Grown-ups are saying this 'Bluey' episode might be the best 8 minutes of TV ever made
"Bluey" is made for kids, but adults might love it even more.

Bluey's little sister Bingo learns to wake up in her own bed in "Sleepytime."
If you're reading this article as an adult who keeps hearing people talk about "Bluey" and are wondering what all the fuss is about, hi there. I used to be you. I'd heard people recommend "Bluey" over and over, but I had no inclination to watch a children's show after already paying my dues in that department. My youngest is a teenager. Why on Earth would I want to watch "Bluey?"
I was wrong. So very wrong. It took my teen checking it out and getting hooked for me to finally cave and watch a few episodes. Initial intrigue morphed into sheer delight, and now I'm a totally unapologetic "Bluey" evangelist.
And I'm not alone. More and more adults are falling for the family of Australian Blue Heeler dogs and comparing their favorite episodes. One fan favorite that comes up frequently is "Sleepytime." Many adults find themselves in a puddle by the end of it. But why?
Blue does a lot of things beautifully, but one of them is creatively highlighting child development milestones. In "Sleepytime," Bingo, the youngest, wants to "do a big girl sleep" and wake up in her own bed in the morning. The episode follows the family through the night, alternating between Bingo's dream world and the "musical beds" happening in the real world.
Really, it's a short tale about growing up, letting go in your own time, knowing Mom is always there even if you can't see her and the reality of sleep in families with young children.
X user Justin Dubin, MD, a first-time "Bluey" watcher, shared his thoughts on "Sleepytime" after seeing that it was ranked as one of the best episodes of TV ever on IMDB.
"Good god, it’s perfect," Dubin wrote. "Rarely do you see such a simple idea considered in such a complex and relatable way. In just 8 minutes it tackles parenthood, growing up, independence, and family dynamics- all with very little dialogue."
While there's much less dialogue in "Sleepytime" than there is in a normal "Bluey" episode, the music (Holst's "Jupiter" from "The Planets") creates a sense of magic as Bingo floats around in space, gravitating toward the warmth of her mother, getting help from her stuffed bunny, Floppy, and friends, and ultimately finding comfort without Mom. And all of that magic is interspersed with real life in which kids are asking for water, climbing into Mom and Dad's bed, kicking in their sleep, sleepwalking, and more.
First of all, a kids' show acknowledging that children end up in parents' or siblings' beds frequently is refreshing to see. So real. Second of all, the tenderness with which Bingo's budding independence is handled is just lovely. People often praise "Bluey" as a show that depicts good parenting examples, and it does. But it does that while being real—there's one episode where Chili, Bluey and Bingo's mom, says, "I JUST NEED 20 MINUTES WHERE NO ONE COMES NEAR ME," and moms everywhere felt it in their bones.
The beginning of the "Sleepytime" episode is shown at the beginning of this video on Bluey's YouTube channel if you want a taste:
But to see more than the first couple of minutes, you'll have to watch the entire episode on Disney + (Season 2, Episode 26). It honestly might be worth the subscription price for a month just to watch all the Bluey episodes.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.