Bluey fans across the globe on Sunday tuned in to the longest-ever episode of the beloved Australian animated series. It’s loved by kids and adults alike who can relate to the charming stories and struggles of parenting and relationships that are insightful.
The special at the end of Season 3, titled “The Sign,” was four times the length of a standard episode and saw the Heeler family tackle some big life decisions. It left parents reaching for the tissues during this wackadoo of an emotional episode written by series creator Joe Brumm.
Brumm told Deadline that the heart of Bluey episodes is based on his own family’s interactions. “That’s why kids and adults see themselves reflected in it. You love your children to death and they change you completely,” he said. “They pull your insides out. You’ll cry so much more as parents, but there is so much more reward and meaning.”
“The Sign” has clocked a 9.9 out of 10 rating on IMDb, just above the “Sleepytime” episode, which also yanked on viewers’ heartstrings, with emotional metaphors about growing up, gaining independence and a caregiver’s love.
Here’s why people can’t stop talking about the episode.
😭 The biggest tearjerker moments
One of the biggest messages of the episode is about the struggles parents and adults face when choosing to do what’s best for family or loved ones.
The title of the episode refers to the “For Sale” sign in front of the Heelers’ home in Brisbane. Bluey and Bingo’s dad, Bandit (Dave McCormack), has a new job in a different city that offers more money and “a better life” for their family. Bluey is particularly not happy about moving away from her friends and childhood home and says, “I don’t want a better life.”
Bluey and Bingo’s mom, Chilli (Melanie Zanetti), is verbally supportive of the new journey for their family, though her facial expressions indicate otherwise.
Throughout the episode, Bingo surprisingly seems to be OK with the idea that her home is for sale. But in the final scenes of the episode, we learn that she doesn’t fully understand that it also means leaving her best friend and packing up from the only home she has ever known.
Chilli explains this to Bingo after a mover picks up her coloring table. Bingo runs out of the house in tears and struggles to take down the “For Sale” sign with a “Sold” sticker on it in front of their home. Defeated, Bingo curls up under the sign with her ears conveying a flurry of emotions. Bluey comforts her by relaying a story her teacher told her and her classmates at school with the message that “everything will work itself out the way it needs to.”
The swell to one of the biggest emotional points of the episode happens in the last few minutes. In a montage, we see Bandit receiving a call from his real estate agent, and we infer that the buyers of the house want to back out of the sale because they fell in love with a different house. We see Bandit have a moment of clarity as he walks up to the “For Sale” sign, looks back at his family packed up in the car and realizes the best thing for his family is to stay in their home.
In a somewhat cathartic moment for parents, he rips out the sign and throws it to the ground. Chilli comes running toward him with a joyful tackle to the ground with Bluey and Bingo following, adding to the joyful Heeler heap. (Cue the waterworks.)
🪺 Easter eggs
One of the biggest things Bluey fans appreciate about the episodes are the sneaky hidden messages or items in each episode, known as Easter eggs.
In the Facebook group Adult Bluey Fans, which has over 200,000 members, fans shared the fun Easter eggs they spotted while watching the 28-minute episode.
Some fans were able to find a few of the long dogs that are always hidden in each episode so that viewers can essentially play a game while they watch. In fact, the concept of play is a main feature of the Bluey episodes, according to Brumm. Even the opening sequence to each episode is a game of musical statues the characters are playing.
In “The Sign,” other fans spotted a blooming relationship between Winton’s lonely dad and the Terriers’ mom as a follow-up to the “TV Shop” episode, where they are seen talking to each other at the pharmacy.
Meanwhile, other fans discovered character developments, like Chilli’s sister Brandy being visibly pregnant following her fertility struggles implied in the “Onesies” episode.
💬 Reactions on social media
Some fans expressed that they were disappointed by the ending of “The Sign” because they thought it undid the buildup of the episode and a life lesson in adapting to change.
I finally watched the latest episode of Bluey – The Sign.
I loved it until the ending. The last 5 minutes or so undid every bit of the story for me. It’s the only episode that has ever disappointed me.
My guess is most people will love it, though.
— Ryan L. Sittler (@RyanLSittler) April 15, 2024
Other fans posted on X to share their “ugly cry” experiences and admiration for the beloved show following Sunday’s global event.
10yo: why do you cry when you watch bluey
me: because being a parent is a constant emotional rollercoaster and this show captures that so beautifully
10yo: bruh it’s dogs
— Alex McDaniel (@AlexMcDaniel) April 10, 2024
“The Sign” is now streaming on Disney+.
