your tissues, The Sign got me good. At first glance, it’s a typically fun and funny episode of Bluey hijinks – after all, who doesn’t remember the exhilaration of sitting in the front seat of the car for the first time? But amid all the wedding preparations and car chases, Bandit has a new job in another city and the Heeler house is for sale. Whether Bluey likes it or not, change is headed her way.
The Sign is about venturing into the unknown, and about how sometimes in life, you’re not guaranteed a happy ending. There’s literally a big “for sale” sign in front of Bluey’s house, but there’s other subtle signs – the return of Flappy the butterfly, Greeny the green balloon – that suggest things will turn out OK. Bluey discovers that bad and unexpected things always happen, but good things can come from them too.
It’s an episode full of emotion: the sadness of Bluey leaving her home, the joy of a family wedding, the adventure of cruising around town in the passenger seat. Don't be surprised if you’re crying buckets of tears by the end. The Sign has such an emotional finale that some fans assumed it was the show’s last episode, but producer Sam Moor assured viewers that there’s more Bluey to come.
I’m an adult. Am I legally allowed to watch Bluey? And where should I start?
Absolutely. It might be a kids’ show, but you’ll be quickly won over by the humour, the relatable observations and heartwarming relationships. Start with award-winning episode Sleepytime, follow it up with Whale Watching (Bandit and Chilli parent with a hangover), Camping, Grandad and Stumpfest – and then dive into all 151 episodes from the very start.
Bluey streams on TVNZ+.
How you can stay informed the year the world votes
Two billion voters are set to go to the polls in 64 countries this year. One of the perks of being a Spinoff member is receiving The World Bulletin, a weekly newsletter rounding up global news. Edited by Catherine McGregor, it’s sent to members every Thursday. Becoming a member means you’ll not only help sustain local journalism but stay on top of consequential world news, see less advertising, be able to comment on The Spinoff and more. Join today.
Why you should listen to: Good Pop, Bad Pop by Jarvis Cocker (audiobook, Spotify)
I recently discovered that if you pay for Spotify you can now listen to a lot of their (normally very expensive) audiobook collection for free (for 15 hours a month, which is about two short books or one normal book; Dune, unfortunately, would need to be listened to across two months). Apparently it’s been this way since last year, but it was news to me and maybe it’s news to you too.
Good Pop, Bad Pop (6 hours 39 minutes), written and narrated by Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, was my first port of call and I can’t recommend it highly enough if you like listening to audio that could be described as “a warm bath”. It’s basically an autobiography, though it’s a bit more high concept than usual – Jarvis is tidying out his cluttered loft, deciding what to keep and what to “cop” (Sheffield word for chuck in the bin). Each item elicits a memory from his childhood and young adulthood, including formative experiences like getting his first guitar, hearing the Velvet Underground for the first time and spending months in hospital after falling out a window trying to impress a girl. Here’s hoping for a volume two where he digs out his degree from St Martin’s College and a ticket stub for the Brit Awards. / Calum Henderson
Why you should see: The Effect (ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland)
Is love a chemical response or a social construct? Can we fix ourselves by “fixing” our brains? Written by Lucy Prebble (Succession, I Hate Suzie, Diary of a Call Girl), The Effect launches straight into a drug trial, where two young people have immediate chemistry. Is it real or is one (or both) of them just experiencing the effects of the drug? With only four actors and the expanse of the ASB Theatre stage, a lesser cast would’ve been swamped by the material. But they pull it off. Unlike many critically-acclaimed “modern” shows that age by the time they reach New Zealand stages, The Effect is as relevant as ever, not taking a side in what is a never-ending debate – are humans supposed to be happy? The Effect doesn’t try to give any answers, but it asks all the right questions. Since watching, I keep remembering one killer line: “There’s no such thing as side effects. They’re just effects you can’t sell.” A thrilling play that will ironically stay in your head long after you leave the theatre. / Mad Chapman
More pop culture links from The Spinoff
Our new to streaming list has all the shows and movies dropping this week.
I’ve had the FM milk jingle playing on repeat in my head ever since reading comedian Josh Thomson’s delightful My Life in TV column.
Apparently Taylor Swift dropped two new albums last week, and The Spinoff verdicts are in.
It’s been 25 years since Popstars hit New Zealand screens and changed reality TV forever, so Alex Casey chatted with the world’s biggest TrueBliss fans.
Is Olivia Rodrigo about to announce a New Zealand show? Stewart Sowman-Lund certainly thinks so.
Mad Chapman went to see Ana Scotney’s “intimate, sprawling, must see” theatre performance of Scattergun.
Why you should watch: Heartbreak High (Netflix)
If you liked Sex Education then there’s a very high chance you’ll love Heartbreak High. A vibrant bunch of “hectic shits” navigate sex, drugs and vogue balls in the suburbs of Sydney. The drama is high, the feelings are intense and the acting is astonishing. There’s a grim underbelly at work in this show which gives it much harder edges than Sex Education but the sparkling script, bangin’ soundtrack and the unpredictable plot twists make this series stand out. Rachel House’s turn as the uptight, comically awkward and perpetually harassed school principal is a bonus. / Claire Mabey
You might also like:
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story (Disney+): “I remember writing Living on a Prayer and not thinking much of it,” Jon Bon Jovi reveals in Disney+’s new four-part documentary series, which charts the extraordinary rise and fall of 1980s American rock band Bon Jovi.
The Dry (TVNZ+): A new season about the messy life of Irish alcoholic Siobhan, who moves home to Dublin to get sober. Filled with bittersweet humour and sharp writing, The Dry is the kind of charming comedy-drama you can binge your way through one rainy Sunday afternoon.
Before we pop off…
Mike McRoberts announced he’ll end his news presenting career after Newshub’s closure in July.
Wellington artist Vera Ellen has won the 2024 Taite Music Prize.
A Priscilla: Queen of the Desert sequel is in the works, with the original cast and director “on board” for the follow-up.
We ranked all 28 road tunnels in Aotearoa – did your fave make the cut?
Jayne Kiely and Paul Glover will be the New Zealand version of Kirstie Allsop and Phil Spencer when Location, Location, Location NZ premieres later this year.
If you’ve finished watching Baby Reindeer (Netflix), discover the true story behind the incredible show.
Good news: A celebrity version of The Traitors UK is coming. Bad news: Not until 2025.
That’s it for Rec Room for this week. If you liked what you read, why not share Rec Room with your friends and whānau.
For any adult who enjoyed backyard cricket when they were younger, the Cricket episode of Bluey is a perfect depiction of those days. It even got a full write up from legendary cricket writer Jarrod Kimber in his substack.