Disney+ Releases All-New ‘Bluey’ Episodes, Waters Them Down First

Just as we reach the point of summer when parents have run out of crafts and water play ideas, the world’s favorite Blue Heeler family is swooping in for the rescue.

Disney+ may have been breaking out its content-cutting scissors for original films like Crater, but the streaming service wouldn’t dream of letting the most lovable family of pups loose. The BBC Studios series “Bluey” has a following as loyal as the Blue Heelers it depicts in its stories. With 737 million minutes of programming in April 2023 alone, fans have been overdue for a new “Bluey” Season of the series to be released on Disney+.

Following a six-year-old Blue Heeler pup in Brisbane named Bluey, her exuberant four-year-old sister, Bingo, and their parents Chilli (Mum) and Bandit (Dad), “Bluey” is just as beloved by parents as it is kiddos. The good news is ten brand-new episodes are available for streaming on July 12, and the questionable information is the episodes will look different in the US after some Disney+ censorship.

The “F” Word Is Out

While Disney owns distribution rights to air “Bluey” on Disney+ and Disney Junior, you won’t see the lovable Heelers in the Disney Parks or sold as Disney merchandise since BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. dominates them.

Although Disney didn’t break any “Bluey” rules in this case, its streaming service watered down two new episodes released today. On TikTok, the account Aussie Girl Margie shared details about the episodes “Puppets” and “The Decider.” Check out her full video here:

@aussiegirlmargie

Disney censored Bluey again!! New episodes dropped today from season 3b and disney plus has changed Puppets and The Decider! #bluey #blueycensored #disney #disneycensorship #blueytok #blueyheeler #blueyseason3 #blueyseason3b #blueypuppets #blueythedecider #blueyunicorse #disneyplus #fyp #fypシ

♬ original sound – Aussie Girl Margie

In the episode “Puppets,” Bandit is shown with a puppet called Unicorse asking Chilli, “Do you want a lick?” in the Australian version of the series. However, Disney+ streamers will see the line altered to: “Do you want a bit?”

“The Decider” has a similar edit, but it’s an Australian “F” word this time. In a scene, competitive neighbors cheering on their favorite teams before a big game shout, “We’re gonna flog ya!” Disney+ changes the original version of the line to “We’re gonna beat ya!”

Disney+ hasn’t announced the reasoning behind the changes, though some have cited regional vernacular differences. That might suffice for some, but this isn’t the first time “Bluey” has been the subject of censorship backlash.

Legal Battles for ‘Bluey’

In August 2020, “Bluey” received backlash for the phrase “ooga booga” used in two episodes, criticizing the episodes’ racial insensitivity regarding Indigenous Australians. Additionally, a recent episode was removed from season 3 of “Bluey” when it was accused by viewers across the pond of “fat shaming.”

The episode titled “Exercise” included a scene between Bandit and Chilli where a discussion about “needing to exercise” while they pointed to physical flaws in the mirror. Before the scene reached stateside viewers, the ABC apologized and removed it from the episode.

Conversely, the Ludo Studio series made headlines for filing a lawsuit against major retailers. Citing copyright infringement, BC Studios Distribution Ltd. filed a lawsuit against companies like Amazon and Etsy for using Bluey’s likeness in products without distribution rights.

For such a light-hearted series full of imaginative scenes and tear-jerking moments, “Bluey” has landed in the media for its share of controversies. Despite the media attention surrounding the world-renowned series, “Bluey” fans can sink their teeth into the new episodes featuring cameos from Lin Manuel-Miranda and Rose Byrne on Disney+ now.