Warning! The following contains a minor spoiler for The Simpsons' "May The 12th Be With You" short. Watch it with a Disney+ subscription and read at your own risk!
There are few animated shows in the world that appeal as much to adults as they do to children and vice versa. Those few that check that box seem to reach revered status in the television world and occasionally get hardware stores to change their name after a popular episode. The Simpsons and Bluey are two great examples of this, and according to Simpsons executive producer Al Jean, there's interest on their end in having the Simpsons and Heeler family meet up.
The comments arrive after The Simpsons' latest short, "May The 12th Be With You," which features cameos of mothers and daughters from around the Disney brand and plenty of surprises, including a brief cameo from Bluey characters. We won't spoil the moment for readers who haven't watched, but let's dive into what exactly The Simpsons' top brass had to say about a potential collaboration with the beloved children's show.
Al Jean Says The Simpsons Staff Has Interest In A Bluey Crossover
I had the honor of speaking to Al Jean about The Simpsons short and while we talked, I brought up the cameo and wondered if there were any fans of Bluey on the staff who were just as invested in the drama of "The Sign" as our staff was. The executive producer and writer seemed happy to discuss the topic and blew my mind with the following statement:
Their kids are! You know, but I think Bluey is a great show. I believe [the audience is] a little younger, although it does extremely well on Disney+. The two of us are always in the top five shows that they're airing. And doing a Bluey crossover is something we’ve talked about if they’d be willing.
As an adult who was raised on The Simpsons, who now has a daughter who is raised on Bluey and only just starting to watch the former show, I couldn't contain my excitement. It's a combination I would've never thought of previously, but the longer I think about it, it makes even more sense. Here we thought the Family Guy crossover was the best one ever, and it turns out the best may be yet to come.
Bluey Has Referenced The Simpsons In The Past
Readers may or may not be aware that while it's subtle, Bluey has referenced The Simpsons on its show in the past. The video below shows some of the references, and I really appreciate the one with Muffin channeling Lisa:
It feels like the Bluey team leans into the first ten seasons of The Simpsons with their references, which is understandable because those episodes are often the most acclaimed acclaimed.
The Simpsons and Bluey joining up is a fantastic idea, whether it's the Simpson family traveling to Australia or the Heeler family vacationing in Springfield. I'll confess I'm more invested in the latter idea because I think I'd love to see Bandit hanging out with Homer in Moe's Tavern. Also, am I the only one who thinks Chilli would be pen pals with Marge?
Of course, there is a question of whether or not Disney would be as keen on making this happen as The Simpsons or Bluey staff would. Despite having adults who watch that take away the same life lessons as kids, Al Jean noted the overall audience for the show is much younger than The Simpsons. Would viewers respond well to a full-length crossover, or would it be a niche thing that only a select audience would appreciate? I think it would be a hit, but obviously, I have no skin in the game, so we'll have to wait and see if it ever comes to pass.
Bluey and The Simpsons are available to stream right now on Disney+. Hopefully, it won't be too long before we get an announcement that the two hit shows will bring a special our way, because I'm already thinking of all the ways it would be so amazing.
