Is Bluey over? No, but it could have been

If you’re one of the millions of fans of the Australian children’s animated series BluishYou’ll know that the show’s third season, which aired in Australia in early 2021, has just concluded with an epic 28-minute special episode called ‘The Sign’. (Episodes are usually seven minutes long.) You will also be aware that the episode, and the lead-up to it, Bluish fandom into a tailspin of speculation that this was the end for the beloved show.

That’s partly because the format-breaking episode, which advocates a massive change for the protagonists of the Heeler family of anthropomorphic dogs and integrates dozens of cameos and storylines from across the series, has “final” written all over it. And it’s partly because the makers of the show – which streams on Disney Plus and is distributed worldwide by the BBC, but remains under the full control of its creator, Joe Brumm, and Australian animation outfit Ludo Studio – have been evasive about the future of the show after season 3.

The short answer is: Bluish‘ is not over yet, although it is unclear what form the return will take, and a fourth season is not a given.

Producer Sam Moor told the BBC“No, it’s not the end for it Bluish. I’m sure we have many more surprises in store for you. We have more in store and we are thinking about what the next step would be.” Notably, Moor’s comment stopped short of confirming season 4 of the show, and her wording was open-ended about the format of Bluish‘s return.

There has been much speculation about a Bluish film as the logical next step for a children’s entertainment brand that has achieved such enormous scale: Bloomberg reports that the Bluish brand is worth $2 billion, and in the US it was the second most streamed show of 2023, behind To take. A movie seems like a real possibility. In an interview with DeadlineBrumm indicated that ‘The Sign’ was a test case Bluish in longer formats. “I’m excited to go longer in ‘The Sign,’ and I’d love to try to go longer – I certainly wouldn’t rule that out,” he said. “That’s why I’m very interested to see how ‘The Sign’ comes across to the public. Obviously it’s four times as long as a normal episode. Will the audience accept a period with a longer story?”

It is remarkable that Bluish‘s future is such an open question when the show is at the height of its popularity; movie or no movie, it’s shocking that season 4 hasn’t been confirmed yet. Popular children’s shows tend to shift quickly to production line status. although Bluish‘The 153 episodes may seem like a lot, think about that Peppa Pig — Bluish‘s predecessor and inspiration as a favorite among preschoolers, and a show that Brumm worked on himself – has run for eight seasons and almost 400 episodes in twenty years. This is the trajectory Bluish normally it would be expected to be on.

But Bluish is different for a number of reasons. First, Brumm retains total creative control of the show. Based on the credits, he has written every episode, rarely with a co-writer. He doesn’t own the show, but neither do Disney or the BBC. It’s owned by Ludo and the small Australian studio has so far been content to let Brumm take the lead. Bloomberg paints a picture from executives at these and other companies, with hundreds of millions of dollars in potential revenue at stake, eagerly waiting to hear from Brumm about what’s next.

The other reason is a creative decision Brumm made that sets the tone Bluish from many children’s shows – and indeed from other animated sitcoms. Unlike the eternal, never-changing worlds of Peppa Pig or The Simpsonstime goes by Bluish. Both Bluey and her sister Bingo have had birthdays since the show’s inception and have aged accordingly; Bluey is now seven. Some episodes, such as “Camping” and “Daddy Dropoff,” end with sudden, poignant flash-forwards to the characters’ future lives. In the world of the show, change is subtle and rarely dramatic, but it is real. Adding to the stakes, Brumm is wary of recasting the original child actors (whom he never named). “I would look for any other alternative before replacing it,” he told Bloomberg.

In other words: Brumm’s integrity has collapsed Bluish a natural shelf life that a show likes Paw patrol simply doesn’t have it. It could really end at any moment, because Brumm decides he’s had enough, or because the actors get older, or because the characters do. Viewers understand this instinctively through the show’s tone and storytelling choices, even if they haven’t read any interviews. And this is what makes ‘The Sign’ such a moving TV episode.

The previous episode, “Ghostbasket,” which aired a week earlier, ended with a shocking revelation: a for sale sign outside the Heelers’ home. In “The Sign”, it is revealed that Bluey’s father, Bandit, has taken a job in another city. The family is moving. The episode explores how destabilizing an event like this is for children with the usual mix of humor and sensitivity, but the truth is that it is also destabilizing for the audience – be they children, parents or adult fans. The house is a (beautiful) space that we’ve come to know well over the years, and there’s a huge supporting cast of beloved characters that Brumm threatens to take away.

“The Sign” is loaded with references to previous episodes that transcend the usual pointing at Rick Dalton endorphin rush of recognition, instead moving subplots forward in meaningful ways. Bluey’s aunt Brandy, who appeared in “Onesies,” a heartbreaking episode about infertility, turns out to be pregnant. The single parents of some of Bluey’s school friends, who are chatting in ‘TV Shop’, get together. Life goes on. The episode’s premise and dramatic conclusion are given added weight and texture by a recent episode, “Stickbird,” which shows the usually unstoppable Bandit being distracted, restrained, and struggling with something.

The care with which Brumm weaves real life into the Heelers’ hilarious games, confronting all the joys and pains of both childhood and parenthood, is what gives ‘The Sign’ its enormous emotional payoff. The effect simply wouldn’t be possible in the hermetic, frozen world of other animated series. And if the episode ultimately comes back from the brink of great change, it’s consistent with the show’s values, which have always put community and family above the individual. It was the right choice. Or Bluish returns in a new season, movie or something else, fans can trust Brumm to keep it real.