User Reviews

'Darkwing Duck' has always been a show dear to my heart. One of those favourites from a young age that holds up really well, and is even more entertaining through adult eyes from appreciating the writing and stories even more.

Have been on a roll reviewing individual episodes for certain shows, animated, non-animated and of as many genres as possible (many as part of certain quests), and decided to do it with 'Darkwing Duck' and some others. Something that, as expected and hoped, has proven to be a more than worthwhile project and experience. "Dances with Bigfoot" is not quite one of the best episodes, it is very good with enough that exemplifies what is so great about the show.

Very little wrong actually, though the Indian tribe are stereotypical and it is a depiction that is going to go either way. Darkwing is underused for my tastes too.

The animation is very colourful and atmospheric as always however. The music matches what is going on perfectly while it is impossible to forget one of the catchiest theme songs in animation.

Writing is witty, very funny without being too silly and thought-probing without being complicated. Things don't get too childish and it is all easy to follow. The story is compelling and lively in pace without being rushed, and executes a nice idea imaginatively without being too silly. Darkwing is an immensely likeable and fun title character and Honker has such an endearingly easy-going chemistry with Gossalyn. Gossalyn adds a lot of spunk and really spices things up even more, she is not a brat neither is she too overly-cute.

Jim Cummings fits Darkwing like a glove, it is always lovely to hear him in non-villain roles when he excels just as well in them. Christine Cavanaugh is a major part of why Gossalyn works so well as a character. The voice acting is fine.

Overall, very good and enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I always loved Darkwing Duck and am so glad to be reacquainted with it through Disney Plus. Dances with Bigfoot, however, reveals an ugly side not otherwise seen. I almost completely forgot this episode aside from Darkwing's vowel chant as he climbs the volcano- that was the only part that made an impact on me as a kid, that I always remembered it. The rest was forgettable, and now, it's jaw-dropping appalling.

The plot follows Darkwing being kidnapped and taken to the Pacific Northwest where his kidnappers plan to throw him into a volcano, a sacrifice to the gods. His kidnappers are a confused mishmash of Bigfoot and a native American tribe. Okay, stop right there. Equating an indigenous people with animals - anyone see a problem here? From the word go, the episode plunges deeper into racist caricature - Darkwing calls the natives savages, primitive and Neanderthals (again, identifying native Americans as less than human). The Bigfoot tribe know what zeppelins are, but they also make sacrifices down volcanoes and mistake people for gods. This is from a company that only four years later presented itself as a champion for native Americans with Pocahontas.

Otherwise as a Darkwing Duck episode, there are few laughs. Gosalyn as the Crimson Quackette is the only nice thing about the episode (aside from the aforementioned vowel chant). If you'd put her in another episode, you might have something here.