Fans love to hypothesize about the things viewers don’t see in TV shows, reading between the lines to decipher any tiny breadcrumbs that might lead to something bigger. Whether it’s legit or purely speculative head canon, no show is immune to this – and that includes Bluey. There are a few… shall we say “adult” fan theories about this popular Australian kids’ cartoon, and some are downright outlandish. One in particular, though, caught the attention of one the stars of this animated series enough to speak out against it.
Melanie Zanetti, better known to Bluey fans as the voice of Chilli Heeler, was interviewed by Yahoo Lifestyle during the Logie Awards red carpet. This Australian event is similar to the Emmys in the United States, celebrating and giving awards to highly touted television shows in The Land Down Under. The reporter about Zanetti her thoughts on some of the more scandalous theories that fans have been discussing online, and she responded to one that she took personally.
“I’ve heard some slanderous things about Chilli and Lucky’s dad, which are not true, just for the record!” She concluded with, “Bandit and Chilli forever!”
Zanetti said this with a laugh, so she wasn’t shaking a fist at the fandom. If anything, she may have been suggesting they calm down with the Chilli and Lucky ship, but we all know that’s not going to stop anyone from thinking otherwise.
If you’re trying to find the evidence for this theory, it’s there… but only if you want to see it. It’s common for Lucky’s Dad (AKA Pat) to become woefully involved in the Heeler shenanigans, and he’s proven to be a good sport about it. Maybe there was more than meets the eye with Lucky’s Dad and the Heeler matriarch, and a few episodes point out some suspicious moments. For example, Pat was having a great time watching Chilli’s smooth moves while she crossed the street in season two’s “Dance Mode,”, while Chilli was quick to compliment him while he showed off during “Stumpfest.” When Bingo and Chilli became lions in “Asparagus,” Lucky’s Dad became the prey who was pounced upon, and responded with “I don’t know about this, Mrs. Heeler” which to some sounded like he was used to aggressive behavior from the Heeler mum.
Other fan theories in this mature area wondered if Bandit and Chilli are swingers, while others say Bandit is playing the field with the next-door neighbor and Judo’s mum, Wendy. The cartoon will never confirm or deny anything of this nature, but we know how much the creators love being cryptic and letting the fandom interpret things however they see fit. Chances are they enjoy reading this theories as much as we love making them!
Bluey is available to stream in the US on Disney+.
