One of my family’s favorite TV shows right now is Bluey, a cartoon by ABC Kids (Australia). Its high energy characters, colorful animation, and catchy opening dance sequence capture my daughter’s (limited) attention. My husband and I enjoy it just as much as she does, especially whenever Bluey and Bingo’s parents are around. Each episode is only a seven minutes long and thus narratively very simple. They’re heartwarming, imaginative, and always make us laugh.

As a writer who loves to analyze things, one of my favorite episodes is “Bin Night.” The basic premise is that every week Bluey, her little sister Bingo, and their mum sit on the front stoop of their house as they eat breakfast before school. That night, the sisters and their dad roll the “wheelie bins” (Australian term for the curbside garbage and recycling bins or cans) out to the curb. These two settings alternate as the weeks progress. The main plot-line is that there’s a new kid in Bingo’s class who’s giving her some trouble. The family spends the entire episode talking through Bingo’s dilemma, sharing advice, and listening well—all while taking the bins out and watching them get picked up.

It’s a charmingly simple story that caught my eye because of its particularly masterful use of supporting details.

A Recorder and a Karate Belt

Supporting details (subplots, supporting character arcs, etc.) are tools writers use to add realism to our crafted worlds. But they can be tricky to nail. Most readers will hardly notice them when they’re present—but almost every reader will notice their absence. We must choose every detail and craft complexity carefully because every word—regardless of style, genre, or story-length—will either contribute to or distract from our narrative.

To use a common phrase among writers, every word must “do work.”

In “Bin Night,” every detail does its work efficiently and effectively. Remember that, just like writing a story, animators start with a blank canvas. Every detail in the frame that you see was put there by someone. Every background noise and environment was carefully engineered. These small details are essential to crafting the atmosphere and supporting the narrative. The amount of garbage in the wheelie bins changes each week. Bluey’s Dad sometimes wheels out one bin instead of two (and repeatedly forgets which bin he’s supposed to take out that week). The jam on Bingo’s breakfast toast changes colors. And every night scene features the moon, which is always at a different point in its lunar cycle, providing a clear chronological marker throughout the episode.

But there were two details that really caught my eye: Bluey’s recorder and her belt.

First, Bluey’s recorder. The episode opens in the morning with Bluey bursting into the frame, honking her recorder at an unsuspecting crow perched on their curbside wheelie bins. She returns to the porch stoop, squawking out sounds similar to train whistles as Bingo and Mum chat. It’s clear that Bluey is very new to this instrument—and very keen on it. As the mornings progress, so does Bluey’s skill with the recorder. In one scene, she toots a simple three or four note song (which reminded me very much of growing up and learning “Hot Cross Buns” on the recorder… anyone else?). By the final morning scene, Bluey skillfully serenades her sister and mum.

Music isn’t Bluey’s only hobby. In each evening scene, Bluey wears a karate gi. As she, Bingo, and Dad roll the bins out to the curb—Bingo chatting with Dad this time—Bluey kicks and punches, probably running through the kata she learned in her class earlier that day. Like all karate aficionados, Bluey begins at the white belt level. By the time we reach the final evening scene, Bluey’s belt is yellow—she’s made it to the next level in her karate journey!

Why are these supporting details so awesome?

1. They’re just there. We don’t need to be told that Bluey is learning the recorder at school or that she’s taking a karate class, because we can hear and see it. Because of the episode’s brief duration, taking up even a few lines of dialogue to explain Bluey’s hobbies, and her progress with each, would distract from Bingo’s dilemma, which is the focus of the story. The creators of Bluey trust that viewers are smart enough to guess that Bluey wearing a gi means she’s learning martial arts.
2. They fit the theme of growth. Bingo’s conversations with her parents alternate between sharing struggles and receiving advice. With Mum and Dad’s help, Bingo learns how to problem-solve and matures as a friend. Bluey’s own growth in skill parallels this theme of learning in a way that complements Bingo’s journey and stays within Bluey’s character.
3. They stay in character while subtly deepening our understanding of Bluey. This episode isn’t about Bluey, but she’s moving through the same time and space as Bingo. It wouldn’t make sense if she remained the same! Bluey’s a kid (6 years old), one who loves trying new things and works hard to make it to the next level. Her hobby-hopping is not just a “convenient” thematic parallel—it’s a key part of childhood, just as much as Bingo’s new kid dilemma.

Written works are a little different from visual media, but the principles mentioned above translate quite well. Just as each stroke of an animator’s pen must be deliberate, so must we be intentional with our words. And creative! Supporting details aren’t always as obvious as the dried rose petals on the counter from last week’s datenight or a smudge of ink on the journalist’s wrist. For example, use your verbs to not only indicate action but also to give insight into a character’s psychological state; we assume different things about a man “running” and a man “bolting” or “loping.” Consider how your supporting characters—and therefore the details of their lives—parallel or contradict the main character’s arc. And remember that sometimes the most powerful insights come from the details you omit.

Tiny details can add tremendous depth and navigable complexity to your stories. Just take a cue from Bluey: keep it simple and have fun!

Have you ever noticed any amazing tiny details in your favorite books, TV shows, or movies? Share in the comments!