honestly i don't necessarily think it's that "bluey" or other cartoons are necessarily the "best" at communicating positive ideals and complex emotional topics, i think it's that for a lot of people that's currently the most comfortable way to consume it.
this is not a bad thing! and this is also not to say that "bluey" and similar medias are inadequate or anything of the sort. i love "bluey," everyone loves "bluey." but i routinely hear people online say it handles topics with more nuance, grace, and accuracy than Any other media they've seen, to which i think it's less a matter of "bluey"s superiority above other media and more that childrens' cartoons can sometimes be the level at which someone's brain is prepared to think at that moment.
i really want to stress this is not meant as an insult, and it's really more self-reflection than anything. i get really overwhelmed! i get really scared to engage with new media, even something harmless. being a disabled autistic, i watch the same tv shows over and over again. but that's like me saying "modern family," one of my favorite shows to rewatch, handles the nuances of gay parenting and generational trauma better than any other media. i think it definitely has its merits, but it is objectively not the best media of all time. like everything, it is flawed and doesn't have the capacity to dig deeply due to its nature as a 22-minute sitcom (like bluey being a 10-minute cartoon).
however, sometimes when i'm tired and overwhelmed, i don't have the energy to challenge myself with new or more intellectually stimulating media. sitcoms, like cartoons, have their merits, and when they dip into more serious storytelling i think they can be great! (thinking of this post about "the babysitter's club" and how "surface-level representation" is valid and important). i just think that it would be a disservice both to my brain and to other pieces of work to claim they bear utter superiority.
life is very difficult, and it's completely understandable to want to turn one's brain off after work or a long day. especially if one lives with chronic pain, other disabilities, or any of the other spoon-draining disadvantages that i and many tumblr users experience. it can take a ton of effort to challenge one's thoughts or even read, watch, or play something with a higher level of intensity. in addition, even if one isn't low on spoons and just doesn't desire to engage with something beyond a cartoon for the time being, that's valid too.
i refuse to say anyone "has" to engage with more challenging works. they shouldn't make themselves uncomfortable like that if they're not ready for it. i am frequently not ready for it. media should be fun, and it's your job to find what causes you the most enjoyment, even if i would urge everyone to find some sort of mental and emotional growth eventually (including myself). but i think we also need to accept our own preferences and current limitations.
saying that a cartoon can handle emotions better than anything you've ever seen may be true for a certain branch or target demographic of media, but it involuntarily discredits other bodies of work by countless other people to claim universal first place. "bluey," out of every children's cartoon, might be the best at communication and emotion. but is it really the best out of any comic, game, research paper, movie, tv show, essay, novel, song, everything?
there is nothing shameful in preferring to get enjoyment and emotional validation out of a cartoon instead of something else. some people might not be aware of a media that speaks to them more strongly. some people might feel safer with a child-oriented media, whether because of simple preference or trauma. some people might be exhausted and miserable all day and seek something that is certainly comforting instead of risking additional stress. there are many valid reasons to prefer a 10-minute cartoon over something else. i'm just sick of hearing that modern children's media is objectively better than anything else in the world </3
