The 'Worst' Bluey Episode According To Some Fans (And Why It's So Controversial)
"Bluey" may be a series aimed at children, but between the wholesome life lessons and jokes that only adults get, it's fair to say it has something to offer older viewers as well. Since its 2018 introduction, it has taken the world by storm, entertaining and educating viewers of all ages. As a result, the Internet has become a hotbed for "Bluey" discourse, with fans sharing their favorite characters, Easter eggs, fun facts, and more. Naturally, over time, one episode has earned the mantle of the worst the series has to offer, according to numerous fans.
Over on Reddit, u/Colonel-Clayton asked "Bluey" fans to share their picks for the program's worst episode. Though a few came up in conversation, the standout was Season 3's "Tina." Bluey and Bingo boss their parents around using their giant imaginary friend, Tina, as retaliation for being constantly told they should listen to their parents simply because they're older and bigger. "It's great to pretend with the kids but boundaries are important and I wish the parents pushed back a little more," commented of the episode u/Hailz_ in a different thread, expressing irritation over Bandit (David McCormack) and Chilli's (Melanie Zanetti) willingness to go along with their kids' "game." Others echoed this sentiment, claiming that the parents handle the overall situation poorly and allow the kids to get away with too much.
As it turns out, the controversy surrounding "Tina" isn't limited to Reddit.
Those on IMDb don't care for Tina either
More often than not, "Bluey" shows the titular blue heeler and her sister Bingo getting up to all kinds of mischief that pulls in their parents. In response, the parents go along with it, molding the situation into a teachable moment that turns their occasional misbehavior into a learning opportunity. "Tina" does just this, with Bluey and Bingo understanding that the adults in their lives aren't bossing them around and just want them to be on the right track. However, folks across the Internet have made it clear that Bandit and Chilli's approach to the situation wasn't the best in this episode.
Many of those on Reddit place "Tina" at the bottom of the "Bluey" heap — even if it's not doing like the Season 3 episode "The Sign" and destroying parents or ending up banned like Season 2's "Dad Baby" for being too explicit. Meanwhile, those on IMDb have similar feelings about the episode. At the time of publication, "Tina" is one of the lowest-rated "Bluey" installments, tied for the last spot with Season 2's "Circus" and Season 3's "Wild Girls." All of these episodes have a rating of 7.2 stars out of 10, which isn't bad by any means, but compared to the rest of the "Bluey" catalog, they're at the bottom of the list.
Thankfully, when looking at the overall run of "Bluey" so far, there are more episodes that have received much better viewer reception than "Tina."