A cuddly preschoolers' cartoon about anthropomorphic dogs in the same way that Watership Down is a knockabout romp starring some cute bunnies, Bluey has surged so far ahead of its nominal competitors in wit, intelligence, substance and ambition that it has attracted a devoted adult following who can appreciate deft deconstructions of modern parenting and critiques of Western society at the same time as laughing at large blue heeler dog peeing on his foot.
Created by Australian animator Joe Brumm and first broadcast on ABC Kids in 2018, the multi-layered adventures of the inquisitive six-year old Bluey, her adorable younger sis Bingo, blokey but committed dad Bandit and serenely sarcastic mum Chili now run to over 150 episodes. Not all are gold (I will forever curse Brumm for bringing obnoxious hand-puppet Unicorse into my children's lives) but the high standard is astoundingly consistent and most episodes operate on more levels than a window cleaner at the Empire State Building. This ranking will prove that Brumm and co never shy away from addressing weighty and at times contentious themes that parental viewers really appreciate. But leaving aside Bluey's frequent moments of profundity, the show is also just one of the funniest things on TV, with spot-on, eminently quotable dialogue, rich characterisations, gorgeous sound design and frequently breathtaking visuals.
This list of the best 30 episodes of Bluey is, of course, highly subjective, although I'm confident that most people's favourites will be represented. But as I'm a Brit it is also unfortunately incomplete; the latest batch of Aussie-released season three episodes have not yet reached these shores. When they do arrive - no doubt with the kind of fanfare normally reserved for major state occasions - I will gladly update this ranking... unless somebody buys me off first.
So then, from big girl sleeps to burst balloons and beyond, let's get cracking, ya grub. Wackadoo!
30 Fancy Restaurant (S2 E17)
Under strict instructions from Bluey and Bingo to 'be more romance,' Bandit aka Romeo McFlourish attempts to woo an unimpressed Chili at an impromptu swanky eatery set up by the girls. Affectionately highlighting how it can be trifficult* to keep the spark alive when you've had two hours sleep and have been playing Daddy Robot all afternoon, the episode culminates in Bandit proving his love in the most unexpected - and stomach-churning - way possible.
29 Family Meeting (S3 E23)
Usually it's Bandit's pee that gets him in trouble but 'on the morning of this morning' it's apocalyptic flatulence that lands him in the dock in this spot-on parody of courtroom dramas. Judge Chili presides with curlers in place as kitchen utensils are pressed into service as evidence and Bluey persuasively makes her case. There's probably a lesson in there about fibbing somewhere but what most viewers will take from this hilarious episode is a quaint new term for farting your arse off.
28 Fairies (S1 E30)
Bluey generally makes sense. Even when it's playing with form and genre, the events of the narrative usually stack up in a logical way 'for real-life.' Not so with Fairies. Bandit is inadvertently (and very mildly) mean to Bingo and the family is rather disproportionately punished with a visitation of mischievous sprites. Cue much tail-braiding, peg-bearding and unstoppable dancing. Only when Bingo is frozen and Bandit is forced to make amends by gallivanting around his postbox shouting 'ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??' at the heavens is a modicum of sanity restored. We're used to witnessing parenting magic in Bluey but in Fairies it seems we may be getting a glimpse of the real thing.
27 Bumpy and the Wise Old Wolfhound (S1 E32)
Bingo is in hospital for a cannily unspecified reason, so it's up to Bluey, Bandit and a motley assortment of Heeler family and friends to cheer her up with a fantastical short film involving a poorly puppy and a worryingly large amount of purple underpants. All the tropes of badly made TV are lovingly exploited, from fluffed lines to unhinged performances and a broken vase surviving to the final edit, as we all learn the lesson that being ill is a reassuringly universal condition.
26 Fruit Bat (S1 E8)
A Bluey dream sequence can be a mesmerising thing (as evidenced by a certain rather famous episode further up this list) and Fruit Bat's closing sequence where Bluey takes to the night-time skies to watch her dad play touch footy is a heartwarming beauty. Both a deft reminder of the importance of bedtime and a recognition of the sacrifices parents have to make from their pre-kid days, this is an evergreen charmer from start to finish.
25 Grandad (S2 E27)
One of the joys of Bluey is its large cast of finely drawn supporting characters - from the girls' hilariously deranged cousin Muffin to the eternally fascinating Lucky's Dad - and one of the most lovable is undoubtedly Chili's rambunctious father. Taking the doctor's - and his daughter's - advice to slow down after treatment for heartworms (geddit?) with cavalier disregard, he instead tears around his local creek with Bluey and Bingo in tow, evading an increasingly irate and frustrated Chili. The beautiful waterside ending where father and daughter reminisce about her childhood is a poignant reminder that it's not just the show's central parental relationship that is well-rounded and meaningful.
24 Handstand (S2 E45)
Structure is everything when it comes to Bluey, and Brumm and his colleagues consistently hit on inventive and affecting ways to tell what could otherwise be a rather mundane story. Recounted largely through two long, unbroken scenes at Bingo's birthday party - one in which Bingo heartbreakingly fails to get her preoccupied guests to notice her handstand, the other where Nana searches in vain for a way to be useful - this episode's gently low-key conclusion carries all the emotional heft of an epic cinematic weepie.
23 Early Baby (S1 E40)
Let's be honest, what really raises Bluey above the pack (pun intended) of intelligent, well-crafted cartoon shows is its willingness to engage with issues that other kids' programming wouldn't touch with a bargepole. Exhibit A - Early Baby, in which Bluey's preschool friend Indy re-enacts her younger sister's premature birth, subtly revealing that she picked up EVERYTHING that her mother was going through at that traumatic time. The parallels between Indy's play and that of Rusty, who is embarking upon a knightly quest to rescue a king's daughter from the clutches of a dragon, are never hammered home but leave viewers in no doubt that sometimes 'you have to be the bravest you've ever been.' Sob.
22 Bike (S1 E11)
A loving tribute to resilience and problem solving through the prism of a quartet of playground challenges, Bike - much like Handstand - derives its emotional power from a steady accumulation of repeated endeavour, as Bingo tries to access the park water fountain, Bentley attempts to swing onto the monkey bars, Muffin rages against her backpack and Bluey herself becomes increasingly frustrated about her inability to ride her bicycle. The soundtrack builds to a feelgood finale and for once Bandit is allowed to be unconditionally wise. What more could you ask for?
21 Calypso (S1 E17)
A criticism that has been levelled at Bluey is that Bandit and Chili's wholehearted and hands-on approach to imaginative play sets unrealistic expectations for us mere human parents. It's a fair point but as a corrective I'd suggest the episode Calypso, in which Bluey's remarkably zen preschool teacher effortlessly directs a complex role-play scenario whilst outwardly doing very little. Another marvel of construction, the episode brings numerous disparate storylines together with a precision that is so perfect it feels like there should be an equation for it.
20 Shadowlands (S1 E5)
The first great Bluey episode is - ironically for a show that revels in the limitless possibilities of imagination - a paean to following the rules. As Bluey, Coco and Snickers navigate a path to an appetising picnic by only stepping on shadows, the episode ratchets up a genuine level of suspense with our heroes' journeys seemingly thwarted at every turn. In truth, the message about rules making games more fun feels a little secondary to the excitement of the adventure that has just unfolded but Shadowlands endures as the moment it became apparent that this show was going to do things a little differently and create something special.**
19 The Show (S2 E19)
Ok, this one is primarily in this ranking on account of 'that moment.' When Bingo's 'pregnancy' balloon pops during a Mother's Day show for Chili - and Bandit tenderly places his hand over his wife's immediately after - the Blueysphere lit up with theories that this tiny moment in within an episode about Bingo triumphing over adversity referred to miscarriage. And, unlike 99% of fan theories ever, this one was later confirmed as correct by Joe Brumm himself. In this context, the fact that it's Chili's words about picking yourself up and carrying on that resonate with her youngest daughter takes on a whole new dimension. It's hard to imagine Paw Patrol tackling something like this.
18 Phones (S3 E16)
Grandad's back for this gently satirical sideswipe at our obsession with technological convenience. Bluey had covered similar ground before in Bob Bilby - wherein Bingo's kindergarten mascot is photographed surrounded by a panoply of electronic devices - but Phones is wittier and more satisfying, as the senior Heeler realises that he's expected to use a bewildering array of apps to order food from the girls' takeaway. Typically for Bluey, the denouement isn't quite the one you might expect but still manages to highlight the fact that - despite the dizzying pace of technological change - kids will always be kids.
17 Granny Mobile (S3 E33)
There are few things in life funnier than Bluey and Bingo's uncannily accurate impressions of two doddery old grannies, perfectly named Janet and Rita. They first appear in an eponymous season one episode but, much like The Godfather franchise, the sequel is definitely superior, not least because it's wonderfully Muffin-heavy. In this instance, the girls' tantrum-tastic cousin wreaks havoc at kindly neighbour Doreen's garage sale and inadvertently secures a great deal from a real-life grouchy granny for Doreen's old mobility scooter. There's no real underlying message here or poignant moment - but there sure are a whole heap of belly laughs.
16 Stumpfest (S2 E6)
Unbridled Aussie dog/manhood unleashed in all its caveman glory in this delightful entry which amusingly illustrates that grown ups enjoy playing together too - it might just look a bit different. Acrimonious negotiations break out between the 'guys' - Bandit, Uncle Stripe and Lucky's Dad, who are embarking on a testosterone-fuelled tree stump de-rooting - and the 'girls' - Bluey, Bingo and Muffin, who have opened a small business on said stump. Much hilarity ensues, including Bandit receiving a forced makeover, before Chili calls a halt to proceedings with her characteristically observant wisdom.
15 Hammerbarn (S2 E2)
Containing, in Chili's exasperated declaration that 'that's what happens when you're not happy with what you got; eventually somebody's husband gets it,' possibly the finest line in any episode of Bluey, Hammerbarn sees the Heelers pay a visit to titular hardware emporium in search of a pizza oven. Bluey and Bingo divide up the trolley into two different houses leading to beautifully scripted squabbles over who gets the pizza slicer and who has the best hubby (two garden gnomes bearing shovels). It's funny, wise and perfectly captures the mix of awe and dread that everyone feels upon entering the Olympian vastness of B&Q.
14 BBQ (S1 E7)
Season one's Takeaway, wherein a trip to the local Chinese turns into spring roll-spattered carnage, has its fair share of admirers but for my money that same season hits its farcical peak with BBQ. This is prime Bingo, as the redoutable youngest Heeler determines to construct the perfect salad for her buddies whilst the grown ups tend to the barbie. It all escalates rapidly, there's a great running gag where Bandit keeps losing his beer and if you're not wiping away tears of hysteria at Bingo losing control of the garden hose, you must be clinically dead. The whole enterprise is expertly choreographed chaos that Frasier would be proud of.
13 Bin Night (S2 E42)
Ostensibly seven minutes of Bandit, Bluey and Bingo taking out the trash, this little gem is really all about the importance of family rituals and the space they afford us to communicate with each other away from the noise and hubbub of the daily grind. We get a tantalising snapshot of Bingo's troubled relationship with a new kid at 'kindy,' as well as Bluey's hilarious vendetta with a crow and Bandit doing a nice bit of character work with the bins. There's also a welcome appearance from neighbour Doreen, who we learn is a keen Mah Jong-er and - like the rest of us - blindly follows everybody else's bin routine out of indecision and ignorance.
12 Space (S3 E34)
Every so often the Heelers take a well-earned break from the limelight and give us the chance to get to know some of the supporting cast a little better. Space is an understated three-hander starring Mackenzie, Rusty and Jack as they play a wonderfully realised game of astronauts outside preschool. Yet something is wrong with Mackenzie; he repeatedly disappears, voices his wish to be 'left behind' and has an odd fascination with visiting a 'black hole.' Mining issues of PTSD and abandonment to create a thoughtful and affecting psychodrama, Space is one of those episodes that only Bluey could ever pull off successfully.
11 Rug Island (S2 E10)
Nominally an archaeologist, Bandit's apparent freedom to slack off work to lark about with his kids is a cause of understandable consternation to many viewers. Occasionally, however, the world of paid toil does impinge on the Heeler family idyll, as when Bandit must choose whether to remain on the utopian Rug Island - a textile floor covering relocated to the garden and boasting an inordinate amount of pens - or go and actually do his frigging job. The invention in this one is off the charts, especially in the multiplicity of uses the girls find for all those pens, and it's hard not to feel a lump in the throat when Bandit must forsake the innocent joy of childlike play for the grind of the adult world. Then again, he does have the luxury of working from home so...
10 Fairytale (S3 E26)
If any more proof were needed that Bluey is not, in fact, a cartoon for preschoolers but a beloved family sitcom, then look no further than Fairytale. Effectively Bandit and Chili's origin story, this episode's timeline allows Brumm and co. to have enormous fun with 1980s pop culture references that parents of a certain vintage will lap up, whilst the moral message about not picking on those smaller than you is handled with a light touch and we get to enjoy the magical moment when Bandit and Chili's eyes first meet. A shamelessly self-indulgent treat for fans, it's a measure of this show's standing that it still feels like pure gold.
9 Army (S2 E16)
At number nine it's another quietly stunning story devoted to secondary characters, as we are introduced to Jack, a young Jack Russell who can't stop fidgeting or concentrate for long periods. Yet through his rigorous army training from military-minded pooch Rusty, he discovers that the dog he is when 'in the moment' of play may be different to who he is 'for real life.' A sensitive, subtle exploration of ADHD which refuses to draw trite conclusions, Army proves once more the depth and richness of the Bluey universe and how every character, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is blessed with a lovingly sketched backstory.
8 Copycat (S1 E38)
Bluey is, of course, not the first children's cartoon to deal with the issues of death and grief, and at first it feels oddly safe for such a groundbreaking show to approach these topics through an animal's (or, in this case, non-dog's) demise. But this is Bluey and so we know that, after the injured bird Bandit and Bluey take to the vet passes on, we are not going to get the usual pat preschool lesson. Just as the episode begins with a carefree game of copycat and spirals into something more complex, so Bluey's desire for closure by re-enacting the day's tragic events exactly is derailed by her little sister's antics. Ultimately, in the words of the compassionate Bandit, life and death is simply out of our hands.
7 Faceytalk (S3 E24)
For all the casual profundity and heartwrenching vignettes, it's worth remembering that, at it's best, Bluey is the funniest comedy on television. And it doesn't get any funnier than Faceytalk. Taking centre-stage is the spoilt, unruly and utterly magnificent Muffin - very much the Eric Cartman of the show - as a FaceTime-esque video call with her cousins Bluey and Bingo degenerates into tech-fuelled anarchy when Muffin won't do as she's told. Zany filters get applied to fuming parents as an epic chase sequence takes place to the tune of a prelude to the opera Carmen, and all the side-splitting madness is viewed through the split screen format of a mobile phone video call. Total genius.
6 Camping (S1 E43)
As previously mentioned it's often the simplest Bluey stories that pack the biggest emotional punch and few hit harder than season one blub-fest Camping. Proving that the language of play is universal, Bluey befriends a French-speaking labrador named Jean Luc whilst on a family camping trip and we watch as they bond, chase the hapless Bandit and plant a seed in the site's earth. But inevitably the transient nature of vacations means it's a friendship destined to end abruptly. Yet as melancholic and reflective as this episode may be, the transcendence of the final few seconds is enough to set off a stream of waterworks all over again.
5 Onesies (S3 E31)
On one level this is a knockabout romp wherein Chili's estranged sister Brandy rocks up with jungle animal onesies for the girls, leading Bingo to 'become one with the onesie' and adopt the feral behaviour of a cheetah. But that's not what this episode is really about. Although it's never explicitly spelt out it is heavily implied that the reason for Brandy's prolonged absence from the Heeler home is due to her own infertility and the pain it causes her seeing her nieces growing up. Even for Bluey this is an extremely courageous subject to take on in the space of seven minutes but, as ever, it works beautifully, with Chili's concerned looks and Brandy's desperately outstretched arms as Bingo runs away from her painting a thousand words.
4 Rain (S3 E18)
Amply demonstrating that by season three Bluey could do pretty much anything it wanted to with ease, Rain is - save for a jovial farewell from Bluey and Bandit right at the start - completely wordless. So begins a gorgeous piece of animated art in which Bluey wants to play in the downpour whilst her mum is just anxious to keep the floor clean of muddy footprints. With no dialogue to fall back on, the sound design is the real star here, perfectly matching the highs and lows of the narrative and reaching a stunning crescendo at the point Chili tries to block her daughter's entry into the house. Transplanting the ambition of cinematic auteurs into a seven minute children's cartoon, Rain is dazzlingly unlike anything else in the Bluey canon.
3 Sleepytime (S2 E26)
Hankies at the ready for this hugely inventive miniature masterpiece as Bingo - determined to have a big girl sleep in her own bed - dreams her way through the cosmos on an interplanetary adventure. Dream-time activities neatly mirror real-life actions - when Bingo races over a planet she's really kicking Bandit in her sleep and when the duvet is pulled from her bed the temperature in outer space drops - and at the centre of it all is the warming glow of the sun aka. mama Chili. Accompanied by the emotive strains of Holst's Planets, Sleepytime transforms a child's rites of passage into an interstellar epic without losing an iota of intimacy or charm.
2 Baby Race (S2 E50)
Modern parenting can often feel like an Olympic sport, with milestones to be constantly attained and a multitude of social media posts to judge yourself against. The characters of Bandit and Chili have, of course, been lambasted for perceived unrealistic child-rearing standards but Baby Race puts that all into perspective as Chili relates her struggles with guilt and low self-esteeem following Bluey's birth. Despite an early ability to roll over, Bluey was consistently overtaken in developmental milestones by her peers - to the point where Chili sought medical advice. Recognition of the first stirrings of postpartum depression in a show like Bluey is hugely important, as is the reassurance that Chili receives from Coco's mother when Chili backs away from her baby group. If this all makes Baby Race sound dauntingly heavy, it really isn't; the framing of Chili's story as a race lightens the tone and there's some reliably chucklesome pratfalling from Bandit. But the gravity (and comfort) of the message the episode conveys cannot be overstated.
1 Flat Pack (S2 E24)
So in this ranking alone we can see that Bluey has covered ADHD, death, postpartum depression, premature birth, infertility, PTSD and miscarriage. Weighty topics to be sure but surely even Joe Brumm would baulk at attempting to encompass the entirety of evolution on Earth in 420 seconds. Turns out not, and even more jaw-droppingly this exquisite historico-scientific account is played out through the prism of flat pack furniture self-assembly. As Bandit and Chili squabble over the construction of a porch swing, the packaging they discard gets assimilated into Bluey and Bingo's play and becomes the ever-shifting landscape of the Earth, as fish evolve into lizards and monkeys elect to walk on two legs. If that were the sum total of Flat Pack's visionary genius it would still be enough to see it crowned the best Bluey episode ever. But there's a whole other layer at play here as well, for as the Earth ages so do the characters played by the girls. The epsiode ends with a moment of spiritual deliverance so audacious you can't quite believe they've gone there. There are more levels, ambiguities and questions raised by Flat Pack the further down the rabbit hole you descend - from parallels between human evolution and late-stage capitalism to the nature of religion and worship - but suffice it to say that this episode is mind-blowingly impressive on all of those aforementioned levels. And you thought The Wire was complex.
* See Favourite Thing (S2 E7)
** Not literally of course as Something Special is, as well all know, a beloved CBeebies show starring Justin Fletcher.
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