WTF is up with the new Bluey episode???

[Terabith]

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but it makes me pretty angry! And disappointed in myself for my reaction.  

[alisoncooks]

eta: I assume we’re talking about the long special: The Sign…

We watched it. It seems to be generally liked — I’m not sure what you’re angry about?  Unless it’s the setting up one big change storyline, only to undo it at the end (which is pretty unrealistic/unhelpful for children who may be experiencing that change)?

But it tells us at the beginning that all these things (Brandy anyone?) were going to have a happy ending. It was in the children’s discussion with Calypso — “why do stories always have a happy ending?”, they said.

 

Edited April 19 by alisoncooks

[Terabith]

I am angry about six year old Bluey riding in the front seat and the idea of happy endings being that nothing changes. I think a lot of kids struggle with necessary changes…to their families, their friends, their schools.  Lots of things in life and maybe especially in childhood are transient.  And so to spend all that time and energy on buildup and then to go, “Oh, no, never mind.  We just won’t do it,” at the very last moment is going to devastate a lot of little kids when there’s no last minute reprieve from changes in their lives.  

[KSera]

3 minutes ago, Terabith said:

And so to spend all that time and energy on buildup and then to go, “Oh, no, never mind.  We just won’t do it,” at the very last moment is going to devastate a lot of little kids when there’s no last minute reprieve from changes in their lives.  

I felt the same about that, but thought it was just me. I forgive them for it, but I think it was a bad call. 
 

 

4 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I am angry about six year old Bluey riding in the front seat

I hated the way they covered that as well! It was like, “hooray! This unusual predicament means we’re now legally allowed to put your life at risk! Yay!!” Maybe they just wanted to explain why he was up front, but they could have done it matter of factly and not like it sucks so much to have to ride safely in the car and now we can celebrate because we have an excuse for you not to. 
 

But still I forgive them. 

[Ditto]

I loved the episode and cried.  I thought it was beautiful.     

Edit:  I am referring to "The Sign" episode

Edited April 19 by Ditto

[Terabith]

14 minutes ago, KSera said:

I felt the same about that, but thought it was just me. I forgive them for it, but I think it was a bad call. 
 

 

I hated the way they covered that as well! It was like, “hooray! This unusual predicament means we’re now legally allowed to put your life at risk! Yay!!” Maybe they just wanted to explain why he was up front, but they could have done it matter of factly and not like it sucks so much to have to ride safely in the car and now we can celebrate because we have an excuse for you not to. 
 

But still I forgive them. 

I’m not sure if I can forgive them.  If my kids had seen this when they were little and then had to move, it would have completely devastated them and also made them think we didn’t love them as much as Bluey’s parents love them. 

[Heartstrings]

28 minutes ago, Terabith said:

And so to spend all that time and energy on buildup and then to go, “Oh, no, never mind.  We just won’t do it,” at the very last moment is going to devastate a lot of little kids when there’s no last minute reprieve from changes in their lives.  

We’re in the middle of a move that no one wants because of an absolutely necessary job change that is not optional and the whole thing is really hard on my little Bluey fan in particular.   Now I have to scramble to protect her from this episode because there will be no last minute reprieve and I can’t have her secretly dreaming of that possibility.  
 

I’m honestly pretty ticked about it because it’s so unnecessary.  There are a million other story lines, why this one? 

Edited April 19 by Heartstrings

[Heartstrings]

3 minutes ago, Terabith said:

and also made them think we didn’t love them as much as Bluey’s parents love them. 

100% this.  

[Terabith]

4 minutes ago, Heartstrings said:

We’re in the middle of a move that no one wants because of an absolutely necessary job change that is not optional and the whole thing is really hard on my little Bluey fan in particular.   Now I have to scramble to protect her from this episode because there will be no last minute reprieve and I can’t have her secretly dreaming of that possibility.  
 

I’m honestly pretty ticked about it because it’s so unnecessary.  There are a million other story lines, why this one? 

Exactly!  I think it’s honestly irresponsible of them.  

[JustEm]

38 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I am angry about six year old Bluey riding in the front seat and the idea of happy endings being that nothing changes. I think a lot of kids struggle with necessary changes…to their families, their friends, their schools.  Lots of things in life and maybe especially in childhood are transient.  And so to spend all that time and energy on buildup and then to go, “Oh, no, never mind.  We just won’t do it,” at the very last moment is going to devastate a lot of little kids when there’s no last minute reprieve from changes in their lives.  

I love that it was about Bandit picking what was best for his family non-financially instead of chasing money they didn't need. 

Had they not had the moments where the parents were struggling with the choice and where Chili specifically talks to Bluey about not being ok about it, I may feel more negatively. But I think it showed an important thing kids need to see.

[KSera]

58 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

I love that it was about Bandit picking what was best for his family non-financially instead of chasing money they didn't need. 

Had they not had the moments where the parents were struggling with the choice and where Chili specifically talks to Bluey about not being ok about it, I may feel more negatively. But I think it showed an important thing kids need to see.

I feel like all of that was more cerebral than the little kids watching are likely to pick up. I think that's only going to strike the parents watching. I think the very last minute change (super unrealistically so) is going to read to kids more of just, Bluey didn't want to move and now they don't have to! Rather than that their daddy chose what was best for his family even though it won't make him as much money.  Actually, I just asked my youngest, and for him, it was: they didn't move because the "dogs who couldn't see" found a house with a pool and didn't want to buy Bluey's house anymore (he did air quotes for the dogs who couldn't see, too 😂).

[bookbard]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

I am angry about six year old Bluey riding in the front sea

Not that I watch it, but it's been non-stop on Australian media!

Bluey ((who is female)is seven years old (apparently had a bday in another episode?) So is legally allowed to sit in the front without a booster if there are no other seats, although it isn't ideal. All the state road people have been going on about it lol

[KSera]

Just now, bookbard said:

So is legally allowed to sit in the front

I didn't have a problem with the fact that they allowed it so much as the fact that it was celebrated so much.

[Heartstrings]

Just now, KSera said:

I feel like all of that was more cerebral than the little kids watching are likely to pick up. I think that's only going to strike the parents watching. I think the very last minute change (super unrealistically so) is going to read to kids more of just, Bluey didn't want to move and now they don't have to! Rather than that their daddy chose what was best for his family even though it won't make him as much money.  Actually, I just asked my youngest, and for him, it was: they didn't move because the "dogs who couldn't see" found a house with a pool and didn't want to buy Bluey's house anymore (he did air quotes for the dogs who couldn't see, too 😂).

I agree.  Kids don’t understand things like different wages, job promotions or any of that.  My kiddo keeps asking whyDad doesn’t get job where we are (we tried, there is nothing), why Daddy doesn’t just keep not working (because to her mind that’s been just fine for several months so why not forever), and why I don’t just work instead, (I wouldn’t make nearly as much as Daddy and wouldn’t be able to pay the bills).  

[KungFuPanda]

A coworker was going off about this today. She has friends that are moving soon and they are actively censoring this episode. 

[Elizabeth86]

Oh no! What made you angry? My kids watched, but I only half listened.

[Elizabeth86]

16 hours ago, Terabith said:

I am angry about six year old Bluey riding in the front seat and the idea of happy endings being that nothing changes. I think a lot of kids struggle with necessary changes…to their families, their friends, their schools.  Lots of things in life and maybe especially in childhood are transient.  And so to spend all that time and energy on buildup and then to go, “Oh, no, never mind.  We just won’t do it,” at the very last moment is going to devastate a lot of little kids when there’s no last minute reprieve from changes in their lives.  

Oh yeah, my short 12 year old was outraged by Bluey in the front seat. lol

[SounderChick]

Yes I know a family with young  children who sat down to watch it while they were packing for their own move thinking it would be so great that they were moving with Bluey for the episode to turn expectedly. Now they are dealing with explaining that they are really moving and nothing will change it.

[KungFuPanda]

THIS is why we prefer Puffin Rock. It’s calming. 🤣

[Clarita]

@Heartstrings yes keep this episode away from your kids for a few years. 

I just read the recap (Bluey isn't something my children are watching). This episode would have had me super angry at my parents at 7 years old. I immigrated with my parents at 6 years old, to a new country. I understand from a TV show standpoint why they would do the storyline the way they did, but they should have not done that storyline. 

What under 10 year old is really going to understand look Bluey's dad made a decision based on something other than financial gain. Most children don't have a salaried job. When I moved at age 6 whether my dad made more or less at the new job was completely lost on me. The first year after the move I was devastated - bad things happened, new place was not unicorns and rainbows. Subsequently a few years of not much would have been different if we had not moved. A decade or so after the move everything "worked out for the best" for me. Also, note that decades later my mom's opinion on the move is that we shouldn't have done it. These are the real feelings that a child moving has to deal with and the parental guilt that comes with having to move. An episode of "oh, we don't have to move anymore" is not helpful.

Anyway, in short I totally agree it was terrible to address moving in this way.  

[Acorn]

I don’t know Bluey. I’m guessing that they end the episode with not moving? This was brought to my attention in a parent teacher conference recently as my student will be moving soon. The parents said it was horrible timing for their child to watch this episode.

[KSera]

7 minutes ago, Acorn said:

I’m guessing that they end the episode with not moving?

Yes. The house is sold, the movers have come and packed everything into the truck and the family is about to drive away from their house in their car when the call comes in that the sale fell through, and they immediately get out of the car and move back in to the house. Seems like the worst possible way they could have done it because it will leave moving kids hoping it might not happen all the way past what is typically a point of no return.

[Halftime Hope]

FYI -- Ramona and Beezus has a similar story line.  I watched this recently and generally really liked the film. But it does have this rather inauthentic storyline.