Fans of the children's cartoon are worried that Bluey is ending, after season three's penultimate episode showed the Heelers' family home up for sale.
Children's cartoon Bluey has become a global phenomenon in recent years. Both children and parents are hooked on the adventures of the famous Blue Heeler puppy, with celebrities including Natalie Portman and Ryan Gosling singing the cartoon's praises. The success of the show has led to the demand for Bluey birthday cakes and even a spin-off show, Bluey Book Reads, so it's no surprise that parents have felt panicked by the rumours that Bluey could be about to air its last episode.
Among the reasons why Bluey is so popular is the show's depiction of relatable family issues - largely thanks to creator Joe Brumm's interest in child psychology - which helps parents feel seen. Now, it looks like the Heeler family is tackling a new challenge, as the penultimate episode of season three saw the family home go up for sale. With the season's final episode set to run for an unusually long time of 28 minutes, rumours have been spreading that this could be the end of the popular kids show.
Is Bluey ending?
No, Bluey is not ending. Executive producer Daley Pearson explained on Australian breakfast show Sunrise that Bluey will go back into production for a season four, and that the 28-minute special titled 'The Sign' will be a test to see how audiences respond to a longer episode.
"For the last bit of time it’s just been this half-hour episode we’ve been working on, but we will be making more Bluey," Daley said. He went on to explain that the moving house plot was simply designed to show another facet of childhood.
"[Moving house is] always out of our hands. Kids will love that. Molly especially. It's the parents' decision. So the world changes without much of your involvement, which is a lot about what this half-hour ep is about."
The news will come as a relief to Bluey fans, who have been speculating about the show's future since being urged to re-watch five core episodes before the show's 'supersized finale', as they have important storylines which will be resolved.
In addition, season three's penultimate episode is the first not to have music over its closing credits, adding to viewers' panic as the camera zoomed out in the final seconds to reveal a 'For Sale' sign in the Heelers' front yard.
🚨 This is your SPOILER WARNING for Ghostbasket 🚨To be continued... in #Bluey The Sign premiering globally on 14 April! pic.twitter.com/Ahz5hfsqCYApril 8, 2024
Fans were quick to share their dismay online. One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "Bluey's house is for sale. It appears the worst might be happening. If Bluey ends we riot." Another said, "Watched the latest episode of Bluey and I REFUSE to believe it’s about to end."
Others shared their predictions for the final episode, with many wondering if Bluey's mum Chilli could be pregnant. One user shared, "Chilli comments that the Heeler house is a bit small. Could Chilli be pregnant, meaning the Heelers need to move to a bigger house? A new baby would add a lot of plot lines!"
Bluey star and voice of the Heeler mum Chilli, Melanie Zanetti, has shared that even the voice actors were kept in the dark about the final episode. Appearing on Kidspot's podcast, Mum Club, she shared, "It was a bit different for me, it was still broken up into four episodes," confirming that each recording was split into four small episodes and later pieced together.
"I got the first two and recorded those separately to the second two. I had a bit of a cliffhanger. So I had some of the experience that the audience is going to have going, 'Oh, what's happening? Where's this gonna go?'"
Though Melanie remained tight-lipped about what will happen in the final episode, she did say, "There's a number of storylines that are intersecting and when you only have seven minutes, it's usually an episode that is focused on a theme or a character. Multiple characters in this get an arc, which is really exciting. And it's very full."
But what does the house move mean for other popular characters from the Bluey franchise? Many of the Heelers' friends were neighbours, including Lucky, Chucky, and their parents Pat and Janelle, as well as Judo and her mum Wendy.
Anxious fans will have to wait until April 14 for season three's final episode, which will air simultaneously on Australia's ABC and on Disney+.
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