'Bluey' special episode 'The Sign' has viewers in tears (2024)

Bluey just aired its longest ever episode, premiering Season 3 special "The Sign" globally over the weekend. The 28-minute episode featured some big changes for the Heeler family, and was full of Easter eggs for fans of the popular Australian children's cartoon.

As expected, it was also a highly emotional and heartfelt episode, leaving viewers of all ages in tears.

Warning: spoilers will follow.

What happens in Bluey's special episode "The Sign"?

Following on from last week's cliffhanger, "The Sign" sees the Heelers and their friends and family preparing for a backyard wedding at their house. It seems Uncle Rad (voiced by Patrick Brammall) and Bluey's godmother Frisky (voiced by Claudia O’Doherty) have gotten on very well since they first met in Season 2 episode "Double Babysitter," and are now ready to walk down the aisle together.

Unfortunately, the joyful occasion is overshadowed by Bluey's sadness at the Heelers' plans to leave their beloved Brisbane home. Bandit aka Dad (voiced by David McCormack) has gotten a higher paying job which he believes will let him give the kids a better life, but it requires relocating to a different city.

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Hoping to stop the family from moving, Bluey determines that she must remove the "For Sale" sign in their front yard to prevent their home from being sold. However, she soon has to set her scheme aside to join Chilli aka Mum (voiced by Melanie Zanetti), Bingo, and their cousins Muffin and Socks to search for Frisky after the runaway bride begins rethinking her upcoming nuptials.

Did Bluey move house?

Bluey's previous episode "Ghostbasket" ended with the unexpected revelation that the Heelers' home was up for sale, causing fans to react with disbelief and denial. Fortunately it turned out to only be a scare, and Bluey's family will be remaining in their beautiful Queenslander home after all.

The situation didn't look good right up until the final moments of "The Sign." In a heartfelt montage set to "Lazarus Drug" by Meg Washington, the voice of Bluey's teacher Calypso, the Heeler family say goodbye to their neighbours and take one last look at their empty home. Though they'd each expressed misgivings about the move throughout the episode, Mum, Bingo, and Bluey are loaded up into the car, all set to drive off and leave their house full of memories behind.

However, just as he's about to join his family, Bandit receives a call from their real estate agent Bucky (voiced by Rove McManus). Though we don't hear it, it's clear what's happening: The buyers have pulled out at the very last minute, offering the Heelers' one last chance to turn back.

Slowly approaching the titular "For Sale" sign, Bandit peels the "sold" sticker off it, takes a long look back at his family — then pulls the entire sign out of the ground and flings it into the road.

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It's a moving moment, with Bandit's transition from doubt to determination clear on his face. His anxiety then completely evaporates when Chilli tackles him in a hug, quickly joined by Bluey and Bingo. The family bursts back into the house and the children joyfully race through each room, rejoicing at being able to stay.

The episode ends with the Heelers sitting on the floor of their bare home, enjoying a dinner of fish and chips together as the sun sets. Though Bandit had hoped to give his family a better life through his new job, it's clear that they're more than happy with the life they already have.

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Is Bluey ending?

Bluey's unprecedented special episode had some fans nervously speculating that this might be a grand finale, meaning our adventures with the Heeler family may soon be over. Fortunately, ABC Australia has confirmed that it currently has "no plans to end the show."

In fact, producer Daley Pearson told ABC Radio Brisbane that "The Sign" was actually a test run for longer Bluey content, stating that the studio "would love to do a Bluey movie."

"There was an element of, 'Can an audience watch Bluey for longer?'" said Pearson. "I think we'll wait until Sunday to find out and that'll help us figure out our own future."

Judging from reactions to "The Sign," that future could very well contain a silver screen.

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Bluey is currently available to stream on Disney+.