You can believe the hype—Bluey, the Australian children’s show about a cartoon dog and her quirky family, isn’t just for kids. Whole families are loving Bluey’s adventures, and more and more adults without kids are getting into the show. But with a whopping 151 seven-minute episodes, it’s hard to know where to start.
If you’re finally ready to take the Bluey plunge, or if you just want to make sure you haven’t missed any good ones, here are the 15 best episodes, ranked.
15. Duck Cake (season 2, episode 44)
Any parents who’s ever made a birthday cake for their kid—or anyone who’s ever watched an episode of Nailed It—can relate to “Duck Cake.” Bingo decides on the perfect cake for her birthday, a fiendishly difficult confection shaped like a duck, and it’s up to Bandit to make it perfectly. What could go wrong?
14. The Creek (season 1, episode 29)
When Bluey, Bingo, and their friend Mackenzie get tired of the playground in “the Creek,” Bandit takes them to the local creek to explore some nature. At first, the kids aren’t into it, but they gradually come to appreciate the beauty around them. This episode is a must-see for nature lovers.
13. Sleepytime (season 2, episode 26)
Sometimes, Bluey is seven minutes of straight-up silly fun. Other times, it gets really experimental. In “Sleepytime,” Bingo is determined to spend the whole night in her bed, and ends up having an epic space-themed dream.
12. The Show (season 2, episode 19)
In “The Show,” Bluey and Bingo decide to put on a show for Mother’s Day, during which they reenact Chilli’s pregnancy and her early days as a mom. What makes this episode special is its subtle nod to Chilli’s miscarriage, which made many parents around the world feel seen.
11. Pass the Parcel (season 3, episode 14)
Lucky’s Dad thinks he’s smarter than all the other parents, and switches up the rules of a party game called Pass the Parcel. How will the kids react when they find out that everyone doesn’t get a prize in this cutthroat version of the game? Not well.
10. Fairytale (season 3, episode 26)
In “Fairytale,” Bandit tells Bluey and Bingo the story of a bully who was humbled by an act of kindness. Spoiler alert: the bully was Bandit himself. This episode contains a lovely moral lesson and a hilarious depiction of the lawlessness of the 1980s.
9. Flat Pack (season 2, episode 24)
In “Flat Pack,” the parents put together some IKEA furniture while the kids play with all the packaging. As Chilli and Bandit wrestle with unforgiving chair parts, Bluey and Bingo reenact all the stages of human (uh, dog) evolution. At the end, Bluey either dies or ascends to godhood. It’s open to interpretation.
8. Stories (season 3, episode 28)
“Stories” takes a break from Bluey’s adventures to focus on Bluey’s classmate Indy, who’s frustrated with her drawing skills. Luckily, her teacher Calypso is there to help her tell a new story about being an artist—and Winton, ever the trickster, helps jazz the story up.
7. Baby Race (season 2, episode 50)
In “Baby Race,” Chilli tells Bluey and Bingo about how she started to get competitive with Bluey’s developmental milestones when Bluey was an infant. In a series that sometimes makes real parents feel subpar, “Baby Race” is a balm for moms who feel like nothing they do is good enough.
6. Faceytalk (season 3, episode 24)
It’s Faceytalk time! In this episode, Bluey and Bingo FaceTime with their cousin Muffin. Bluey and Bingo enjoy drawing on their screens, but Muffin starts to act up. The whole episode takes place on tablet and phone screens, with some wild results.
5. Copycat (season 1, episode 38)
During a game of Copycat, Bluey and Bandit find an injured bird and take it to the vet. If you were obsessed with that Calvin and Hobbes strip about the hurt raccoon as a kid, you’ll love this episode.
4. Dragon (season 4, episode 43)
In “Dragon,” Bluey and her family are drawing together. As they draw, they tell a collaborative story about a quest to find a dragon, and Bluey gets disheartened about her drawing skills. Who knew a simple pep talk from Mum would lead to a poignant childhood memory?
3. Cricket (season 4, episode 47)
In “Cricket,” Bandit narrates the tale of Rusty, a kid with a big heart and a love of cricket. During the story, we learn about Rusty’s determination and his family life—and we get a moving glimpse into his future.
2. Rain (season 3, episode 18)
Most Bluey episodes are funny, but “Rain” goes in a different direction. It’s a rainy day, and Bluey tries to dam the walkway in front of her house. This episode, which doesn’t have any dialogue, is a delight for animation fans.
1. Camping (season 1, episode 43)
If you only watch one Bluey episode, make it this one. In “Camping,” Bluey befriends another kid named Jean-Luc on a camping trip. Although they don’t speak the same language, they have a blast together, but Bluey’s crushed when she finds out Jean-Luc’s family has gone home. This episode is great if you enjoy getting choked up over the friendships of cartoon dogs.
(featured image: Disney+)
