Gotta Be Done - A Bluey Podcast

Shadowlands (aka People That Categorise People and People That Don't)

Remember the days in the old school yard, we used to talk about crocs a lot. Well, that's how we recall it, as we get misty-eyed about primary school games in this Shadowlands recap. But does everyone have the same fond memories?

Bluey vs Coco gets Kate thinking about Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies (Upholders, Questioners, Obligers and Rebels, obvs - take the quiz!) But Mary has no time for categorising humans (or books about the topic, apparently!) The bigger question though - is Bluey all about rule-following, or rule-breaking?

Plus Lydian Mode delivers a magical musical interlude, mystery origins of What's the Time Mr/Mrs Wolf, gaslighting your children (well, Mary's child) and school hat fashion statements - and we're double-parking cupcakes on the sprint to finish S1!    

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Daddy Robot (aka Does This Feel Familiar? Totally Don't Recall)

Gonna be totally up front - this Gotta Be Done recap of does not mention Total Recall. Not the Martian moonscape, not the dream kiss. Mary maybe (??) gets in the right universe when she wonders if robot-fixing-genius Chilli is channeling Sarah Connor, but then again, wasn't every movie an Arnie blockbuster back then? 

And yet, even as we miss this classic 90s allusion, there's still plenty of big Bluey moments in this box office hit. From fridge-door-food-shovelling and indoor plant care, to never-ending toy clean-ups, and when parents can sneak in a bit of romance, Daddy Robot delivers life-hacks aplenty. 

Plus, we chat new Bluey merch, slightly odd Bluey reviews, and the prospects for Bluey hitting a dance floor near you! Cheese and crackers!  

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

BONUS EP (aka Before Bluey Was Our Lives' Obsession, Roller Derby Was Our Lives' Obsession!)

We've said we're not recapping the first-ever Bluey ep The Magic Xylophone until we've gotten through the rest of S1 - but if you can't wait that long, this Gotta Be Done bonus is for you!

Mary catches up with fellow Bluey obsessive (and former roller derby team mate) Dotti, who had the whole family waiting with bated breath in front of the telly when that first episode aired back in October 2018. Dotti shares the highlights of that first viewing for her family, and where Bluey has taken them since.

From knowing where to start with your kids' musical education, to channeling Chilli and going for a run, it's a wide-ranging ride with one of the original Gotta Be Done fans - you'll need your skates on to keep up! 

(Also, Dotti's fella JF did our amazing Mary-and-Kate-in-the-Blueyverse artwork! You can find more of his stuff at his Insta, or listen to his art-meets-dad-life podcast Robot Head and Spook!)

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Mount Mumandad (aka Every Theme Park Is Essentially Crazy World)

Ready or not, we're headed up Mount Mumandad!

It's the go-to metaphor of every earnest Insta #inspo, but is climbing mountains really that relatable? Mary thinks the standard comparison should be getting a whole household out the door on a work day - props to all the fellow climbers facing that monster!

We talk mountaineering history, looming theme parks (is Bluey going to Dreamworld??), and old Hollywood themes with some help a new music correspondent (thanks Wade!)

Plus, are we Blueys or Bingos when it comes to packing? Or can we just get chopped down instead? Yes please!

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Kids (aka Little Trolleys Already a Traumatic Premise)

Is Kids the most divisive Bluey episode, or are parents made to sit in toilet paper chairs just out to get revenge?

Hard to believe a grocery run with the kids could get more traumatic, but like the Heelers, Mary and Kate are yet to take the extreme step of Click and Collect.

Also, is this episode a sneaky look at Chilli and Bandit's secret #parentfails? Mary reckons so - we can all take some hope for our parenting if the Heelers are dropping the occasional exasperated "do you think I'm made of money?!" Plus an exploration of minor characters, who remembers reusable bags, and moments of instant parenting regret. 

Oh, and yep, this is an extra Gotta Be Done ep this week, as we gun to finish season one recaps before season two drops (March 17 on ABC TV!) - like a cheeky toddler with a celery paddle!

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

BONUS EP (aka Season Two So Very Soon!)

IT'S NEARLY HERE! No, not Kate's bub (although he's pretty imminent too) - it's BLUEY SEASON TWO!!

Enjoy this bonus ep of us mainly hyperventilating at the thought of new Bluey eps, FINALLY hitting ABC TV and iView from Tuesday 17 March! That is just over a month away, and you can watch the S2 trailer on Facebook right now. 

Meanwhile, Gotta Be Done still has ELEVEN eps of S1 to smash through - can we get there before S2 drops?? Where should we start? What are you still desperately waiting for us to deep dive? And what are you most excited about for S2?? 

So many questions, such exciting times. It's Gotta Be Done!

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Daddy Putdown (aka Babies Do Love Onesies)

The Heeler home has never looked so heavenly in Daddy Putdown, but hell awaits a parent who tries to mess with a kid's routine! We wonder what is with our offsprings' parental preferences - but is it just small humans who hate change?? 

Outrage continues as we tackle Mary's workplace training modules, Kate's mixed feelings about baby showers, and clothing companies that underestimate demand for Bluey onesies (WHY?!)   

But it's not all fury - we're also flummoxed by Follow the Leader music, and Mary delivers Kate a hospital hand pass with the pronunciation of Prokofiev (sorry Kate!)

Speaking of delivering, stay tuned for a bundle of the best kind of news - for real life! 

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Butterflies (aka Searching the Word 'Bluey' to Cheer Ourselves Up)

Another friend in the wagon/ fabric swing today - podcast aficionado Peter Wells! Pete found Gotta Be Done soon after we launched, and won our hearts when he featured us in this Age/SMH podcast column in 2019 - now he's joining us for the ultimate heartbreaker Bluey ep, Butterflies!

Are Judo and mum Wendy the 'baddies' of the Blueyverse? Or is Judo just the latest victim of ye olde tv trope Only Child Syndrome - or worse, Bad Mother Effect?! We've had fan mail on that very topic from WhiteChoclatte - and strap yourself in, it goes deep!

Plus Pete brings a new perspective to Heeler house dimensions, and we all get a bit teary about "Poor Little Bug on the Wall" (ting ching!) - and reveal its pre-Bluey campfire history.  

(Also, how embarrassment, we do have tech difficulties in the recording - but bear with us, our sound will emerge as a beautiful butterfly one of these days!)

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Neighbours (aka Inserting Our Own Laugh Track)

We know everybody needs good Neighbours, but can you construct a cubby without couch cushions? Mary thinks not, and this episode of Bluey has prompted some big (housing) developments in her lounge room!

Meanwhile, Kate's gone down a 90s sitcom rabbit hole, and there's tons of TVs most annoying neighbours at the bottom. But Mary's going into bat for Bandit's stereotype - is it really true that nobody likes a bogan/her? 

And finally, can a good hard stare save the day, or was it Chilli's peace lily that really fixed the feng shui on Mulberry St? It's no more far-fetched than the average Ramsay St resolution - lucky we brought our own laugh track!

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Zoo (aka The Art of Todder Distraction)

Lots of animals live in the Zoo, but how has it taken 36/37 years and this episode of Bluey to enlighten Kate and Mary on the existence of pademelons?! 

We're also wondering when Bandit last got through his weekend newspaper - and should we persist with ours? More importantly, will we ever be as good on the up-sell as Bluey? Her zoo keeper character is one cool capitalist, but Kate suspects the skills started elsewhere. 

Then there's speculation about the Bluey live show (how will they talk?!), reminiscing about Arthur the Aardvark, and a menagerie of weird moments. 

Thanks so much for dropping by our zoo (especially all the new listeners who found us via Mary's ABC Life piece!) - please do exit via the gift shop!

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Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive on every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too!

Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.