As one of the most acclaimed and universally beloved examples of children’s programming this side of Sesame Street, the Australian animated gem Bluey has become as vital an entry for many Disney+ subscribers as the streaming service’s MCU and Star Wars fare. (With the majority of that group being parents, though not exclusively.) At long last, the first half of Season 3 made its debut as part of the Disney platform’s August releases, and by and large, fans have been just as tickled and jubilant as ever. But it looks like not all of the episodes made the voyage, with Disney+ cutting one potentially offending installment from the bunch, while also reportedly cutting scenes and dialogue from other Season 3 eps.
The Missing Bluey Episode: "Family Meeting"
- When Dad's accused of fluffing in Bluey's face as he climbs out of bed, he's put on trial with Mum as the judge, and Bluey and Bingo as witnesses. Bluey might also have to explain what she was doing there.
Without any official statement from Disney+ reps out there at the moment, it can only be assumed that the House of Mouse turned their nose at “Family Meeting” due to farting being a central element to the ep’s narrative. Not that Disney’s own animated programming over the years has been wholly highbrow and fart-free, and it’s not like earlier Bluey episodes haven’t also featured moments with Bandit breaking wind. But I guess passively passing gas is on a different level than a father facing allegations of farting in a child’s face.
While it might seem like a silly reason for Disney+ to bypass adding this particular episode, this definitely wouldn’t be the first time Bluey content was excised before reaching U.S. viewers’ eyeballs. (On top of the instances noted below elsewhere in Season 3.) For instance, the Season 2 ep “Dad Baby,” in which Bandit acts as if he’s going through childbirth, has never been available on Disney+ or Disney Junior, for childbirth-y reasons. Season 1’s “Teasing,” meanwhile, has never been available to stream, though edited versions of the episode have aired on linear TV, following criticisms aimed at the use of the controversial term “ooga booga” as a nonsense phrase.
The Cool "Family Meeting" Reveal
Regardless of the reasons behind Disney+ not adding the fart-filled “Family Meeting” to its streaming library, its absence will no doubt keep some viewers from learning a pretty fun reveal that occurs in the ep. Amidst the faux trial discussions, when Bandit and Chilli discover Bluey’s role in how things played out, the animated mum used her daughter’s whole name for the first time.:
Bluey Christine Heeler
It's unclear if there are any direct reasons why the creative team chose "Christine" to be revealed as Bluey's middle name, and U.S. viewers obviously won't be getting any insights, since that moment isn't freely available for any of us to watch. Granted, knowing the titular character's middle name isn't required to enjoy any of the other 100+ episodes of Bluey, but it's a fun detail nonetheless.
Other Bluey Season 3 Moments Missing From Disney+
While “Family Meeting” was the only full episode to get cut from Disney+’s offerings, the streaming service apparently clipped other moments from elsewhere in Season 3. One fan rounded up a handful of examples in a pair of Twitter posts, pointing out both certain visuals and dialogue were apparently altered.
The scenes from Season 3A that were censored or cut on Disney+ #Bluey pic.twitter.com/p9YXUP3VuaAugust 10, 2022
The first one shows Bandit getting bonked painfully in the crotch by Bandit’s swing in “Born Yesterday,” though the episode isn’t noted there. The second features a line alteration from “Driving” in which a fictitious threat about peeing on curtains became about scratching curtains. The third pic, from “Faceytalk” points out a moment cut from Disney+ where an embarrassed Aunt Trix is seen on the toilet in the background of Muffin’s video feed. And the final one points to a line tweak in “Explorers,” in which the term “day laborer” was changed to “backpacker” when describing a character.
As well, it was also pointed out in another post that the Season 3 premiere “Perfect” was also altered. In it, Bandit and friend Fido have a conversation about parenting, which directly references the process of getting vasectomies. But in the Disney+ version, the procedure in question was changed to “removing one’s teeth.”
It’s been quite an interesting year for fart-related news, as Harry Potter franchise vet Miriam Margolyes claimed Arnold Schwarzenegger intentionally tooted in her face during the filming of 1999’s End of Days. Not to mention 90 Day Fiancé’s Stephanie Matteo continuing to make beaucoup money by selling jars of her farts (and other bodily output) to fans, or that infamous fart during Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's trial.
Sans the aforementioned “Family Meeting” and other moments, Bluey Season 3 is available to stream now on Disney+. Head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are on the way later in the year.
