Bluey (2018 TV series)
Bluey | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Created by | Joe Brumm |
Directed by |
|
Voices of |
|
Composers |
|
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 2 |
No. of episodes | 103 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer |
|
Editor | Michael Griffin |
Running time | 7 minutes |
Production company | Ludo Studio |
Original release | |
Network | ABC Kids |
Release | 1 October 2018 present | –
Bluey is an Australian animated television series for preschool children that premiered on ABC Kids on 1 October 2018. The program was created by Joe Brumm with Queensland production group Ludo Studio. It was co-commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Broadcasting Corporation, with BBC Studios holding global distribution and merchandising rights. The series made its premiere on Disney Junior in the United States and was released internationally on Disney+.
The show follows Bluey, an anthropomorphic six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who is characterised by her abundance of energy, imagination and curiosity of the world. The young dog lives with her father, Bandit; mother, Chilli; and younger sister, Bingo, who regularly joins Bluey on adventures as the pair embark on imaginative play together. Other characters featured each represent a different dog breed. Overarching themes include the focus on family, growing up and Australian culture. The program was created and produced in Queensland; its capital city inspires the show's setting.
Bluey has received consistently high viewership in Australia on both broadcast television and video on demand services. It has influenced the development of merchandise and a stage show featuring its characters. The program won a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Children's Program in 2019 as well as an International Emmy Kids Award. It has been praised by television critics for depicting a modern everyday family life, constructive parenting messages and the role of Bandit as a positive father figure. Minor shortcomings in regards to inclusive language have been criticised. Bluey was renewed for a third series in October 2020.
Characters
The child characters of Bluey are voiced by children of the program's production crew and are not credited as voice performers.[1][2]
Main
- Bluey Heeler, a six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy. She is curious and energetic.
- Bingo Heeler, Bluey's four-year-old younger sister, a Red Heeler puppy.
- Bandit Heeler / Dad (voiced by David McCormack),[3] the Blue Heeler father of Bluey and Bingo who is an archaeologist.[2]
- Chilli Heeler / Mum (voiced by Melanie Zanetti),[4] the Red Heeler mother of Bluey and Bingo who works part-time in airport security.[2]
Recurring
- Muffin Heeler, Bluey and Bingo's three-year-old Heeler cousin.
- Socks Heeler, Bluey and Bingo's one-year-old cousin and Muffin's sister, who is still learning to walk on two legs and talk.
- Chloe, a kind and gentle Dalmatian who is Bluey's best friend.
- Lucky, an energetic golden Labrador who is Bluey's next-door neighbour. He loves sports and playing with his father.
- Honey, a thoughtful beagle who is Bluey's friend. She is sometimes shy and requires encouragement to fully participate.
- Mackenzie, an adventurous Border Collie who is Bluey's friend from school, and originally from New Zealand.
- Coco, a pink poodle who is Bluey's friend. She is sometimes impatient when playing games.
- Snickers, a dachshund who is Bluey's friend. He has an interest in science and can't run that fast or jump so far.
- Jack, a lively Jack Russell Terrier with attention deficit issues.
- Rusty, an Red Kelpie from the bush, whose father is in the army.
- Indy, an imaginative and free-spoken Afghan Hound.
- Uncle Stripe Heeler (voiced by Dan Brumm),[5] Bandit's younger brother and the father of Muffin and Socks.
- Aunt Trixie Heeler (voiced by Myf Warhurst),[6] Uncle Stripe's wife and the mother of Muffin and Socks.
- Warhurst also voices Indy's Mum, an Afghan Hound who sells organic baked goods at the market.[7]
- Mrs. Retriever (voiced by Ann Kerr),[8] a Golden Retriever and Bingo's kindergarten teacher.
- Calypso (voiced by Megan Washington),[6] a Merle Australian Shepherd and Bluey's school teacher.
- Pat / Lucky's Dad (voiced by Brad Elliot),[9] a Labrador Retriever and Lucky's father, who lives next door to the Heelers, and often involves himself in their gameplay.[10]
- Chris Heeler / Nana (voiced by Chris Brumm),[10] Bandit, Stripe and Rad's mother, and grandmother to their children.
- Bob Heeler (voiced by Ian McFadyen),[11] Bandit, Stripe and Rad's father, and grandfather to their children.
- Uncle Rad Heeler (voiced by Patrick Brammall),[12] Bandit and Stripe's brother.
- Frisky (voiced by Claudia O'Doherty),[12] Bluey's godmother who develops a relationship with Uncle Rad.
Notable guests
- Surfer (voiced by Layne Beachley),[6] a Shetland Sheepdog with a passion for surfing.
- Postie (voiced by Anthony Field), a Catahoula Leopard Dog who works as a post office employee.[13][14]
- Field also voices Rusty's Dad, a Red Kelpie who is in the army.[15]
- Jack's Mum and Dad (voiced by Zoë Foster Blake and Hamish Blake), a pair of Jack Russell Terriers.[13][14]
- Alfie (voiced by Robert Irwin),[16] a customer service assistant who works at the toy store.
Development
Conception
In July 2017, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) co-commissioned Bluey as an animated series for preschool children to be developed by Queensland production company Ludo Studio.[17][18] The production received funding from Screen Australia and Screen Queensland, with the setting of the series drawing upon the unique semi-tropical Queensland climate.[17] Created by Joe Brumm, the series was inspired by his experience in raising two daughters. Brumm wanted to portray the importance of children participating in imaginative play, creating the title character Bluey as a Cattle Dog to give the series an Australian voice.[17] Brumm had previously worked on children's programs in the United Kingdom as a freelance animator and decided to create Bluey as a replica of the program Peppa Pig for an Australian audience.[6][19] He conceived the idea independently in 2016, and produced a one-minute pilot through his company Studio Joho, with a small team in their spare time.[5] Brumm approached Ludo Studio to develop the series; co-founders Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson pitched the pilot at conferences such as MIPCOM in France.[5][20][21] Brumm stated that the first pilot contained some "dangerous" character behaviours which drew the attention of studio executives.[5][note 1] Pearson expressed that it was difficult to pitch the series as it was not high-concept; but rather "just a show about family and games".[4][22]
The studio developed a five-minute animation sample that was pitched at the Asian Animation Summit in Brisbane in 2016, and was thereby noticed by ABC and BBC executives.[19][23][24] Michael Carrington of the ABC viewed the presentation and secured $20,000 of funding for the studio to produce a refined, seven-minute pilot.[5][23] The new pilot was presented at the Asian Animation Summit in 2017.[5] The two networks officially ordered 52 seven-minute episodes of Bluey, with the BBC investing 30 percent of the funding and acquiring the global rights for distribution and merchandising.[6][17] The series was produced entirely in Australia by a local team, many of whom were first-time animators from Brisbane.[6] The program was announced to premiere in Australia on ABC Kids, followed by CBeebies.[17][18]
Production
Writing
"There's no counting in Bluey, there's no learning this or that ... just show ’em playing. It's to show parents that the kids aren't just mucking around. They’re learning to play, learning to share ... and generally you can just put your feet up and let ’em do it."
The stories featured in Bluey depict Bluey and Bingo engaging in imaginative play.[1] Brumm wanted to show that self-directed and unstructured play is natural in shaping children and allowing them to develop.[1] He consulted research based on socio-dramatic play, reading the works of Sara Smilansky and Vivian Paley, who both had backgrounds in early childhood education.[21] The episodes show the parents as guides for their children, who allow them to explore their immediate surroundings independently, giving them opportunities to practise adult roles.[1] Brumm drew inspiration for scripts from his own experiences in watching his daughters play, which he described was "as natural to them as breathing".[5][6][18] The program's scripts show how children can use gameplay to learn lessons and integrate the world of adults into their own; Brumm noticed how his children would recreate interactions such as visits to the doctor, through roleplay.[5][25] Pearson stated that gameplay represents children's first experiences of collaboration, cooperation, responsibility and emotions such as jealousy.[5] Brumm discovered the importance of play-based learning after his daughter struggled with formal education, which led him to exclude elements of literacy and numeracy in Bluey and focus on the depiction of life skills.[6] Brumm stated that he wanted the series to depict his experience as a parent rather than aim for children to be explicitly taught something.[21] His creative aims were to make children laugh, and show parents what children can learn while engaged in play.[21]
The characters of Bluey each represent a particular dog breed, some of which are drawn from Brumm's personal life. Brumm had a Blue Heeler named Bluey throughout his childhood, in addition to a Dalmatian named Chloe.[5] Bandit is based on a Blue Heeler belonging to his father's friend.[5] Bandit's career as an archaeologist was inspired by Brumm's older sibling Adam.[5]
Brumm writes the majority of episode scripts, with Aspinwall labelling the series as an "observational" show, depicting Brumm's family life; and producer Sam Moor describing it as "[Brumm's] life on screen".[22][23][note 2] Brumm's process for writing sometimes begins with making notes about his family's experiences; including games his children play and the conflict that arises between them.[5] For this reason, Brumm has described the process as a challenge for other writers on the series.[5] Moor stated that there are few writers besides Brumm, mostly animators already working on the series.[5] The program was designed to be a co-viewing experience for parents and their children to enjoy together.[6][20] Brumm described the process of writing each episode as "a chance to make a short film".[26] The conflict and humour in the episodes stems from Bandit's relationship with his daughters.[23] Bluey has been described as "rough and tumble" by Pearson, with both her and Bingo being seen to subvert the stereotypes of female characters, but rather have the characteristics of real puppies.[22] This has led to uninformed viewers questioning if the characters are boys or girls.[22] Pearson has credited the decision of Bluey and Bingo being girls to resemble the real families of Brumm, Aspinwall and McCormack.[22] In relation to the humour of the series, Brumm has stated there is a lot of physical activity and "craziness".[26]
Storyboarding and animation
Bluey is animated in-house at Ludo Studio in Brisbane, in Fortitude Valley, where approximately 50 people work on the program.[21][22] Costa Kassab serves as one of the art director of the series, who has been credited with drawing the locations of the series which are based on real places in Brisbane, including parks and shopping centres.[22][note 3] Brumm determines the specific locations which are to be included.[22] Post-production of the series takes place externally in South Brisbane.[22]
Approximately fifteen episodes of the series are developed by the studio at any one time across a range of production stages.[22] After story ideas are conceived, the script-writing process takes place for up to two months.[22] The episodes are then storyboarded by artists, who produce 500 to 800 drawings over three weeks while consulting the writer's script.[22][note 4] After the storyboard is finished, a black and white animatic is produced, to which the dialogue recorded independently by voice artists is added.[22] The episodes are then worked on for four weeks by animators, background artists, designers, and layout teams.[22] The entire production team views a near-completed episode of Bluey on a Friday.[22] Pearson stated that over time, the viewings developed into test screenings, with members of production bring their family, friends and children to watch the episode.[22] The complete production process for an episode takes three months.[22]
During the lockdown period of the 2019–20 COVID-19 pandemic, the production staff of 50 were required to work on the episodes remotely from home.[5] A skeleton crew of three remained working on the series at the studio.[5] After restrictions eased in May, this number increased to ten and later 20.[27]
Casting
The series features David McCormack, from the band Custard, as the voice of Bluey's father, Bandit. He was initially approached to read what he assumed would only be "a couple of lines", but ended up voicing Bandit for the entire pilot.[3] McCormack performs his voice work for the series remotely in Sydney, which is then sent to the production company in Brisbane.[3] He stated that he does not hear any other voice actors or view footage while recording, and that he doesn't alter his own voice to produce Bandit's dialogue.[3] Melanie Zanetti provides the voice of Bluey's mother, Chilli; she became interested in the series after reading the script for the pilot.[4][note 5]
Brumm's mother, Chris Brumm, voices Nana Heeler, while his younger brother, Dan Brumm, voices Uncle Stripe, as well as working as a sound designer on the series.[5][10] The child characters of the series, including Bluey and Bingo, are voiced by some of the children of the program's production crew.[1][2]
Music
Joff Bush serves as one of the primary composers of Bluey, writing half of the soundtrack himself and leading a group of additional composers, including David Barber.[28][29] Bush graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium, where he met Pearson, and before Bluey worked on series such as The Family Law and Australian Survivor.[28] Bush has stated that each episode has its own unique musical style, and he likes to become involved in the episodes as they are scripted.[28] Live instruments are regularly played for the recordings.[28] Every episode of Bluey is individually scored, a decision made by Brumm, who was inspired by the original compositions for Charlie and Lola while working on the series in the United Kingdom.[19]
Classical music is regularly used throughout the underscore, with pieces such as Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" and Mozart's "Rondo Alla Turca (from Sonata No. 11)" being interpreted by composers.[30] Bush composed the theme song for Bluey and was nominated for two APRA Screen Music Awards, in 2019 for the soundtrack of the episode "Teasing" and in 2020 for "Flat Pack".[28][31][32] The music for Bluey is licensed by Universal Music Publishing on behalf of BBC Worldwide Music Publishing.[31] The first soundtrack for the series, Bluey: The Album, was released on 22 January 2021.[33] It debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart,[34] and became the first children's album to reach the top of the charts in Australia.[35]
Themes
A central theme of the series is the influence of a supportive family; this is reflected in the relationships between Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli.[2] The Heeler family are presented as a nuclear family. Brumm was eager to reflect contemporary parenting practices, with both adults shown to be working parents; Bandit as an archaeologist and Chilli working part-time in airport security.[2][4][19] Bethany Hiatt of The West Australian explains that the series depicts the realities of modern-day fatherhood, with Bandit seen regularly doing housework and engaging in imaginative play with his children.[20] Chilli's role as a mother is explored as she balances both work and family life.[36] Both parents are shown to acknowledge and validate the emotions of their children, such as Bluey's distress after the death of a bird.[37] Bluey and Bingo are shown to navigate their sibling relationship throughout the episodes, learning how to work together, compromise, and resolve conflicts.[26][38] Episodes detail the family's contemporary domestic lifestyle, with Philippa Chandler of The Guardian describing the series as "social realism".[23][39]
The series also explores Australian culture, and is set in subtropical Queensland.[17] The animation of Australian architecture in the series is designed to reflect the typical residential designs of Brisbane; high-set suburban dwellings with characteristic verandas, against representations of Brisbane skylines.[3] The characters speak with Australian accents in local and international airings.[4] The series has a focus on the Australian sense of humour with dry wit frequently expressed through the dialogue.[23][36] Several episodes detail the exploration of Australia's climate and nature.[3] The characters encounter Australian wildlife such as fruit bats, wallabies, kookaburras and ibises.[19] Flora of Australia are also depicted in the series, including Poinciana trees and Jacaranda trees.[19] Brumm expressed that he didn't want to exaggerate the stereotypes of Australia.[19]
The series advocates the importance of play throughout childhood.[6] Bluey and Bingo are the vehicle used to display this theme; the episode "Trampoline" features Bandit imploring Bluey to continue creating new games to play.[6] The siblings engage in imaginative play during "mundane" activities such as visiting the doctor or going to the supermarket.[23][25] The parents are shown to engage in the play with their children.[37] Bluey and Bingo also engage in imaginative play with their friends; learning lessons such as the importance of following the rules.[40] The characters also learn lessons such as the influence of technology, the economy and personal finance through their gameplay.[38][40] Pearson has stated that the characters experience emotions such as jealousy and regret through their gameplay.[22] He commented that, while there is no antagonist in the series, these emotions form the central conflicts of the program.[22]
The character of Jack is shown to have attention deficit issues; he states that he "can't sit still or remember anything".[14] Upon the online character announcement, parents praised the representation of children with attention deficit issues.[14]
Episodes
The first series premiered in Australia on ABC Kids on 1 October 2018, with 26 episodes airing daily throughout October.[1] The following 25 episodes of the series began airing on 1 April 2019.[41] The final episode of the first series, a Christmas special, aired on 12 December 2019.[42] It was reported in March 2019 that production had begun on a second series of 52 episodes; the order was officially announced in May.[6][36] The second series premiered on 17 March 2020, with the first 26 episodes airing daily, through April.[43][44] The remaining episodes began airing on 25 October 2020, and included a Christmas special, which aired on 1 December 2020.[45][46] Preliminary discussions for the third series had begun by April 2020; the series order was made official in October.[5][27][45]
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 52 | 26 | 1 October 2018 | 26 October 2018 |
26 | 1 April 2019 | 12 December 2019 | ||
2 | 52 | 26 | 17 March 2020 | 11 April 2020 |
26 | 25 October 2020 | 4 April 2021 | ||
3 | 50 | 26 | 5 September 2021 | 16 December 2021 |
11 | 13 June 2022 | 23 June 2022 | ||
10 | 9 April 2023 | 11 June 2023 | ||
3 | 7 April 2024 | 21 April 2024 | ||
Minisodes | 20 | 16 June 2024 | 8 December 2024 |
Release
Broadcast
In June 2019, the international broadcasting rights to Bluey were acquired by The Walt Disney Company, with plans to premiere on the Disney Junior television network and be distributed on the Disney+ streaming service in all territories (excluding Australia, New Zealand and China) from late 2019.[39][47][48][note 6] The series premiered on Disney Junior in the United States on 9 September 2019 and was later distributed on Disney+ on 22 January 2020 and in the United Kingdom on 1 October 2020.[50][51][52][53] The series notably features the original voice actors while airing overseas, after producers were initially asked to replace the Australian accents of the characters.[4] The second series debuted on Disney Channel in the United States on 10 July 2020.[54] In October 2019, Bluey debuted in New Zealand, airing on TVNZ 2 and streaming on TVNZ OnDemand.[55][56] The first series made its Australian pay-TV premiere on CBeebies on 4 May 2020.[57]
Home media releases
The series was first distributed on DVD in Australia by BBC Studios, with the first two volumes, entitled Magic Xylophone and Other Stories and Horsey Ride and Other Stories released on 30 October 2019.[58] They were followed by the third volume, The Pool and Other Stories, on 4 December 2019, and the fourth volume, Grannies and Other Stories, on 8 January 2020.[58] Further episodes were later made available, with six volumes being released digitally in the United States beginning in July.[54]
Reception
Critical reception
Bluey has enjoyed a positive critical reception.[23] The series received a seal of approval from Common Sense Media, with reviewer Emily Ashby commending its positive family and social themes.[59] Bluey was praised by Philippa Chandler of The Guardian for its "sharp script" and depiction of everyday family life, while commenting that its Queensland background set it apart from other cartoons on television.[23] Readers of The New York Times's parenting blog submitted Bluey as their favourite children's show, describing it as charming, smart and "very real".[60] The series was called "laugh-out-loud funny" by Stephanie Convery of The Guardian, who credited its humour to the "quirky behaviour" of the child characters.[61] In 2019, TV Week listed Bluey at No. 98 in its list of the 101 greatest Australian television shows of all time.[62] Despite only being on air since 2018, the magazine wrote that Bluey "stole Australia's hearts faster than any other cartoon character" in what it described as a "cute, funny and modern" series.[62] The series was listed at No. 14 in Junkee's list of 50 television programs that defined the decade, in which it was described as "an absolute delight".[63]
The series received praise for its constructive parenting messages and depiction of Bandit Heeler as a positive father figure.[20] The character was commended for his patient nature, willingness to do housework and play with his children.[20] Jennifer McClellan of USA Today described Bandit as "sarcastic, sympathetic and silly".[38] He has been received as "more emotionally intelligent" than the father from Peppa Pig.[23] Reporters for The Guardian wrote that the show's messages about parenting align with published literature on parental wellbeing, noting how the show depicts the importance of play and learning social skills in child development.[37] McClellan acknowledged the family dynamic of the characters; she described Chilli as the "voice of reason" and noted how Bluey and Bingo learn to navigate their sibling relationship.[38][64] Convery commented that the sisters are accurate depictions of children, and that the roles of the parents are not presented as stereotypical of their respective genders.[61] The series has also received online praise for its representation of attention deficit issues through the character of Jack.[14]
The website of the series was criticised for, in the character description of Chilli, suggesting that her return to part-time work prevents her from being as involved a parent as other mothers.[65] The description was later altered.[65] A separate incident saw an apology issued by the ABC in August 2020 in relation to the usage of the term "ooga booga" in the episodes "Teasing" and "Flat Pack", which was described as a term with "racial connotations and a problematic history for Indigenous Australians" through a viewer complaint.[66][67] The ABC claimed that the term had only been intended as "irreverent rhyming slang made up by children", and maintained their commitment to addressing discrimination.[67] The two episodes were temporarily removed from rotations before being edited to remove the term, which prompted mixed reactions from viewers.[66][67]
Viewership
Bluey has received consistently high viewership on ABC Kids in Australia, becoming the most watched children's program across all channels on broadcast television in 2018 and 2019.[20][58] The highest-rating live broadcast of the program, an episode of the second series, "Baby Race", premiered on 17 November 2020 to 459,000 viewers.[68] It was the most-watched broadcast across all free-to-air multichannels, and the eleventh most-watched broadcast overall.[68] In 2019, the series was the most-watched program through time shifting.[43][69]
In March 2019, it was reported that Bluey had become the most downloaded program in the history of ABC's video on demand and catch up TV service ABC iview, with 21.3 million total episode plays.[20] Within one year of the show's premiere, this figure had risen to 152 million, and by May 2020, there had been 261 million plays of episodes from the first series.[5][70] It was also reported that the second series had totalled 43 million episode plays by May.[70] Each episode of the second series had averaged 2.7 million plays by September.[71]
Awards and nominations
Award | Year | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AACTA Awards | 2019 | Bluey | Best Children's Program | Won | [72] |
2020 | Won | [73] | |||
APRA Screen Music Awards | 2019 | Joff Bush (for "Teasing") | Best Music for Children's Television | Nominated | [31] |
2020 | Joff Bush (for "Flat Pack") | Nominated | [32] | ||
Asian Academy Creative Awards | 2020 | Bluey | Best Preschool Programme | Won | [74] |
Australian Book Industry Awards | 2020 | Bluey (for "The Beach", Penguin) | Children's Picture Book of the Year (Ages 0–6) | Won | [75][76] |
Book of the Year | Won | ||||
Australian Toy Association | 2020 | Bluey (Moose Toys) | Preschool License of the Year | Won | [54] |
International Emmy Kids Awards | 2019 | Bluey | Kids: Preschool | Won | [77] |
Kidscreen Awards | 2021 | Bluey | Best Animated Series (Preschool) | Pending | [78] |
Logie Awards | 2019 | Bluey | Most Outstanding Children's Program | Won | [79] |
Prix Jeunesse International Awards | 2020 | Bluey | TV – Up to 6 Years Fiction (Children's) | Nominated | [80] |
Screen Producers Australia Awards | 2019 | Bluey | Animated Series Production of the Year | Won | [81] |
Screen Business Export of the Year | Won (Tied)[note 7] | ||||
TV Tonight Awards | 2019 | Bluey | Best Kid's Show | Won | [82] |
2020 | Won | [83] |
Other media
Books
In April 2019, BBC Studios entered a partnership with Penguin Random House Australia with a deal to publish three Bluey books before the end of 2019.[84] "The Beach", "Fruit Bat", and a sticker activity book entitled "Time to Play", were released on 5 November 2019.[85] All three books were recognised as the highest-selling releases in the weekly Australian book charts of November 2019,[86][87] and had sold a combined total of 350,000 copies by January 2020.[88] The combined sales of the first nine books reached 1 million in June 2020.[89] In September 2020, the partnership with Penguin Random House was expanded to include global distribution rights, allowing the books to be released in the United States and the United Kingdom.[90]
Merchandise
Moose Toys was named as the global toy partner for Bluey in June 2019; the company announced that toys would be released in Australia by the end of 2019, and later in the United States.[91] Plush character toys of Bluey and Bingo were released in November, and a character figurine set was released in December.[92] The plush Bluey topped the Toys "R" Us release chart of Christmas 2019, while the demand for the plush Bingo exceeded the number of toys being supplied to stores.[93][94] By December, over 100,000 plush character toys had been sold in Australia.[94] The toy line was launched in the United States in June 2020.[54][95]
In January 2020, Bluey partnered with Bonds to release a clothing range for children, including pyjamas and socks featuring character designs.[96][97] A more comprehensive clothing range was made available at Australian retailers in March, including clothing, sleepwear and underwear.[98] A range of adult pyjamas were released in May 2020 through Peter Alexander stores, which became the fastest selling collection in the retailer's history.[99] Commemorative birth certificates featuring Bluey artwork were made available to Queensland residents from March.[100] Bauer Media Group released the first issue of a monthly Bluey magazine in May.[101] A lifestyle range of children's furniture was released in June.[102]
Stage show
It was revealed that a stage show based on Bluey was being developed in November 2019.[49] The live stage show, titled Bluey's Big Play, will tour in fifty theatres around Australia and will feature the characters from the series.[49][103] The tour was initially scheduled to begin in May 2020, but was delayed due to restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.[104] After eased restrictions, two preview performances were held at the Canberra Theatre Centre in January 2021 before further shows across the country.[105]
Notes
- ^ He said, "It just had some dangerous stuff in it. Bandit was pushing Bluey and she wanted to go all the way around on a swing, so she ends up doing a full 360 degrees. It was just unsafe. You could never put that on TV".[5][10]
- ^ Brumm's daughters were aged between four and six, like Bluey and Bingo, when the first pilot was produced.[5]
- ^ Locations featured in the series have included Queen Street Mall and South Bank, as well as landmarks such as The Big Pelican on the Noosa River.[10]
- ^ Joe Brumm's wife, Suzy Brumm, works on the series as a storyboard artist.[5]
- ^ It has been reported that McCormack and Zanetti have not met, due to completing recordings separately.[10]
- ^ The distribution deal encompasses the first two series of the program.[47][49]
- ^ Bluey was tied with Animal Kingdom.[81]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Knox, David (4 September 2018). "Airdate: Bluey". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Reiha, Amy (4 September 2018). "Bluey set to nuzzle her way into the hearts of Aussie preschoolers this October". ABC TV Publicity. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Stafford, Andrew (16 May 2019). "Custard's Dave McCormack on voicing Bluey's dad: 'I'm popular at school drop-off time'". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Bluey, the hit Australian children's cartoon, is set to go global – but only with Aussie accents intact". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Dow, Steve (11 April 2020). "Bluey creator Joe Brumm's dog days". The Saturday Paper. Schwartz Publishing. Archived from the original on 10 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Collins, Simon (26 March 2019). "Fun tales ABC Kids series Bluey lapped up". PerthNow. Seven West Media. Archived from the original on 26 March 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Writer: Joe Brumm (20 October 2018). "Markets". Bluey. Season 1. ABC Kids.
- ^ Writer: Joe Brumm (12 October 2018). "Bob Bilby". Bluey. Season 1. ABC Kids.
- ^ Writer: Joe Brumm (29 March 2020). "Dad Baby". Bluey. Season 2. ABC Kids.
- ^ a b c d e f Agostino, Josephine (17 April 2020). "20 things you didn't know about Bluey". Kidspot. Archived from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ Writer: Joe Brumm (2 April 2019). "Grannies". Bluey. Season 1. ABC Kids.
- ^ a b Writer: Joe Brumm (1 December 2020). "Christmas Swim". Bluey. Season 2. ABC Kids.
- ^ a b Agostino, Josephine (21 February 2020). "Wackadoo! A Wiggle is coming to Bluey". Kidspot. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Zhou, Naaman (26 February 2020). "Bluey: Hamish Blake and Zoë Foster Blake to voice a coterie of dogs in new season". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
- ^ Writer: Joe Brumm (1 April 2020). "Army". Bluey. Season 2. ABC Kids.
- ^ Knox, David (29 October 2020). "Robert Irwin voices Bluey character". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f "ABC KIDS and BBC Worldwide partner with award-winning Ludo Studio on new preschool animated series". ABC TV Publicity. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 July 2019. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ a b c Knox, David (21 July 2017). "New animated series for ABC KIDS, CBeebies". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 22 July 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Potter, Anna (25 July 2020). "Globalising the local in children's television for the post-network era: How Disney+ and BBC Studios helped Bluey the Australian cattle dog jump the national fence". International Journal of Cultural Studies. University of the Sunshine Coast: 1–17. doi:10.1177/1367877920941869. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hiatt, Bethany (5 March 2019). "Bluey, the cartoon pup your kids just can't get enough of". The West Australian. Seven West Media. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Crooks, Michael (1 December 2019). "Bluey's secrets: How the ABC smash hit taps into young minds". The New Daily. Archived from the original on 1 December 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Colasimone, Dan (2 December 2019). "How they make Bluey". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Chandler, Philippa (21 November 2018). "Bluey: how Australia fell in love with a cartoon blue heeler puppy and her family". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- ^ "How Ludo Studio's global animated phenomenon Bluey found its feet in Brisbane". Choose Brisbane. 1 November 2019. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- ^ a b Knox, David (16 November 2017). "ABC 2018: ABC ME, ABC KIDS highlights". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ a b c McManus, Bridget (7 December 2019). "The Bluey Christmas Special brings kindness with a twist". Brisbane Times. Nine Entertainment Co. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- ^ a b Groves, Don (25 May 2020). "Ludo Studio prepares to mark Bluey milestone". If Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Crossen, Louise (16 July 2019). "Meet the composer behind Australia's best-loved TV shows". Griffith News. Griffith University. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ Barber, David. "Bluey Index". Archived from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ Giuffre, Liz (15 February 2019). "Bluey! The Gorgeous Cartoon That Broke Catchup Records in Australia". Critical Studies in Television. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- ^ a b c Knox, David (21 November 2019). "Screen Music Awards 2019: winners". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ a b Knox, David (29 October 2020). "Screen Music Awards: 2020: nominees". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ^ Goulis, Leah (4 December 2020). "Cheese and Crackers! Bluey album is coming for those who love the ABC songs". Kidspot. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 1 February 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ Carmody, Broede (30 January 2021). "Bluey becomes first children's album to top ARIA music charts". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
series2renewal
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c Whittingham, Koa; Mitchell, Amy; Mitchell, Ben (16 July 2019). "There is evidence Bluey can teach you how to be a better parent". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d McClellan, Jennifer (21 October 2019). "Finally! Bluey on Disney is a show kids can watch on repeat without driving parents crazy". USA Today. Gannett. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ a b Lang, Jamie (11 June 2019). "Annecy: Disney Reveals 'Chip 'n' Dale' Reboot, Monsters at Work Details, and More". Variety. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b Treuen, Jason (2019). "The Top 10 Bluey Episodes". The Father Hood. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ Knox, David (1 April 2019). "Returning: Bluey". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Knox, David (6 December 2019). "Bluey: Verandah Santa". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- ^ a b McMillen, Andrew (14 February 2020). "Hit cartoon Bluey to return with second season from March 2020". The Australian. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (16 March 2020). "Returning: Bluey". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ a b Knox, David (1 October 2020). "Renewed: Bluey". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (18 November 2020). "Bluey: Christmas Swim". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- ^ a b Whyte, Alexandra (11 June 2019). "The House of Mouse chases Bluey's tail". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Knox, David (12 June 2019). "Bluey signs Disney deal". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ a b c "Beloved Bluey hits the road". The West Australian. Seven West Media. 15 November 2019. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ Hermanns, Grant (31 December 2019). "Disney+ Titles for Jan. 13–26 Revealed!". ComingSoon.net. CraveOnline Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- ^ Styles, Aja (19 January 2020). "Disney has high hopes for Bluey as Heeler family earns its stripes in US". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ Bell, Zoe (28 September 2020). "What's Coming to Disney Plus UK in October 2020". WhatsOnHub. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; 17 November 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (26 August 2019). "Disney Junior Nabs Australian Series Bluey for U.S. Premiere (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Disney Channel Announces Season 2 Premiere Date for Bluey" (Press release). Broadway World. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "What's new on Netflix NZ and every other streaming service in October". The Spinoff. 1 October 2019. Archived from the original on 2 October 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ Idato, Michael (16 October 2019). "A dog's life: hit TV series Bluey secures Emmy nomination". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ "Australia's number one kid's show Bluey is coming to CBeebies". TV Blackbox (Press release). 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "F.Y.I. Children's TV series Bluey to be released on DVD". Mumbrella (Press release). 15 October 2019. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ Ashby, Emily (12 September 2019). "Bluey TV Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ Blum, Dani (25 June 2019). "From Octonauts to Bluey: Your Favorite Kids' TV Shows". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ a b Convery, Stephanie (18 October 2019). "Is there a more Emmy-worthy children's show than Bluey?". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ a b Burfitt, John; Cullen, Tamara; Hadley, Amy; Hockey, Maddison; Mitchell, Thomas; Recchi, Karina; Vnuk, Helen; Wang, Cynthia; Zubeidi, Zara (July 2019). "101 Greatest Aussie TV Shows of All Time". TV Week Close Up. Bauer Media Group.
- ^ Williams, Cameron (2 December 2019). "The 50 TV Shows That Defined The Decade". Junkee. Junkee Media. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- ^ McClellan, Jennifer (23 March 2020). "Coronavirus kids' TV: The best shows for each age group to keep your little ones busy". USA Today. Gannett. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ a b Dent, Georgina (20 November 2019). "A rare Bluey blunder: Chilli isn't 'falling short' because she returned to work". Women's Agenda. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ a b Knox, David (20 August 2020). "ABC apologises over Bluey dialogue". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ a b c Goulis, Leah (20 August 2020). "Two Bluey episodes pulled by ABC over 'racist' connotations". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ a b Knox, David (17 November 2020). "Tuesday 17 November 2020". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; 17 November 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Groves, Don (3 February 2020). "Married at First Sight and Bluey are the 2019 ratings champs". If Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ a b Knox, David (9 May 2020). "Bluey at 43 million plays". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 9 May 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (28 September 2020). "Multichannel Survey: ABC KIDS Comedy / ABC News / ABC ME". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (2 December 2019). "AACTA Awards: 2019: Lambs of God, The King scoop craft winners". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ Knox, David (1 December 2020). "AACTA Awards 2020: winners". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (6 December 2020). "ABC wins at Asian Academy Awards". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ Convery, Stephanie (13 May 2020). "Bluey: "The Beach" named book of the year at Australian Book Industry awards". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 13 May 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (14 May 2020). "Bluey wins Book of the Year". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (1 April 2020). "Bluey wins International Emmy". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2 April 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (25 November 2020). "KidScreen Awards 2021: nominees". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (26 May 2019). "Logie Awards 2019: nominees". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "Four Australian Productions Nominated for 2020 Prix Jeunesse Festival". Australian Children's Television Foundation. 31 January 2020. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ a b Knox, David (15 November 2019). "Screen Producers Awards 2019: winners". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ Knox, David (7 January 2020). "TV Tonight Awards: Best of 2019". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (11 January 2020). "TV Tonight Awards: Best of 2020". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
{{cite news}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; 10 January 2021 suggested (help) - ^ "BBC Studios signs publishing deal for Bluey". Toy & Hobby Retailer. 16 April 2019. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- ^ "Bluey books arrive November" (Press release). Penguin. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ "Australia's Top 1000 Books". Boomerang Books. Eclipse Commerce. November 2019. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "Bestsellers: Bluey rounds up top three chart spots". Books and Publishing. 18 November 2019. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ "More Bluey books on their way in time for Easter!". Penguin. 16 January 2020. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ^ "Sales of Bluey books hit 1 million copies". Books and Publishing. 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ Bailey, Imogen (23 September 2020). "Bluey to expand presence in US and UK". Toy & Hobby Retailer. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ Lynch, Jennifer (11 June 2019). "Moose Toys Named Master Toy Partner for Bluey" (Press release). aNb Media. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Bluey Toys Coming Soon Available from Nov 2019". Play & Go Kids Adelaide. 24 September 2019. Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
- ^ Bailey, Imogen (19 November 2019). "Bluey tops Toys R Us Australia's top toys list". Toy & Hobby Retailer. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- ^ a b McLennan, April; Bevin, Edith (24 December 2019). "Bluey toy maker caught out by Christmas demand for little sister Bingo". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ "Australian Phenomenon Hit Bluey Launches Toys in the U.S." PR Newswire. 10 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ Goulis, Leah (8 January 2020). "Cheese and crackers! Bonds releases a new Bluey range". Kidspot. News Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- ^ "BBC Studios teams up with Bonds for Bluey apparel". Toy & Hobby Retailer. 22 January 2020. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ Goulis, Leah (2 March 2020). "Wackadoo! Bluey clothes are coming in time for the new episodes". Kidspot. News Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ "Aussie Cartoon Character Causes Shopping Frenzy". The Daily Telegraph. News Corp Australia. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ Goulis, Leah (10 March 2020). "You can now get a Bluey birth certificate for your new baby". Kidspot. News Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ "Bauer Media launches Bluey magazine as hit TV show moves into print". Mediaweek. Prometheus Global Media. 1 June 2020. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ Agostino, Josephine (11 May 2020). "Bluey kids furniture is here and we have the sneak peek". Kidspot. News Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ Leeson, Josh (14 November 2019). "Hit ABC Kids show Bluey announces live stage show for 2020". The Newcastle Herald. Australian Community Media. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ James, Faye (30 March 2020). "Bluey's Big Play rescheduled". Kidspot. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ Kanapathippillai, Julia (26 November 2020). "Bluey's Big Play The Stage Show heads to Canberra Theatre Centre". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
External links
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming
- Disney Junior original programming
- 2010s Australian animated television series
- 2018 Australian television series debuts
- 2020s Australian animated television series
- Australian children's animated television series
- Animated television series about children
- Animated television series about dogs
- Animated television series about families
- Mass media portrayals of the working class
- Australian flash animated television series
- Australian preschool education television series