"Enjoyable Mini Highlights of a Happy Family"
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What You Need To Know:
The first seven programs of BLUEY MINISODES are a creative slam dunk. Similar to the original program, this collection is funny and enjoyable for both children and adults. The comedy is witty, and the art design is fantastic. This collection stresses sharing life lessons, children and parents playing together, and a positive depiction of a caring father. Objectionable content is nowhere to be seen. Therefore, MOVIEGUIDE® highly commends this new beginning to a BLUEY spinoff. MOVIEGUIDE® will have reviews of the next programs in BLUEY MINISODES as Disney+ releases them later this year and in 2025.
Content:
More Detail:
BLUEY MINISODES is a collection of self-contained comedy segments airing on Disney+. It is based on BLUEY, a delightful Australian educational series about a young dog growing up with her hyperactive family. Most minisodes highlight the “role play” activities Bluey has with her sister, Bingo, and their father, Bandit. The shorts range from the girls reading Bandit’s childhood book report when he was only 5-years-old to Bandit pretending to call tech support to fix his “broken” robot daughter.
Disney+ released the first seven minisodes on the July Fourth weekend in 2024. They retain the high production values of their parent series. The art style is vibrant without being overstimulating.
The first minisode is “Burger Dog.” Bandit Heeler, the father, is trying to read the newspaper while Bluey and her sister, Bingo, dance to a song on Bandit’s smartphone. The song gets annoying, however. So, Bandit turns off the “Burger Dog” song, claiming the phone’s battery died. The children try to examine his phone, but Bandit keeps it away from then. Bingo leaves the room. Then, Bandid receives a phone call. He answers it, to then realize it was a call from his wife Chili Heeler. The story ends with Chili and the children exposing Bandit’s lie.
“Burger Dog” is an enjoyable opening to this batch of MINISODES. It’s fast-paced, straight to the point, and is a relatable family situation. If a viewer was new to the BLUEY franchise, this episode serves as an excellent introduction.
In “Bingo 3000,” Bingo pretends to be a malfunctioning robot with faulty springs. Bandit plays along with the game, pretending to call tech support in order to “fix” his latest purchase. Bandit jiggles and pokes Bingo, but to no avail. Bandit “hangs up” on tech support, but Bingo remains “broken.” The story concludes with Bingo experiencing a mechanical slowdown.
This episode showcases the strong imagination between the father and daughter. Bingo flexes his storytelling skills and teaches his daughter to always check the packaging. The episode doesn’t stray away from the BLUEY formula but is nevertheless entertaining.
In “Muffin Unboxing,” Bandit’s niece, Muffin, films an unboxing video with her family. Muffin struggles to open the dump truck toy, which was sent by a video sponsor. Muffin almost destroys the toy but manages to “duct tape” the final video. The episode is enjoyable but doesn’t have much in terms of lore or big “life lessons.”
In “Letter,” Bluey and Bingo visit their grandmother Nana Christine. The elderly woman reads a school story Bandit wrote as a 5-year-old. The three ladies nitpick Bandit’s atrocious spelling errors but compliment his crude drawings and imaginative prose. The episode is a fun diversion that gives a glimpse to Bandit’s childhood. It has a great payoff with Bandit showing disgust for his mother’s “lasagna,” whether he was a child or a grown adult.
In “Hungry,” the Heelers engage in another game of “pretend.” This time, the famished Bandit “eats” Bluey for dinner. Chili, Bandit’s wife, warns him to watch his diet. Bandit “gets” a stomach ache and eventually “vomits’ Bluey to the floor. Chili gives her husband the “I told you so” look. “Hungry” is good but may upset people with sensitive appetites.
In “Three Pigs,” Bandit tells the “Three Little Pigs” bedtime story to both his daughters. Bandit relays the story as normal, with the Big Bad Wolf trying to blow away the Three Pigs’ houses. Halfway through, Bluey and Bingo give ideas to Bandit in order to spice up the tale. Bandit accepts this challenge. Now, the Wolf goes to court, pays off his debts and causes trouble at the Pigs’ new lemonade pool.
“Three Pigs” is the best MINISODE due to its brilliant simplicity. It showcases that storytelling is a two way street. Bandit was going to tell the stock version of “Three Pigs,” but was able to weave a new narrative with input from his daughters. This episode is animated with just three characters on a bed but conveys the importance of feedback between the storyteller and his impressionable audience.
In “Animals,” Chili and her daughter, Bingo, hang out at a local park bench. With Bingo lying on her mother’s lap, Chili plays a tickling “game” where her hands “act” like various animals. Chili acts out an ant, elephant, snake, and other animals. Bingo giggles and laughs in delight with this game.
The first seven minisodes of BLUEY MINISODES are a creative slam dunk. Similar to the original show, this collection is entertaining for both children and adults. The comedy is witty, and the art design is fantastic. The minisodes stress sharing life lessons, children and parents playing together, and a positive depiction of a caring father. Objectionable content is nowhere to be seen. Therefore, MOVIEGUIDE recommends the BLUEY MINISODES for all ages.