Barky Boats is the thirty-first episode of the second season of Bluey.
Synopsis
Today at school the kids are excited to see their older buddies. Bluey wants to make a fairy garden with Mia, while Mackenzie wants to race barky boats with Captain.
But when Mia and Captain run off to play and forget that they’ve left their young buddies behind, Bluey and Mackenzie are upset.[1]
Calypso explains that sometimes it’s hard being twelve and, just like the barky boats sailing downstream, their buddies are about to go on a huge adventure to big school.
So Bluey and Mackenzie decide to play together instead, and eventually their buddies find their way back to their young friends.
Bluey and Mackenzie are excited to spend time with their two buddies Mia and Captain. When the older kids run off to play together without them, Calypso explains that growing up can be hard.[1]
Episode Recap
The episode starts with a shot outside of the Glass House Primary School, as it cuts to show all the kids sitting next to each other, with Calypso telling them all that something very special is happening today. Mackenzie and Bluey ask what it is in sync, as they look at each other for a moment. Winton, hearing them, mockingly says that Bluey's gonna marry Mackenzie and they both quickly deny that. Calypso then announces that the children will see their buddies, they all cheer as Calypso tells them to go to the special place to meet them.
All the kids run out of the school, to go and meet their buddies. Bluey runs up a hill to meet her buddy, Mia, who swings Bluey around then hugs her. Bluey asks if they can build a fairy garden. Mia tells her 'okay' as she gives Bluey a piggyback. The scene then cuts to show a dog named Captain waiting for Mackenzie. Mackenzie runs up to him, as they do a 'secret handshake'. Mackenzie asks if they can play Barky Boats and Captain affirms.
Mia, Bluey, Captain, and Mackenzie intercept each other and Mia and Captain talk for a bit, then when the girls leave, Captain asks Mackenzie if he wants to help Bluey build the fairy garden, but Mackenzie says no. While building the fairy garden, Bluey finds out that Mia is twelve years old and will move to "big school" next year. Seeing as Bluey is still illiterate, she has Mia write to the fairies.
Then, the boys show up, with Mackenzie claiming Captain "made" him come. Captain asks if there is any bark for the Barky Boats, but Bluey says there isn't and shoos the boys away. However, when they leave, Mia does find a piece of bark and brings a reluctant Bluey over with it to the boys.
Bluey and Mackenzie are angry with each other, then the two older kids run off, making the younger kids sad. Calypso walks up and asks where the older kids are, and Bluey says that they "ran away" and she fears they no longer like them. Calypso is sure the older kids still like the younger kids, but explains that being twelve can be "hard".
She makes an analogy by having Bluey and Mackenzie block the fountain and puts two Barky Boats in it to represent six-year-old kids. As the water rises, Calypso mentions the kids aging up and up, until twelve, whereupon it overflows and sends the Barky Boats rushing down the fountain, symbolising that age twelve marks the start of a big adventure.
Bluey and Mackenzie are still sad about their buddies not being around, who are collecting things for the younger dogs. While Bluey and Mackenzie play Barky Boats, Mia and Captain hope they'll stay together in their new school. They then hear Bluey and Mackenzie arguing over who won, and come back to find them resolving the argument. After Bluey bids farewell to Mackenzie, she rejoins Mia, finishes the fairy letter and Bluey tells the fairies to watch over Mia and Captain, making Mia tear up a bit.
Appearances
- Bluey
- Mackenzie
- Mia (debut)
- Captain (debut)
- Calypso
- Winton
- Coco (cameo)
- Chloe (cameo)
- The Terriers (cameo)
- Rusty (cameo)
- Indy (cameo)
- Honey (cameo)
- Snickers (cameo)
- Bandit (mentioned)
Trivia
- The soundtrack on this episode is based on Tribe of Avaren.
- This is the first episode where on the title card, an adult character says "This episode of Bluey is called [episode title]". instead of a child character. In this episode's case, Calypso says the episode's title.
- Bluey and Mackenzie's close relationship is explored further, this episode showing that they also have a friendly rivalry presumably spurred on after Winton playfully teases them.
- This episode features some analogies:
- After Bluey, Mackenzie and their buddies first meet, both parties meet later on through similar encounters ("He/she made me come...")
- One of the analogies Calypso brings up to the kids is about growing up, hinting that, despite hardships along the way, both parties are set to have a bright future. In addition, Mia mentions Calypso's "going this way/that way" analogy when she returns to the kids.
- Indeed, in later episodes such as Curry Quest, Captain and Mia are usually shown together, suggesting that they're on a date.
- This episode reveals that Bluey hasn't learned to write yet.
- Long Dog: This long dog is grey with a dark grey spot on it's back. Additionally it's eye(s) are open, a feature uncommon to the long dogs. It can be seen to the left of the rock pond after the barky boats reach the bottom after Calypso's story.
- When this episode aired on Disney Channel in the US, it was paired with Family Meeting and Smoochy Kiss.
- This is the only episode to have been paired with Season Three episodes when aired on Disney Channel.