(A version of this article was shared with Laughing Place and published on April 14, 2024.)
Bluey – the delightful Australian Blue Heeler with a troublesome twinkle and a heart of gold – is officially the most popular dog on the planet. With three seasons of family friendly – yet immensely entertaining – episodes in the show’s three-season catalog, it’s safe to say Bluey fever has caught on worldwide. A highly-anticipated quadruple-length special episode “The Sign” is releasing on April 14th, and Bluey fans around the world are salivating like Pavlov’s dogs.
A trip through Bluey’s world wouldn’t be complete without a primer on some of the show’s most memorable expressions and terms. Here are a few of the best.
“Oh, biscuits!”
This is a favorite expression of Bandit’s which he liberally uses in place of the typical curse words. Thank you Bandit, for keeping it rated ‘G’.
“Cheese and crackers!”
Easily confused with “Oh, biscuits” is “Cheese and Crackers.” This exclamatory expression serves the purpose of wonder. Think something like “Oh, wow!” It can have both positive and negative connotations too, such as “Oh, no!” for something unwelcome, or “That’s amazing!” To celebrate something, well, amazing!
Keepy Uppy
The third episode of Season 1 gave this memorable title to the silly game we’ve all played before. Keeping a balloon in the air without letting it touch the floor is a rite of passage for kids everywhere. Do the Heelers succeed in their quest to save the balloon? You’ll have to see for yourself!
“I’ll tell you this for free…”
In a moment of frustration Bluey and Bingo’s differences, Bandit uses this expression in Season 3, Episode 6 Mini Bluey to put an exclamation on his point. “Well, I’ll tell you this for free, my life would be a lot easier if you were both the same.” Of course, the girls go on to prove there would be no fun in that. Bluey adorably uses this same expression later in the episode, when she models her own behavior after her father-hero.
Dunny
When Bluey or Bingo need to “Take a wee” they’ll often ask to visit the “Dunny,” which is, of course, a bathroom. The etymology of the word comes from the British dialect “dunnekin” meaning an “earth closet.” It’s meant to apply to an outhouse or other outdoor Porta-Potty-type facility, but the girls often use it to refer to indoor bathrooms as well. Watch Chilli try to convince the girls not to use this crass term in Season 2, Episode 42 Dunny. Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go!
Grannies
One of the more iconic episodes of Bluey sees the Heeler girls role-playing as little old ladies in the Season 1, Episode 28 Grannies. Bluey as “Janet,” and Bingo as “Rita” hilariously debate whether or not grannies can Floss dance. Out of this episode came one of Bingo’s most memorable lines “I slipped on ma’ beans!” which is a delightful euphemism for being clumsy. This dynamic duo reprised their role in Season 2, Episode 22 Bus and Season 3, Episode 48 Ghostbasket.
“Cheeky”
Fans of Mary Poppins, or anyone familiar with the Queen’s English, knows the meaning of “Cheeky.” But in Season 3, Episode 9 Magic, Chilli elevates the term when she warns Bluey and Bingo that their (pretend) magic should not be used for “cheeky purposes.”
Long Dog
Disney Parks fans have a blast looking for Hidden Mickeys throughout the parks. Pixar has a long history of including Easter Eggs of Luxo, Jr., the Pixar Ball, the Pizza Planet truck, and Room A113 in their films (check out this recent Fun Facts article about Disney-Pixar’s Luca, which includes the locations of all these hidden gems). Well, Bluey fans enjoy their own treasure hunt in each and every episode of the series.
Long Dog – a little toy weiner dog – can be found at least once in every Bluey episode. Sometimes it’s easy to find, and other times it takes a magnifying glass and a quick thumb on the pause button. But rest assured, Long Dog is always there (usually tucked away in the background)!
Squibs
Another semi-mainstream term of British origin, Lucky’s Dad warns his wife that giving everyone a prize in a party game would be “raising a nation of squibs.” In Season 3, Episode 13 Pass the Parcel, Lucky’s Dad tries an alternative approach to the party game, with hilarious (though mildly cringy) results.
Unicorse
This may be Bandit’s single greatest creation. Unicorse (as you might guess, a combination of a unicorn and horse) burst onto the scene in Season 3, Episode 7 Unicorse. Bandit uses this obnoxious, puppet-sized alter ego to teach Bluey (and her mom) a lesson in patience and adapting to difficult situations. He is delightfully annoying, even when he smugly pronounces his catchphrase “Aaaaand why should I care?”
Chattermax
In an age where hidden Easter Eggs are king, Bluey serves up several over the course of the three seasons. Perhaps the most widely recognized is Chattermax, a toy owl that makes its larger-than-life debut in Season 1, Episode 42 Hide and Seek. This is Bluey’s take on the late 90s toy sensation Furby. Chattermax makes several more appearances throughout the series, though in much more subdued roles. The cheeky, chirpy owl even inspired its own song and toy!
Hammerbarn
I suspect most fans of Bluey have done an internet search for Hammerbarn. This big-box hardware store, featured prominently in the premier episode of Season 2, captures the imagination of both Bluey and Bingo, who each take a fancy to different decorative garden gnomes in the landscape section. Hammerbarn, which most Americans will recognize as a fictional version of Home Depot or Lowe’s, is based on a similar chain in Australia called Bunnings, which uses a red hammer as a logo.
In response to the wild popularity of this episode, Bunnings teamed with Bluey creators for a public relations re-theme of seven of its stores as “Hammerbarns”, featuring do-it-yourself activities for kids, merchandise, and appearances by life-size Bluey and Bingo characters.
“For real life?”
This means pretty much what it sounds like, but can be used in multiple ways. A portmanteau of “for real” and “real life,” it is used as a question meaning “Is that for real?” and also as a statement to confirm an otherwise outrageous tale like “For real life!”
“Cheese and crackers!” Have you caught Bluey fever? If so, what’s your favorite episode or moment? Reach out to Facts and Figment on social and start a conversation: Instagram Facebook X
For more delicious details on Bluey’s family, friends, and adventures, check out Bluey! The Making of a Global Phenomenon.
