Blue's Clues Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Blue's News is the 20th episode of Blue's Clues from the first season. It was the 18th episode aired in October 20, 1997 on Nickelodeon in the United States.

Summary[]

Blue has big news, and we play Blue's Clues to figure out what it is. First, we come upon Shovel and Pail and help them decide where to go next in their treasure hunt by making inferences with pictures. Next, we solve riddles with the felt friend. Finally, we actively create an environment as we deliver a message to Slippery's friend.

Elements[]

Characters[]

Recap[]

Steve welcomes the viewer. Blue sets up a game of Blue's Clues in which Steve will have to search for notes that will later lead him to clues. Steve understands the new method. After Steve hears Tickety, he walks into the bedroom and spots her on the chest. She gives him the first note in the form of a riddle. Tickety's riddle was: "Your first clue is in the room where you usually find a spoon.". Steve uses Tickety's note to find the first clue. Steve enters the kitchen and was not sure if he should look for a spoon.

As he does, Mr. Salt paces back and forth muttering to himself about spices (and is likely worried about his wife). Steve told him that he was looking for a spoon and did not realize that Mr. Salt had a paw print on himself. When Steve got out a wooden spoon, he then realized that Mr. Salt has a paw print on him. When he finally found the spoon, he found out that Mr. Salt was the first clue. He draws Mr. Salt and asks the viewer "What could Blue be trying to tell them about Mr. Salt?". Mr. Salt then gives Steve another note leading to Shovel and Pail. We then play a treasure hunt game with them. The first hint was a bird + a house. When Bird + House was put together, it led them to the birdhouse. At the birdhouse, they find another hint. The hint was letters + a box. When Letters + Box was put together, the answer was Mailbox and went to Mailbox, who had a treasure box. When Steve opened the treasure box, treasure dust came out. Shovel and Pail told Steve to read the message inside. Steve did so and the riddle was: "Your second clue will make you sneeze and it's used in lots of recipes.". Steve gives the note to Shovel and Pail while he finds the second clue.

Steve thinks in his head about what the riddle told him. He then found the second clue on a picture of Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper (the paw print was on Mrs. Pepper's side of the picture), but Mrs. Pepper doesn't appear due to her being in the process of childbirth. with the viewer's help. Mrs. Pepper was the second clue and the answer to the riddle because of the way pepper makes people sneeze and is used in recipes for cooking. Steve draws Mrs. Pepper. After Steve drew Mrs. Pepper, he reviews the two clues and wonders "What could Blue be telling Steve and the others with Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper?". Steve thinks in his head and then a sneeze was heard out of nowhere. Steve asks the viewer "Was that you sneezing?" and the The Viewer saying "No!" A felt friend was the one who was sneezing. The felt friend had some riddles.

The first riddle was: "What has a skinny tail, big ears, and weighs a ton?". The answer was an elephant. The second riddle was: "What is green and bumpy and tastes sour?". The answer was a pickle. After solving the felt friend's riddles, it was mail time. Then, Mailbox had another riddle for Steve. His riddle was, "Who wears a green striped shirt and looks for Blue's Clues all day?". Steve answered that it was him. Mailbox gives Steve the letter for answering correctly, after getting the mail, Steve open up the letter and it was a letter from our friend. A girl is drawing a story with markers about her news of her grandma bringing cookies to her house, then her grandma just brings her some cookies and milk, asking her what she says. The answer is, "Thank you." After reading the letter Steve closes the letter the opposite way and saw a picture of Slippery on the back of the letter.

Steve goes to him in the bathroom and Slippery asked him: "You figured out the big news yet?", and he slips. Slippery asked Steve to give a message to his friend who lives on a chalkboard. Slippery's message was: "Hi, I miss you, love Slippery". Then Steve goes to a chalkboard and saw Blue Skidoo into the chalkboard and then he skidooed into the chalkboard as well. Steve was amazed he was in a chalk world. He gets out a piece of yellow chalk and draws a pair of chalk birds. Next, he draws a river, but as the river starts to flow, he had to draw something to take him and Blue across it. The viewers told him to draw a boat and he draws one.

Steve staggers a little in the boat as it starts to float on its own and then Blue appears inside with him. Now, they had to go searching for Slippery's friend. Steve and Blue were not moving in the boat because they needed something to make the boat move, so Blue draws an oar so they can. After that, they were off to find Slippery's friend. Just then, a big chalk wave came their way. The viewers suggest that they move faster, Blue paddles the boat faster and Steve tries to blow the wave back, but nothing seemed to work. Since Steve and Blue were in Chalkworld, however, they can erase it, so Steve uses an eraser to erase the big wave. Steve was then relieved and puts the eraser down. After a while, a sentient chalk bubble floated past Blue and Steve, who thought he saw Slippery's friend.

When the bubble floated back to them, Steve asks him: "Oh, excuse me, are you Slippery's friend?" and he says "Yup, that's me.". With the viewer's help, Steve explained that he and Blue had a message for him from Slippery, and repeated the message Slippery told them to give. Slippery's friend replies, "Oh, thanks.", and asks: "Hey, are you Steve?", who replies yes. Slippery's friend had a message for Steve and Blue and says: "Your last clue holds a drink and is closer than you think.". Steve pictured the riddle in his head and said: "Well, thanks Slippery's friend." and then, they learned that his name was Sudsy as he left. After Blue draws the picture home, they both skidooed out of Chalkworld to find the third clue. They find it on a bottle, which answers the riddle because a bottle holds a drink. Steve draws the bottle in his notebook. and then he goes to the Thinking Chair and tries to put all three clues together.

Steve reviews the clues on Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper, and a bottle and is also trying to figure out what Blue could be telling Steve and the others. Steve thought they had a new bottle but that was not the answer. He looks at the clues again and finally figures out what the clues mean: Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper were having a baby. The characters head to the kitchen and spot Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper with a baby in their hands. The two new parents name their new baby daughter Paprika and Steve tickles Paprika under the chin. As the rest of the cast join them, Blue gives Paprika a picture, welcoming her to their family. Steve sings The So Long Song and the episode ends.

Objects[]

  • Crayons
  • Wooden spoon
  • Cookies
  • Glass of milk
  • Chalk

Video Releases[]

Gallery[]

Watch Episode[]

This episode is available for streaming on Paramount Global's video streaming service Paramount+.

Trivia[]

  • Sudsy did not appear at the end of the episode for unknown reasons, probably because he only appeared in the skidoo segment.
  • In the original script, Paprika was originally going to be born in between episodes and Steve would walk by and notice that Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper had a baby. But in a table read, Steve knew that this would be a big deal and wanted it to be it’s own episode.
  • It is unclear as to how Mr. Salt got his wife pregnant so Paprika would be born, as they are salt and pepper shakers and not organic creatures.
  • During the scene where Mr. Salt is pacing all over the kitchen countertop, Nick Balaban, the VA of Mr. Salt, was bantering in an unplanned recording. And Angela and a few other cast members kept shouting out spice names and Nick is improv the whole scene. And that was how Paprika got her name.
  • Coordinating producer Penelope Jewkes is one of Steve's friends in this episode. Jewkes thought she just had to retire this way.
  • This is the sixth episode in which the letter in the Mailtime segment doesn't end with "Bye, Steve!" from "Blue's Story Time", "Adventures in Art", "Blue Wants to Play a Game", "What Story Does Blue Want to Play?", "Blue Wants to Play a Song Game", "What Game Does Blue Want to Learn?", "Blue's Senses", and "What Did Blue See?".
  • In the credits, a tune of "We Just Figured Out Blue's Clues", "We Just Got a Letter", "We Just Got An Email", and "We Are Gonna Play Blue's Clues", alongside "We Are Looking for Blue's Clues" on tubular bells played.
  • This is the last time to use the stock footage scene from Snack Time where Steve gets his Notebook, although it's a deleted scene from the episode as Steve is coming from the right side instead of the left.
  • In 1998 they've made A Coloring Book Version Inspired By The Episode
  • In the Video Letter segment:
    • There was only one kid.
    • At the end of the segment, Steve closes the top part of the letter first before closing the bottom part.
    • On the front of the letter Mailbox delivered, there was a drawing of Slippery Soap.
  • The boat music was recorded from the entertainment center from "Blue Goes to the Beach", "Environments", "The Anything Box", and "Skidoo Adventure".
  • This is the last episode until Blue's Surprise at Two O'Clock! and What Experiment Does Blue Want to Try? (after finding the first clue) where Steve can resolve all the rules of Blue's Clues without the viewer's help.
  • This is the first episode of the whole series where the viewers did not sing along on how to play "Blue's Clues" after each verse and the only episode of Season 1 that this happens, as opposed to all previous nineteen episodes of Season 1 before this episode.
    • On the other hand, this was not put to permanent use just yet until the second episode of season 2, What Does Blue Want to Build? as this concept was still left intact in only two episodes of season 2, Steve Gets the Sniffles (the second series premiere) and Blue's Birthday (the last episode of the whole series in which this concept happens).
      • Joe also said these words during the theme song in Joe Gets a Clue, but does not say these words again before the third clue part.
      • The viewers shouting “Blue’s Clues!” in the song would return in Blue's Clues and You!.
      • Although, they do sing it in the UK version.
  • This is the first of two episodes where Blue and Steve Skidoo into Chalkworld. The second was "Draw Along with Blue".
  • This is the only episode where Sudsy appeared.
  • This is the second time that We Just Figured Out Blue's Clues was not featured, but this time, it was interrupted by Paprika's birth.
    • In the version from Blue's Clues & You!, it was interrupted by Sage and Ginger's birth.
    • The first was "Magenta Comes Over", but the song was interrupted at the end, whereas in this episode it wasn't even sung.
  • Before Paprika was born, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper were very energetic. After Paprika was born, they seemed to be less energetic.
  • Throughout this season, there has been no evidence for Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper having Paprika. However, Mrs. Pepper didn't appear until the end, so it is possible that she was in labor and didn't want anyone to be around.
    • Throughout Season 4, there was evidence after announcing Cinnamon was coming.
  • Paprika made her debut by being born in this episode, just like Cinnamon, her brother.
    • In airing order, however, this episode aired before What Is Blue Afraid Of?”, where she was not featured in its next aired episode. This should be noted that it created an infamous continuity error in airing order as the viewers would have no clue who Paprika is.
  • Confirmed by co-creator Angela Santomero, Paprika was born at the hospital and not at home.
    • Three seasons later, they go to the hospital at Cinnamon's birth.
    • In Blue's Clues & You's remake Big News with Blue, Sage and Ginger might’ve been born in the hospital as well much like their older siblings.
  • Paprika is the first character to be born into the series.
    • Other characters introduced like this were Cinnamon and Baby Bird.
  • All of this season's episodes had the occupation and the names in the color navy.
    • For the later seasons, the names will still be in navy with the occupations in a light sea green/deep sky blue.
  • This episode is the last of the two episodes on the Blue's Big Treasure Hunt VHS.
  • In the Mailtime segment, Mailbox tells a quick riddle about Steve.
  • When Steve skidooed out of Chalkworld and found the third clue, which is a bottle, a re-shot of him with his hair and voice from mid-Season 2 was used.
    • This is the only episode of Season 1 that Steve’s later hair from mid-Season 2 was used, as well as being the first episode of the whole series in which this happens.
  • This is the last episode to be produced for Season 1. Most of this episode was filmed in 1996.
  • This was the second episode where the So Long Song was sung in a different place in the house, This previously happened in Blue Wants to Play a Song Game.
    • This will happen again in later episodes.
  • This is one of the first episodes where a game of Blue's Clues starts very quickly after the beginning.
  • Before Steve finds the first clue and when he says "Ooh!" (indicating that he found a spoon), the audio is taken from the first footage of Steve getting the notebook from this season, but it is slightly low pitched and slower.
  • This episode is scavenger hunt-themed.
  • This is one of the first episodes where Steve uses a French accent similar to Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper's accent.
    • Additionally, Steve can be heard humming "La Marseillaise", the current national anthem of France, at one point in the episode.
  • This is the 1st time Sidetable Drawer's name is confirmed due to being a background character in Season 1.
  • This is the first episode in which Mr. Salt is a clue and Mrs. Pepper is a clue as well, but don't appear.
  • When Mr. Salt is muttering about spices, he is probably thinking about the name for the new baby. He does mention sage, but not ginger, which could foreshadow that he does name one of his twins Sage and Ginger in the revival.
    • However, he also mentions cayenne, meaning he could named the baby after Grandma Cayenne, but she was not introduced in the series yet.
  • When Steve, Shovel, and Pail read the second riddle they said the first part was "Letters". Since the answer is Mailbox, the first part of the riddle should be "Mail".
  • After the second clue was reviewed, Steve heard someone sneezing. He asked the viewer first, but it's not the Viewer, it was the felt friend because she is allergic to pepper picture frames.
  • In this episode, Steve does not say "We have all three clues!". This also happens in Body Language and The Fairy Tale Ball with Joe in it.
  • This episode was later remade in Blue's Clues & You!, titled Big News with Blue.
  • In late 2000s airings, this episode features a mainly Noggin crab logo.
  • In this episode, the viewers complete the last phrase of The So Long Song when it goes to the credits, including "That we wanna do". This was the first episode to do so.
  • In this episode, when the clue is on Mr. Salt, the drumroll scares him.
  • When Steve skidoos out of Chalkworld while Sudsy is gone forever after Blue, he jumps out of the boat, because it's what "Land ho!" means.
  • When Steve sees Shovel and Pail, he and Blue join them on a treasure hunt full of common words that make compound words, which are the answers to their riddles.
  • When Steve sees the second clue for the second time, but in the thinking chair, he says, "Hallo!" twice to make it "Hallo, hallo!".
  • The riddles for the clues are "In the room where you usually find a spoon.", "Will make you sneeze, and it's used in lots of recipes.", and "Holds a drink and you are closer than you think.".
  • At the end of the episode, Steve does not say, "Thank you so much for all your help today." before singing The So Long Song.
  • When Steve was about draw Mrs. Pepper he was humming a song from The French Revolution

Goofs[]

  • During the Mailtime segment, there is a space between the right side of the screen and the front half of Mailbox's body.
    • Additionally, a crew member's hand can be seen from inside Mailbox giving Steve the letter.
    • Also, we can see the letter going inside Mailbox when Steve sits down.
  • When Mr. Salt has the pawprint on him and is pacing back and forth, his mouth doesn't move while he is speaking.
  • After Steve draws the third clue (a bottle), the pawprint is still seen on the bottle.
  • Mr. Salt's and Mrs. Pepper's eyes disappear for a split-second a few times when they are shown.
Blue's Clues Season 1
Snack Time | What Time Is It for Blue? | Mailbox's Birthday | Blue's Story Time | What Does Blue Need? | Blue's Favorite Song | Adventures in Art | Blue Goes to the Beach | Pretend Time | A Snowy Day | The Trying Game | Blue Wants to Play a Game | The Grow Show | Blue Wants to Play a Song Game | What Does Blue Want to Make? | What Story Does Blue Want to Play? | Tickety's Favorite Nursery Rhyme | What Is Blue Afraid Of? | Magenta Comes Over | Blue's News
Advertisement