From bonding family moments to innocent child’s play, Bluey is a show primarily targeted at children. So why are older, more- mature audiences drawn to this Australian-slice-of-life cartoon?

Bluey is a 6-year-old dog living in Brisbane with her 4-year-old sister Bingo and her parents Chili and Bandit. The show isn’t fast-paced or filled with superheroes, but the family’s daily lives have fascinated viewers across the globe. 

Bluey appeals to older audiences due to what they lack in their everyday lives. This can look like healthy parental relationships, expressing creativity, or wholesome depictions of heavy topics.  

Having a show that provides viewers with something they may not have possessed throughout their lives can grant great comfort. 

Demonstrating healthy parental relationships has become something that keeps viewers watching. 

Dallastown Area High School is no exception to this trend.

Sophomore Cassidy Gable explains, “Bluey showcases very healthy relationships between both parents and adults in many different aspects, which I think is very important.” 

Bandit, Bluey’s dad, is probably the best modern-day example of gentle parenting and has become a role model to parents. 

Ms. Williamson, English Teacher at Dallastown Area High School, began watching Bluey with her niece after finishing Paw Patrol together. 

“They are very involved in Bluey and Bingo’s life, and  I think it’s cool to see that in a cartoon because a lot of times the kids are playing with other kids,” Williamson stated.

Bluey demonstrates how to parent young children. I notice myself learning more from the adults than I do from younger characters.

“I like how it shows that even older people can learn a lot from younger ones, like how older people can learn a lot from this show meant for kids.” Gable goes on to say.

Showing that even grown-ups make mistakes has the characters feel more relatable to actual adults struggling. 

Throughout the show, a common theme is allowing kids to use their imaginations as a way to develop mentally. This is evident as Bluey attends a Waldorf/Steiner school, meaning children learn through imagination and creativity. 

Mrs. Gibson, an English teacher at DHS originally started watching Bluey with her nieces. She gave Bluey a try herself when she bought Disney Plus to watch The Mandalorian. 

“Bluey and Bingo have an inventive repertoire of games and characters. Sometimes I wonder whether kids have enough unscheduled time to be this creative today,” Gibson explains. 

As a high school student, nothing is more refreshing than watching children not live the same day on repeat.

Bluey has a perfect balance between light-hearted children’s show themes, and topics deemed untouchable by kid’s animation. 

In the episode “Army”, Season 2 Episode 16, Jack, Bluey’s classmate, is illustrating his first day at his new school through conversations with his mother. 

Two minutes into the episode, it becomes clear that Jack has ADHD, a common hyperactivity disorder. 

Through his characterization, even younger audiences can understand Jack’s overwhelming behavior. He constantly blames himself due to the negative attention he receives because he “just can’t listen.” 

On top of seeing a young child struggle, we see another conflict emerge as Jack meets Dusty. 

Dusty’s knowledge of the army sparks the conversation about how children feel when their parents leave to fight in the Army. 

This episode has brought me to tears every time I’ve watched it. I love the childhood innocence shown through Jack and Dusty’s beautiful friendship while juggling their own personal conflicts.

Whether teens and adults are drawn to the relationships, the themes, or the character’s accents, one thing is clear–people other than kids just love it.

“It weirdly helps lower my anxiety levels, but I honestly cannot explain why,”  Williamson proclaimed.