5 Years Later, The Weirdest New Bluey Episode Solves A Very Old Mystery

There’s a lot to look forward to this week, as the final batch of Bluey episodes from season three arrive on Disney+ this Friday, January 12, 2023. These ten shorts first aired in April from the country where it’s made, Australia, and roughly nine months later American audiences can watch them, including one episode voted as the Land Down Under’s all-time favorite. Fans spent literal years waiting for the third season to come to a close, now salivating over the epic extra-long finale that seems to have major implications for the series moving forward.

Ranging from silly to sweet, there are always a few episodes that tug on the adult fan’s heartstrings, and this chunk of episodes is no different. One episode in particular has the potential to give “Sleepytime” a run for its money, solving a mystery Bluey fans have been asking since the series began. It also happens to be one of the most fun, which makes it that much more devastating when this revelation is dropped.

Why Are Americans Watching Bluey Season 3C So Much Later than Australia?

Before we talk about the episodes, let’s address the elephant in the room – the delays! Fans are always wondering why Australia gets these Bluey episodes first, and why it takes so long to reach American shores. There’s also a lot of hearsay about this situation, including some fans mistakenly saying these episodes were banned because they haven’t shown up on Disney platforms yet, or other misinformation. While this batch does have an episode that was altered after it debuted, a few factors can be attributed to the wait time, but it mainly comes down to one important thing.

International licensing deals ensure Bluey’s homeland of Australia has the episodes before anyone else. After all, it’s where the show is made! The number of months viewers in different territories have to wait varies from place to place, but American fans typically endure nine months before Disney rolls them out on their platforms, and that launch is also staggered. This current batch of ten episodes will start on the streaming platform, and arrive on Disney Channel and Disney Junior soon after, although the date wasn’t specified when this announcement was made.

Here's the scoop on everything new in Bluey Season 3C, and details about which episode you should keep the tissues nearby for. Mild plot spoilers ahead, so if you don’t want to know about things that haven’t aired yet, we suggest checking out this article instead.

Are there any banned or censored Bluey episodes in this group?

Fatherly posted a spoiler-free rundown of the upcoming episodes earlier in December, so we recommend visiting that article if you want to know what the episodes are about without being too in-depth. The one question everyone asks whenever new episodes drop is whether or not any episodes were censored or missing because they were banned. While season three of Bluey had several episodes censored or changed before they aired in the United States, this cluster about to air has an episode that was altered immediately after it premiered in Australia.

“Exercise” is about Bandit’s quest to shed some excess weight, as Bluey and Bingo play a pretend job around him. That oversimplified synopsis makes it sound relatively innocent. Still, the controversy came from the opening section of the episode, with the parents weighing themselves on a scale, unhappy about the numbers they’re seeing. There was an outcry from people concerned the show was fat-shaming, potentially leading to children worrying unnecessarily about their bodies. The episode was immediately changed, removing the opening section with Chilli and Bandit, and cutting straight to the Heeler patriarch beginning his outdoor exercise routine.

Oddly enough, Bandit’s weight was referred to earlier in the season during “Granny Mobile,” when the grouchy nana causing problems for Doreen makes fun of his size. Bandit is later seen looking at himself in a mirror while holding his love handles. This episode wasn’t censored with that chunk cut out, instead remaining in circulation as a gag. It’s a bit contradictory, but we don’t make the rules. We’ll love Bandit no matter what size that boxy Blue Heeler is!

Beyond this instance, there was one other alteration to this new batch. So, check out our guide to banned and censored Bluey episodes if you want to keep up to date on what didn’t make the cut.

What are the most emotional episodes from Bluey Season 3C?

The final batch of Bluey’s third season begins with episode 38, “Cubby,” and it’s banger after banger following that terrific episode. In addition to the very silly “TV Shop” and hilarious “Cubby” episode which might remind some viewers of a beloved Community episode, Bluey Season 3C has a few highly emotional stories, too. There’s the Holiday two-parter, “Relax” and “Stickbird,” which take the family out of the Heeler house and bring them to a weekend on the beach, and practically all of Australia had leaky eyes when “Cricket” aired, although American fans might be a little confused by what’s going on in that one.

The episode that will obliterate fans this time is called “Dragon,” which is as much a wild adventure as it is poignant. When Bluey has trouble drawing, she turns to Chilli for help, which is when her daughter discovers her mum's talent for art. The entire family joins in, showing their varied artistic aptitudes, transforming into a Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying campaign (minus the dice rolls). Along the way, the Heeler family and the audience learn more about Chilli’s mother, revealed for the first time in flashbacks and tales about how she encouraged her daughter.

We’ve met Chilli’s father before in the episode “Grandad,” but little has been said about her mother, so this is a very special piece of Bluey history that’s finally been given to us. We don’t want to give away the ending, but it’s likely to tear your heart out from your chest and show it to you while you sob uncontrollably. It’s one of my favorites in a season filled with strong contenders, and presented in a delightful format that provides viewers with a glimpse of something rarely discussed in the series, Chilli’s childhood and who her mum was.

As season three of Bluey reaches its climax this week, don’t forget fans still have one last episode to look forward to – a special 28-minute long episode called “The Sign” which promises to change Bluey forever. We have some theories about what the episode is about, and even a few leaks floating around which fans who want to remain unspoiled should be wary of. It’s been a tremendous season, and the worst part about it coming to a close is the dreadful anticipation we’re about to embark on as we wait for Bluey season four.

Bluey Season 3C debuts on Disney+ on January 12, 2024.

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This article was originally published on Jan. 12, 2024

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