The Sign: Bluey's Magnum Opus
This was originally scheduled to be a four-part review but I have something even bigger coming up and, ultimately, I found myself with more ideas for a sole post on what is now one of my favorite episodes of the series and wanted to do a much deeper dive into it.
Magnum opus. Defined as the greatest achievement of a particular person or work, while a magnum opus isn't always the best in quality, it more often than not represents an amazing feat in the series' history. And, the Bluey 28-minute special "The Sign," is no different. With praise and acclaim from both critics and casual viewers, and currently holding the highest rating of any Bluey episode on IMDb, it's safe to say that this episode is one of, if not the best that Bluey has ever had to offer.
Bluey's array into long-form content didn't start from this special, though. In 2020, a new play titled, appropriately, Bluey's Big Play, was released to audiences with positive reviews from all demographics. Needless to say, Bluey long-form content was desired more than ever, and The Sign only delivered in that aspect.
The Sign focuses on Bluey and Bingo learning about their family's plans to move out of Brisbane and into the city, where Bandit has received a new job. Bluey is heartbroken, while Bingo takes the news oddly well. At the same time, the Heelers are also preparing for Frisky and Radley's wedding, which will be hosted at the house before the big move. The Heeler girls, along with Muffin and Socks, derive a plan to get Frisky to move the big "FOR SALE," sign out of the driveway so nobody will buy the house, but plans are changed with Frisky ends up in an argument with Rad and calls the wedding off, leaving Chilli and the Heeler cousins on a road trip to find her, save the wedding, and (possibly), the house as well.
Despite being four times longer than the average episode, The Sign's pacing didn't feel slowed down compared to a regular episode; instead, enough plot has been packed inside of the special to account for the longer runtime. Not once did I feel like the special was dragging on or moving too fast. The pacing was perfect. The animation was great, and the lighting in certain scenes was amazing, especially during the dance party at the reception.
Bluey's growth as a character also stood out tremendously. This Reddit post sums everything up amazingly. Bluey is getting older; she can sit in the front seat, she can listen in to conversations she'd initially be ushered out of for being 'too young,' and she spends more time hanging out with Chili and Frisky during the search than with her sister and cousins. By now in the series, enough time has passed for Brandy to be noticeably pregnant and for Rad and Frisky to develop their relationship, so Bluey is at least 7.5 years old now. Seeing such noticeable growth in her character is a wonderful thing.
The small details in the special as well are amazing! Seeing Grandpa Bob again, Frisky's family, and Brandy finally getting pregnant! Honey gets her first speaking role since Season 2! Pretzel has two mums! Socks is speaking in full sentences and has her biggest role in possibly the whole series!
But, perhaps the best part of The Sign was it's use of the butterfly effect, a reaction in which something seemingly mundane has a much larger impact and leads to a chain reaction. Each event has a purpose, whether we see its need immediately or not. Muffin jams the coin in the wrong spot of the binoculars, but the coin is used by the sheepdogs to discover Winton's house for sale and decide to move there over to the Heelers' house instead, which ends up being the final straw in Bandit's decision to keep the home. The motif of the Ulysses butterfly, first seen in Slide, as a reference to good luck only fuels the butterfly effect in the special.
My favorite scene in this special would have to be the ending, featuring Lazarus Drug in the background. The sheer anger on Bandit's face as he throws the sign onto the grass. Chilli diving onto him and sobbing, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her emotions. The girls running towards their parents, elated on the revelation. The Heelers, enjoying a dinner of fish and chips, the house almost completely empty as we pan up to the sky and the end of the special. This scene struck a chord with me that I had only felt during Bluey's saddest moments, and I had to admit, I shed a few small, but significant tears.
Bluey's The Sign not only teaches us about the sheer impact of the decisions we make everyday, but it also shows us how, even when life takes us in directions that we can barely respect, everything will always work out in our favor. Life gives us enough bad things to anticipate, that maybe anticipating isn't the best thing after all. Maybe, we should just say, "We'll see," and hope for the ultimate best.
This is why I believe that The Sign is not only one of Bluey's best episodes, but its magnum opus, Joe Brumm and Ludo Studios' greatest achievement to date. Not many preschool shows can expand to thirty minutes while still keeping audiences of all demographics engaged. Not many pieces of media in general can be both realistic and fun like Bluey can. Not many shows can show to us, the audience, the little moments in life that leave to big lessons as well as Bluey is able to. The Sign not only encapsulates the show's mission but goes well beyond of the barriers that children's TV is forced to be in the best way possible.
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