Shadowlands is the fifth episode of the first season of Bluey.
Synopsis
On a picnic with their parents, Bluey, Snickers and Coco play Shadowlands – a game where they must only walk in the shady areas and avoid the crocodile infested, sunlit grass.
But Bluey finds that every time the game gets too difficult, Coco tries to take a shortcut. Finding themselves stranded in a palm tree shadow-island when Mum calls them back for tea and cupcakes, Coco is ready to break the rules and step out of the shade.[3]
But Bluey insists they find another way, because games are more fun if you follow the rules. They make a break for a moving cloud shadow and make it back just in time.
Coco plays Shadowlands with Bluey and Snickers but she keeps trying to make the game easier until Bluey helps her understand that sometimes it’s more fun if you follow the rules.[3]
Episode Recap
Bluey, Snickers and Coco are playing "What's the time Mrs. Wolf?" when Coco pulls her usual trick to make the others walk right up to her. Bluey complains that she does this all the time to make it easier for herself. They decide to play a game of "Shadowlands" instead - the shadow areas is safe, while the areas of sunlight is the crocodile infested sea. Bluey reminds Coco that she has to follow the rules and not take shortcuts.
The kids run and jump through the shadows, giggling until they reach a big sunlight patch that Snickers can’t jump over. Coco tries to suggest an easy way out but Bluey sternly rebuts her. Instead, Bluey and Coco come up with a plan to extend the shadow by climbing upon each other, and Snickers successfully jumps the gap.
The game then takes them to the shadows of the cars parked on the road and all is going well until a car pulls out leaving Bluey with a massive gap in front of her. Coco suggests another shortcut and asks why they have to follow the rules. Bluey gives her best explanation: “Because they’re the rules!” Just then, a bus passes by, which casts a shadow over the gap, giving Bluey her chance.
The kids then run up the wavering shadow of a palm trunk before getting stranded on a shadow island surrounded by the crocodiles. Realising they are trapped, they howl in sadness. Their mothers, on the picnic blanket island, hear them and produce some cupcakes. This time, both Snickers and Coco suggest they change the rules, so they can eat. Bluey is unable to offer a good reason as to why they cannot pretend to be Water Boatmen, conceding to the proposal. Just before they set off, however, a cloud appears overhead, casting a shadow over the entire field.
A mad rush ensures to cover the distance while the ground is in the shadows. Snickers has to be thrown by the other due to his short legs, but they just about make it. They arrive and collapse in a fit of giggles realizing that having the rules has made the game more fun. In a final game of Mrs. Wolf, Coco changes her strategy and calls "Dinnertime" before the runners get too close — and Bluey is too surprised to run.
Appearances
Trivia
- This is the first episode to:
- be based outside The Heeler Family's House.
- show any of Bluey's classmates.
- not show either Bingo or Bandit.
- show characters howling.
- The game Shadowlands is similar to the game "The Floor is Lava".
- Coco's strategy may be poor sportsmanship, but it does not break the rules of "What's the time, Mrs. Wolf?".
- This was the third episode to air in the US.[citation needed]
- This is one of five Season 1 episodes to have sneak peeks in 2018, the others being The Magic Xylophone, Keepy Uppy, Daddy Robot, and Fruitbat.[citation needed]
- Bluey’s line "Run your little sausage dog legs!" is reused in Typewriter.
- When this episode aired on Disney Channel in the US, it was paired with Keepy Uppy and The Magic Xylophone.
- An early draft of the episode had a religious joke - instead of Snickers saying that water boatmen can walk on water, he would instead say "Jesus can." Bluey would have responded "Who's Jesus?"
- This would have been based off of the creator of the show, Joe Brumm's childhood experiences with going to a catholic school, but had to be cut due to feeling a bit too weird for the show.[4]