Parent Fumes After 'Bluey' Uses 'the H-Word'

Some parents were furious when the description for an episode of Bluey included a word that they regard as explicit – "hell-bent." Earlier this week, a member of the Facebook group "Adult Bluey Lovers" posted a screenshot that included this line, questioning if it was appropriate. Other users then debated where to draw the line for "obscene language" in a show aimed at a very young audience.

The post shows an episode description, apparently from a streaming service that carries Bluey. It described the character Bucky Dunstan, "a smooth-talking real estate agent." It read: "He 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 the screenshot wondered: "Why did Bluey say the H-word?" There were nearly 2,000 comments on the post, and many of them were unsympathetic to the original poster.

Hell-bent means determined its a thing in Australia (from an Australian) not a bad word

— Ally🔞 (@AllieOoOl) April 9, 2024

"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.

Bluey is about a young Blue Heeler puppy with a lot of energy and a hunger to learn about the world around him. 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 hit a milestone this week with a special 28-minute episode that brought many adult viewers to tears. Titled "The Sign," it finds a "for sale" sign posted in front of the Heeler family home. The family may need to move so that Bluey's father can pursue a new job, and the young puppy is not happy about it. The story of how he comes to accept this change made many viewers emotional, regardless of age.

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+.