In some parts of the world, the Bluey episode Dad Baby has gained almost mythological status. This 2020 episode, in which Bluey’s dad, Bandit, pretends to give birth to his daughter Bingo, has never been allowed to be shown in the US. No official reason has been given for the censorship, something that has only allowed speculation to spurt off in numerous weird directions.
Why did Disney decide to ban it? Was it because the birth sequence was too graphic for the sensibilities of its young viewers? Or was it that the central conceit, of a man growing and giving birth to a baby, risked getting embroiled in the red-hot culture war screaming match about gender and biology? Just how wildly subversive was this episode anyway?
