'Bluey' Uses 'the H-Word,' Upsetting Some Parents

Some were surprised to see the word "hell-bent" in a 'Bluey' episode description, and others were surprised it drew a reaction at all.

By Michael Hein

An angry parent took to social media last month to decry a written episode description for the children's TV show Bluey, which featured the word "hell-bent." A post on the Facebook group "Adult Bluey Lovers" showed a screenshot from a streaming service which summarized the character Bucky Dunstan. While the poster and some commenters considered this "obscene language," others disagreed strongly.

The text describes Bucky as "a smooth-talking real estate agent" who "puts all his energy into being the best Brisbane realtor he can be. Slick and hell-bent on a sale, he's a very convincing house peddler." The person who posted it wrote: "Why did Bluey say the H-word?" In no time, there were thousands of comments on the post with varying responses. Some thought that the word "hell" was inappropriate for children young enough to watch Bluey, but others thought it was just fine. Many questioned why the word stood out in this context but not in a religious setting.

"I was looking for the word 'hooker' or... Something offensive... Nope, nothing to see her," one person wrote. Another commented: "I fear adults who call it 'the H-word,'" and a third added: "It's hell. What's the big deal? [Americans] say it to your kids faces in church all the time."

Bluey is an Australian production, and many commenters joked about the different sensibilities when it comes to cursing around the world. One wrote: "You're lucky as an Australian show they're not using the C-word' every other sentence." These days, Bluey definitely caters to an international audience, airing on Disney Junior in the U.S. and Disney+ in most of the world.

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Bluey is about a young Blue Heeler puppy with a lot of energy and a hunger to learn about the world around her. The show is about growing up and being a part of a family – and a wider community. Since it premiered in 2018, it has grown into an international sensation and has been praised for its thoughtful depiction of issues children might be thinking about.

Bluey is on hiatus now but it will return for a fourth season eventually, according to a report by USA Today. The existing episodes are streaming now on Disney+.

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