Published Feb 2, 2026, 7:01 AM EST
Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.
Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.
Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.
The most streamed show of 2025 has officially been announced, and it's the same series that dominated 2024 and, most likely, will dominate 2026 too. Happily, it's a show that absolutely deserves the victory, and one that you should check out, whether you're its target audience or not.
Bluey Was Officially the Most Streamed Show of 2025
According to Variety, the animated children's show Bluey was "2025’s most-streamed title in the U.S. in 2025 - of any kind, including adult series and films." You may greet that news with skepticism - Bluey is a show for kids, and likely to be rewatched over and over - but its closest competitors in 2025 were Grey's Anatomy, Stranger Things and NCIS, showing that a younger audience is no guarantee of the top spot.
Bluey is for kids, but it's also one of the best shows about parenting ever made.
Bluey follows its titular little girl along with her younger sister Bingo, dad Bandit and mom Chilli, as well as their extended family and friends (all of whom are dogs.) Episodes depict small domestic moments and games, like Chilli putting off a work call to play with Bingo or the sisters going to a hardware store with their parents.
In terms of structure and intent, Bluey is pretty much like every other kids' show, but parents and kids inarguably love it in overwhelming amounts. Indeed, as the father of two children under three, Bluey is really the only kids' show I'm always happy to watch, no matter how many times I've seen an episode. So what's so special about Bluey?
What Makes Bluey Special?
Firstly, Bluey is simply excellently made. The voice acting is top notch and the animation is peerless - as many fans have observed, even when characters aren't speaking, they're given something to do. Observe a character in the background and they're still living their lives, rather than standing frozen while another character speaks.
The dialogue is relatable and funny, with consistent and well-observed characterization. Parents will spot people they know in the various dogs, as well as themselves.
The show is incredibly emotionally insightful - Space explores how children unpack difficult emotions and experiences through play - and is always making creative choices. Octopus shifts to follow Bluey's friend Chloe and her dad, various episodes skip ahead to offer glimpses of the future, and many also shift to different art styles - none moreso than Dragon, where each character is depicted in their own in-world drawing style.
Flat Pack subtly depicts the journey of life and Earth through Bluey and Bingo's play, as well as the emotional experience of watching your children grow up and leave home (and even a reference to passing on that only adults will catch.) Rain is a wordless episode that packs a punch, while Sleepytime shows Bingo reaching a new stage of childhood via a space dream scored to Gustav Holst's The Planets.
As with all great children's media, none of this creative ambition intrudes on the telling of fun, relatable stories, but it adds an extra dimension to the show that may be your child's first experience of honest-to-goodness culture. Indeed, this is just one facet of Bluey that makes it a satisfying watch for parents.
Bluey Is VERY Kind to the Adults Watching
Bluey is one of the best shows ever for kids, but it's also one of the best shows ever made about parenting. Adults watching see their own triumphs, foibles and motivations reflected in the older dogs.
In Yoga Ball, Bandit plays too rough with the younger Bingo and the two have to refine their communication. In Rain, Chilli is too caught up in adult responsibilities to indulge Bluey's creativity and curiosity, and has to actively engage with her daughter's game once she realizes the experience is more important than the mess it's creating.
These episodes open up avenues of easy discussion between older and younger viewers, as well as making the show a thousand times less tedious than something like Peppa Pig.
One of Bluey's biggest positives is that it doesn't teach heavy-handed lessons. Indeed, it feels more like an observation of childhood than something that's overtly instructional. Kids can see themselves and understand that their issues are natural and can be overcome. At the same time, the episodes exemplify resilience, kindness and emotional intelligence.
Of course, every episode of Bluey has a point, but the show ultimately invites kids to make observations and draw conclusions. In the process, it becomes a far more tolerable rewatch for parents, as there's always something new to talk about.
Don't Be Surprised When Bluey Conquers 2026
Bluey was the most streamed show of the last two years, and there's no reason to think it will lose that crown anytime soon. While creator and showrunner Joe Brumm has stepped away from the show following its third season (perhaps temporarily, perhaps permanently), he isn't done with the franchise yet, currently crafting a Bluey movie that will release in August 2027 and draw even more attention to the franchise.
Bluey is a smart, empathetic, well-made show for kids and parents alike. Its prominence as the most streamed TV show of 2024 and 2025 marks not just Bluey's quality, but parents' appreciation when something genuinely excellent comes along for their kids.
Release Date 2018 - 2024-00-00
Directors Richard Jeffery, Joe Brumm
Writers Joe Brumm
English (US) ·