Bluey YouTube channel posts episode that was cut from Disney+
American Bluey completionists are in luck: "Dad Baby," which tackles the topic of giving birth in the show's usual charming fashion, is now free to all
Bluey is having a moment, undeniably. The Australian animated kids show—about a family of dogs who engage in ridiculously silly, funny, emotionally intelligent games of make-believe—has been steadily building up buzz for more than five years at this point, as parents caught on to a kids show that’s genuinely funny in a way that whole families can enjoy. The recent release of the show’s 153rd episode, “The Sign”—in which the Heeler family’s beloved home goes up for sale—caused that appreciation to burst out online, as people got genuinely weepy about the prospect of change coming to such a warm and gentle show. (It also prompted worries that the show, created by Joe Brumm, was ending—with the follow-up episode, “Surprise!” closing on a moment that would work pretty well as a series finale. It’s not clear yet if the show will move forward after the end of its third season.)
Meanwhile, though, there’s good news for American Bluey completionists, as the official Bluey YouTube channel just dropped the full version of second-season episode “Dad Baby”—an episode that has been omitted from the Disney+ run of the show. At present, it’s the only such episode that’s been excluded from the show’s collection on the streamer, after a previous decision to cut season’s 3's “Family Meeting”—which is about the Heelers holding a mock trial to determine if goofy dad Bandit accidentally broke wind in his daughter’s face while getting up one morning—was reversed.
Watching “Dad Baby,” it’s pretty easy—even if we don’t agree—to see why Disney hesitated to offer it to American audiences. The episode centers on a game of make-believe where Bandit pretends to be pregnant with his daughter Bingo (placing her in a baby carrier on his stomach), and, in true Bluey fashion, takes things to their logical, very silly conclusion, ending with him “giving birth” in a wading pool. Nothing in the episode is remotely gross or inappropriate, provided you’re not scandalized by the basic concept of giving birth. But it could definitely prompt some questions that Disney might not want to put itself in a position to have to answer. More power to the rest of us: The more Bluey, free to more people, the better, honestly.