1.3 The Hair Badge
First off, have you ever noticed how big Duggee’s mirror is in The Hair Badge episode? It’s enormous! One of the reasons I enjoy writing these introductions is it forces me to pick up on interesting or odd details.
It’s easy to forget that Duggee s a big dog who doesn’t talk. I like the subtle reminders in this episode. Only a dog would have a bath in a paddling pool, and only a dog would shake himself dry. We do get reminded of this in other episodes. We know, for example, that Duggee sleeps in a kennel as we see him snoozing in it at the end of most episodes. It isn’t often that we get any other hints of Duggee’s dog status.
For the most part, this is a simple early episode. However, we are treated to the first montage to music in Hey Duggee. The few seconds in which the action cycles through Duggee’s new hairstyles are easy to overlook but it’s full of comedy gold. How many other children’s TV shows would squeeze in a Simpsons reference that most people wouldn’t notice or see?* Hey Duggee’s genius is in the detail. And the giant mirrors.
* I am certain that some of the other hairstyles in this montage are references that have gone over my head. If you know any of them please put them in the comments at the bottom of this page.
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Badge Design
Round with a hairbrush.
Episode Summary
Episode written by Myles McLeod.
Opening Squirrel
Roly watching a windmill in the garden.
Start
Norrie is having a tea party with a penguin. Tag is reading a book. Roly is drawing a picture of Duggee. Happy and Betty are playing with the toy cars.
Set-up
The squirrels find Duggee is having a bad hair day. Duggee has his hair badge.
Story
First, the Squirrels give Duggee a relaxing bubble bath in the paddling pool. Roly puts so many bubbles in that Frog floats up into the sky as Duggee relaxes. Duggee washes his hair then Happy dries Duggee’s hair with a fan. They can’t decide how to do Duggee’s hair, so they each have a go. Norrie gives him Elvis-style slicked look. Roly does some plaits. They cycle through lots of hairstyles including:
- Afro
- Long
- Punk
- Purple bob
- Homer Simpson
- Curly
Then Tag comes up with an idea. Together they put Duggee’s hair back to normal.
Bridges
- Sunrise Duggee.
- Duggee looking at his watch.
Close and credits
Frog’s bubble bursts and he falls from the sky onto Duggee’s head.
Outfits
- Duggee wears blue swimming trunks for the paddling pool.
Find out more about all the Series 1 outfits here.
Get your Hair Badge
The Hair Badge is a tricky badge to get as most parents don’t want kids getting creative with scissors and a hairbrush. There are a few activities you can do together though. If possible this would be a good one to tie in with a trip to the hairdresser. It will give you the opportunity to talk about how they like their hair and what they would do differently. You could look through a magazine and discuss how different people have different hairstyles. Another good activity is to print off some pictures of bald heads and draw on different hairstyles.