Disney is still shielding Americans from an episode of 'Bluey'
The US culture war collides with a lucrative children's show


The Australian-made children's series "Bluey" is so adored by adults and children alike that it has spawned legions of think pieces since its debut in 2018. This time, the anthropomorphic Australian cattle dogs are making headlines regarding the show's distribution in the U.S. by Disney.
The company mysteriously cut an episode called "Dad Baby" from its 2020 season but only in the U.S., where it remains inexplicably unavailable on Disney+ five years later. Because no "official reason has been given for the censorship" by Disney, said Stuart Heritage at The Guardian, many speculate that it was due to "delicate Americans."
'Difficult themes'
Most episodes of the series, which has become a cultural phenomenon, are 7-minute vignettes about dad Bandit and mom Chilli engaging in elaborate imaginative play with their daughters, six-year-old Bluey and four-year-old Bingo. The series is "educational without being pedantic, and, often, genuinely hilarious," said Phillip Maciak at Slate. Bandit, in particular, is renowned in dad circles for his ability to "instantly become an eager participant in whatever his kids dream up," said Bryan Walsh at Vox. In "Dad Baby," little Bingo finds an old baby carrier and climbs into it, while Bandit straps it on and tries to explain what it was once used for.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bandit immediately suffers "pain in his back and feet, the inability to bend over, and constant hunger," said Kristina Behr at Parents. Meanwhile, Chilli "relishes the fact that he is clueless about how to navigate real pregnancy." Bluey then talks Bandit into "delivering" Bingo in a kids' pool with the help of their improbably down-for-anything neighbor Pat, better known throughout the series as "Lucky's Dad."
The episode was finally uploaded to the show's official YouTube channel in May 2024 but remains missing from Disney+, where most families watch it, possibly due to the "depiction of pregnancy and childbirth, which might be deemed too mature for the target audience of preschoolers," said Adele Ankers-Range at IGN. But exactly why American kids, and only American kids, have been deemed too sensitive for this subject matter — when other episodes have also addressed difficult themes like infertility and aging — is up for debate. And it almost certainly has to do with Disney's perception of American adults.
Outside pressure
Disney has been at the center of America's turbulent culture wars for years, including a high-profile feud with Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). But ultimately, it is not clear if Disney's decision-makers in this case were being "sexist, or prudish or simply unwilling to put themselves in the crosshairs of religious groups," said Lloyd Farley at Collider. "We can only guess," said Oli Welsh at Polygon, but it's hard not to "wonder if the episode's gender-swap premise has something to do with Disney's censoriousness." It's a shame either way, as the episode itself is a "relatable, hilarious depiction of a pregnancy" that is actually "silly and inoffensive," said Sabina Graves at Gizmodo.
Disney has good reason to fear the right's reaction to "Dad Baby." The show's father figure previously came under fire from religious conservatives because he "embodies almost all of the elements of the traditional mother, purged of the essence of elements from the historic father," said Jeremy Pryor at The Blaze. In "The Sign," a 28-minute-long episode that aired in 2024, there is a fleeting reference to one of Bluey's friends having two moms. Including lesbian couples in the show's universe represents the "destruction of something that was once wholesome," said The Daily Wire's Megan Basham in a post on X.
It might be best to remember that "Bluey" isn't a "political show at all" but rather a "cartoon about the boring, beautiful moments of regular family life" that need not become the "source of so much ugliness," said Katie Notopoulos at The Atlantic. Unfortunately, that may be a pretty tall order in the U.S. these days.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
David Faris is an associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics. He is a frequent contributor to Informed Comment, and his work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Indy Week.
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
18 slang words and phrases we can thank (or blame) Gen Z for
In Depth Younger Americans have put their stamp on our language with these neologisms
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
'Immigrant' Superman film raises hackles on the right
TALKING POINT Director James Gunn's comments about the iconic superhero's origins and values have rankled conservatives who embrace the Trump administration's strict anti-immigrant agenda
-
The 5 best TV reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Finding an entirely new cast to play beloved characters is harder than it looks
-
An American girl takes on London, 'Bosch' gets another spinoff and Washington Black leaps from page to screen in July TV
the week recommends This month's new television releases include 'Too Much,' 'Ballard' and 'Washington Black'
-
Netflix and the second screen phenomenon
In The Spotlight Programme makers claim they're being asked to cater for distracted viewers
-
Sharenting: does covering children's faces on social media protect them?
In The Spotlight Privacy trend has 'trickled down' from celebrity parents but it may not protect your kids
-
5 high-concept animated science fiction shows for grown-ups
The Week Recommends How filmmakers are using a different medium to bring visionary science fiction to life
-
Why Vietnam is dropping its two-child policy
Under The Radar Relaxation of family limit to boost birth rates – but 'baby boom' not certain
-
Is Hollywood losing its luster?
Today's Big Question Television and film production is moving, leaving Hollywood to ponder its place in pop culture