Creators Zach Bellissimo and Tara Billinger have recently released the pilot episode to their animated, Western-adventure series “Long Gone Gulch” on YouTube.

Bellissimo and Billinger are both experienced artists in animated shows such as “Rick and Morty” and “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse.” The two talented animators have joined up to provide fast-paced, Western-style slapstick comedy and action in their newest project, “Long Gone Gulch.”

The pilot episode of “Long Gone Gulch” was released for free on YouTube on Jan. 11 and has since garnered nearly 1 million views. The creators and fans alike are hoping something similar will happen to “Long Gone Gulch” as it did to “Hazbin Hotel,” in that a TV production studio will pick up the show as a full-fledged production.

“Long Gone Gulch” follows Rawhide (voiced by Elizabeth Daily of “Rugrats” and “The Powerpuff Girls” fame) and Snag (voiced by Danny Cooksey, known for his work in “Invader Zim” and “Static Shock”), two misfits who are trying their best to keep law and order as the sheriffs of the land known as The Gulch.

This series is significantly more family friendly than other animated shows on YouTube such as “Hazbin Hotel” or “Helluva Boss.” But cartoon violence, blood and very mild swearing make “Long Gone Gulch” mature enough for older audiences to enjoy in addition to children. 

The animation within the pilot episode is exceptionally clean and polished, while the art style is nostalgic and akin to cartoons such as “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Kim Possible.”

One area of improvement in “Long Gone Gulch” lies in the voice acting. Daily and Cooksey do a very good job of portraying their respective characters, but it can be hard to differentiate Daily’s previous character voices from Rawhide’s due to their similarities. Additionally, Amber Midthunder (of “Roswell, New Mexico” fame) lacks in her voice performance of BW, a mysterious, possible antagonist of the series. Her whispery voice makes it difficult to project emotion and her voice unfortunately stands out from the rest.

Fans are optimistic for the future of “Long Gone Gulch” as this multiyear project has finally found its footing on YouTube. Only time will tell if the series gets picked up by a professional production company. 

“Long Gone Gulch” final verdict: 8.5/10