¶ Introducing Shadowlands and First Obstacles
This episode of Bluey is called Shadowlands. Bluey, Coco, and Snickers are having fun playing a game at the park called What's the Time, Mrs. Wolf? Coco is pretending to be misses Wolf while Bluey and Snickers stand a few steps behind her. They call out asking for the time and Coco responds with a number. Each time, Bluey and Snickers step forward as she counts. But then Coco suddenly yells, Dinner time! She turns around and catches them with a big hug.
Bluey looks a bit annoyed and tells Coco that she's making the game too easy for herself by always turning around too soon. You always do something to make the game easy for you, Bluey points out. Coco seems confused at first, but she promises that she'll try not to change the rules just to win. Snickers, tired of the same game, suggests they play Shadowlands instead. Coco is unsure, but decides to try it when Bluey agrees excitedly.
The kids gather under a large tree where the rules are explained. Bluey tells Coco, All the shadowy, grassy bits are the land, and all the bits in the sun is the sea. If you step in the sunlight, Bluey says, you'll get bitten by a crocodile. Coco gasps in surprise and decides that she definitely wants to stay on the land.
The goal is to get from their starting point all the way to the picnic blanket where their mums are sitting, but it's tricky because they have to hop from one shadow to the next. As the trio starts jumping from shadow to shadow, Coco and Snickers quickly realize it's harder than it looked. When Snickers gets stuck because his legs are too short to jump across a sunny patch, Coco immediately suggests that he should have crocodile proof shoes so he can step in the sun just this once.
Bluey shakes her head, reminding Coco that they can't change the rules. Instead, Bluey comes up with a clever idea. She asks Coco to stand on her shoulders, and the two of them stretch their combined shadows out to create a safe bridge for Snickers to jump across. Go Snickers! Bluey and Coco cheer as Snickers successfully makes it to safety. After crossing through some shadows, Blueie pauses to look at a bug that reminds her of Bird Poo.
But when she looks up again, she sees that the car casting the shadow she's standing in, is starting to move. She dashes across the open space, barely making it to the safety of a van's shadow, as Snicker shouts Bluey, look out. Now there's a big gap between Bluey and her friends. Coco, wanting to help, suggests that maybe all the crocodiles are asleep in this section. But Bluey insists that they can't just change the rules whenever they want. Just then, a bus drives past, casting a huge shadow.
Snicker shouts Go and Blueie runs as fast as she can, managing to leap back into her friend's arms just before the shadow disappears. That was so cool, Coco exclaims. As they get closer to the picnic blanket, they come across a new challenge, a very narrow shadow cast by a tall palm tree. They try to walk along it carefully, but then the wind picks up and makes the shadow sway from side to side. Run! Bluey yells, and they all race to the safety of a larger shadow at the top of the tree.
¶ Debating Rules and The Cloud's Timely Aid
The kids catch their breath, but when they look ahead, they see a huge stretch of sunlit grass between them and the picnic blanket. We're trapped on a palm tree island. Oh no. Bluey cries dramatically. Just when it seems like there's no way out, Chili, Bluey's mum, calls from the picnic blanket. Cupcakes, who wants cupcakes? All three kids light up at the sight of the treats. Coco staring longingly at the blue icing in the sprinkles, starts to step forward.
But Bluey pulls her back, reminding her not to change the rules. But you still haven't told me why. Bluey can't think of a good answer, and finally admits, I don't know. Coco and Snickers tried to convince her that changing the rules just a little bit might be okay, and Bluey, still unsure, reluctantly agreed. Just as Coco and Snickers are about to step out of the shadow, Blueie notices something. Wait, the wind is back she shouts, pointing up.
The kids watch as a cloud moves across the sky, covering the sun completely. Suddenly the whole park is in a shadow. With wide smiles they all yell, Run and dash through the shadowed grass, heading straight for the picnic blanket. Coco shouts Quick.
¶ The Fun of Playing by the Rules
Snickers, running behind, with short legs, struggles to keep up. I can't run any faster, he cries, but Bluey and Coco turn around and help him along, pulling him towards safety as the shadow starts to disappear. The crocodiles are coming, Coco shrieks, and then all three kids leap onto the picnic blanket just as the sun comes back up. We did it, Coco cheers and then says with enthusiasm, that's why you can't change the rules, because the rules make it fun.
Later, they join their mums in another game of What's the Time, Mrs. Wolf? Everyone is still standing far away from Cocoa when they yell to her, What's the time, misses Wolf?
Mum excitedly says, Maybe this one will be dinner time. Bluey, who has played this game with Coco many times before, says It won't. Coco always waits until we're right up next to her before she says Bluey was wrong, as Coco yells, Dinner time Coco turns around and chases her friends and family as they start to run away, except Blueie, who drops her cupcake, screams in horror, and can only watch as Coco runs straight for her.