Before any episode of Law and Order, there is an important message telling audiences what content they are about to see, which probably excuses them from various complaints. Unfortunately, Disney+ does not implement such a warning before episodes of Bluey, which was a crucial mistake.
A season three episode titled “Dad Baby” follows the family as they stage a mock pregnancy, where dad dog Bandit “gives birth” to Bingo. It’s a fun game of pretend, but Disney+ chose not to show the episode in America, which caused even more blowback.
At the time, a spokesperson explained the decision, “Some of the Bluey content did not meet Disney Junior broadcast S&P in place at the time the series was acquired. Now that it is rolling out on other platforms, it is a great opportunity to reevaluate which is what we plan to do.”
Meanwhile, creator Joe Brumm knew this would happen. “Definitely lots of words have to get changed, and then behaviors and concepts get dulled down. And eventually I would just hit these walls,” he explained to The Hollywood Reporter last year. “Some of them, like ‘Dad Baby’ for instance, doesn’t get shown in America. But what are you going to do, not make ‘Dad Baby’? I love it.”
Now, after the fart episode fiasco, it seems like Disney+ is quietly allowing the previously banned episodes to be seen by the public. “Dad Baby” has made its way online. At seven minutes flat, that controversial episode can be watched here on YouTube Kids. Viewer’s discretion is certainly advised.
This is not the first “controversy” that the popular kids series has stirred up. In 2022, an episode was apparently scrubbed the mention of being neutered from season three. Even though this is the future that Bob Barker always wanted, it might take Disney+ a little while to get there.