Gravity Falls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gravity Falls
Genre	Comedy Adventure Mystery Surreal comedy Fantasy Drama
Created by	Alex Hirsch
Creative director(s)	Mike Rianda (S1)
Voices of	Jason Ritter Kristen Schaal Alex Hirsch Linda Cardellini J. K. Simmons
Theme music composer	Brad Breeck
Opening theme	"Gravity Falls Theme"
Composer(s)	Brad Breeck
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	40 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Alex Hirsch
Producer(s)	Tobias Conan Trost (S1) Brian Doell (S2) Suzanna Olson (S2)
Editor(s)	Kevin Locarro
Running time	20–24 minutes 29 minutes (A Tale of Two Stans) 44 minutes (Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls)
Production company(s)	Disney Television Animation
Distributor	Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original network	Disney Channel (2012–14) Disney XD (2014–16)
Picture format	HDTV 720p
Audio format	Dolby Digital 5.1
Original release	June 15, 2012 (2012-06-15) – February 15, 2016 (2016-02-15)

Gravity Falls is a popular American animated TV show. It mixes mystery, comedy, and adventure. Alex Hirsch created the series for Disney Channel and Disney XD. It aired from June 15, 2012, to February 15, 2016.

The show follows twin siblings Dipper Pines (voiced by Jason Ritter) and Mabel (voiced by Kristen Schaal). They spend their summer with their great-uncle, Stan (voiced by Hirsch). Their summer home is in Gravity Falls, Oregon. This town is full of strange events and supernatural creatures. The kids help Stan run "The Mystery Shack." It is a tourist trap he owns. They also investigate the town's many secrets.

On November 20, 2015, Alex Hirsch said the show would end after its second season. He explained it was "100% [his] choice" and not a cancellation. He felt the story had reached its natural end. The series finished on February 15, 2016. The final episode was a one-hour special called "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls". Hirsch has said he might continue the series later with new episodes or specials.

Gravity Falls was highly praised by critics. People loved its writing, characters, and humor. It appealed to viewers of all ages. The show won two Emmy Awards, three Annie Awards, and a BAFTA Children's Award. It also received many other awards and nominations. Gravity Falls was very popular with kids, teens, and young adults. It was Disney XD's top-rated show in 2015 and early 2016. The series also broke several viewing records for the network. It has a large and dedicated fan base. Many animated shows that came after it were influenced by Gravity Falls. The show also led to lots of official merchandise. This includes books, toys, and a video game.

In February 2018, a new graphic novel was announced. It was called Gravity Falls: Lost Legends. This book continues the Gravity Falls story. On August 8, 2020, Disney Channel aired a Gravity Falls-inspired episode of Amphibia. Alex Hirsch guest-starred in this episode, titled "Wax Museum". On October 3, 2021, the show's villain, Bill Cipher, made a cameo. He appeared in The Simpsons episode "Bart's in Jail". Hirsch voiced Bill Cipher in this appearance.

Exploring the Mysteries of Gravity Falls

For their summer break, 12-year-old Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel leave their home. They travel from Piedmont, California to Gravity Falls, Oregon. They will live with their Great Uncle Stan Pines, known as Grunkle Stan. He runs a tourist trap called the 'Mystery Shack'.

But things in this small town are not what they seem. Dipper finds a mysterious journal in the forest. With its help, the twins start to uncover the town's secrets. They meet Wendy Corduroy, a cashier at the Mystery Shack. There's also Soos Ramirez, the handyman and a friend. Plus, many other fun characters join their adventures. Dipper and Mabel always have an exciting day ahead of them.

Meet the Characters

Main Characters

• Dipper Pines (voiced by Jason Ritter) – He is 12 years old and Mabel's twin brother.
• Mabel Pines (voiced by Kristen Schaal) – She is 12 years old and Dipper's twin sister.
• Grunkle Stan (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – He is Dipper and Mabel's great-uncle.
• Soos Ramirez (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – He is 22 years old and works as the handyman at the Mystery Shack.
• Wendy Corduroy (voiced by Linda Cardellini) – She is a 15-year-old part-time employee at The Mystery Shack. Dipper has a crush on her.
• Stanford Pines (voiced by J. K. Simmons) – Also known as The Author. He is Grunkle Stan's long-lost twin brother. He has six fingers.

Other Important Characters

• Waddles (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) – Mabel's pet pig.
• Candy Chiu and Grenda (voiced by Niki Yang and Carl Faruolo) – Mabel's best friends.
• Fiddleford Hadron "Old Man" McGucket (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – He is the "local kook" of Gravity Falls. He was once Stanford's friend.
• Bill Cipher (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – A powerful dream demon. He can control people in Gravity Falls through a special mind-world.
• "Li'l" Gideon Gleeful (voiced by Thurop Van Orman) – A young con artist and Grunkle Stan's rival.
• Wendy's Friends – Tambry, Thompson, Nate, and Lee.
• Manly Dan (voiced by John DiMaggio) – A lumberjack and Wendy's father.
• Lazy Susan (voiced by Jennifer Coolidge) – She owns Greasy's Diner. She always has one eye closed and is Stan's crush.
• Tyler Cutebiker (voiced by Will Forte) – He is the "Local Enthusiasm Enthusiast" and the current mayor.
• Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson and Keith Ferguson) – The two police officers of Gravity Falls.
• Gnomes (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – Living garden gnomes who wanted Mabel to be their queen.
• Gompers (voiced by Frank Welker) – A goat who lives on the Mystery Shack's property.
• Blendin Blandin (voiced by Justin Roiland) – A worker from the Time Anomaly Correction Unit. He often meets Dipper and Mabel.
• Agent Powers and Agent Trigger (voiced by Nick Offerman and Jeff Rowe) – Two government agents who investigate Stan's portal and the town.
• Time Baby (voiced by Dave Wittenberg) – A giant who leads the Time Anomaly Correction Unit.

Episodes of Gravity Falls

Gravity Falls
Genre	Comedy Adventure Mystery Surreal comedy Fantasy Drama
Created by	Alex Hirsch
Creative director(s)	Mike Rianda (S1)
Voices of	Jason Ritter Kristen Schaal Alex Hirsch Linda Cardellini J. K. Simmons
Theme music composer	Brad Breeck
Opening theme	"Gravity Falls Theme"
Composer(s)	Brad Breeck
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	40 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Alex Hirsch
Producer(s)	Tobias Conan Trost (S1) Brian Doell (S2) Suzanna Olson (S2)
Editor(s)	Kevin Locarro
Running time	20–24 minutes 29 minutes (A Tale of Two Stans) 44 minutes (Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls)
Production company(s)	Disney Television Animation
Distributor	Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original network	Disney Channel (2012–14) Disney XD (2014–16)
Picture format	HDTV 720p
Audio format	Dolby Digital 5.1
Original release	June 15, 2012 (2012-06-15) – February 15, 2016 (2016-02-15)

Gravity Falls is a popular American animated TV show. It mixes mystery, comedy, and adventure. Alex Hirsch created the series for Disney Channel and Disney XD. It aired from June 15, 2012, to February 15, 2016.

The show follows twin siblings Dipper Pines (voiced by Jason Ritter) and Mabel (voiced by Kristen Schaal). They spend their summer with their great-uncle, Stan (voiced by Hirsch). Their summer home is in Gravity Falls, Oregon. This town is full of strange events and supernatural creatures. The kids help Stan run "The Mystery Shack." It is a tourist trap he owns. They also investigate the town's many secrets.

On November 20, 2015, Alex Hirsch said the show would end after its second season. He explained it was "100% [his] choice" and not a cancellation. He felt the story had reached its natural end. The series finished on February 15, 2016. The final episode was a one-hour special called "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls". Hirsch has said he might continue the series later with new episodes or specials.

Gravity Falls was highly praised by critics. People loved its writing, characters, and humor. It appealed to viewers of all ages. The show won two Emmy Awards, three Annie Awards, and a BAFTA Children's Award. It also received many other awards and nominations. Gravity Falls was very popular with kids, teens, and young adults. It was Disney XD's top-rated show in 2015 and early 2016. The series also broke several viewing records for the network. It has a large and dedicated fan base. Many animated shows that came after it were influenced by Gravity Falls. The show also led to lots of official merchandise. This includes books, toys, and a video game.

In February 2018, a new graphic novel was announced. It was called Gravity Falls: Lost Legends. This book continues the Gravity Falls story. On August 8, 2020, Disney Channel aired a Gravity Falls-inspired episode of Amphibia. Alex Hirsch guest-starred in this episode, titled "Wax Museum". On October 3, 2021, the show's villain, Bill Cipher, made a cameo. He appeared in The Simpsons episode "Bart's in Jail". Hirsch voiced Bill Cipher in this appearance.

Exploring the Mysteries of Gravity Falls

For their summer break, 12-year-old Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel leave their home. They travel from Piedmont, California to Gravity Falls, Oregon. They will live with their Great Uncle Stan Pines, known as Grunkle Stan. He runs a tourist trap called the 'Mystery Shack'.

But things in this small town are not what they seem. Dipper finds a mysterious journal in the forest. With its help, the twins start to uncover the town's secrets. They meet Wendy Corduroy, a cashier at the Mystery Shack. There's also Soos Ramirez, the handyman and a friend. Plus, many other fun characters join their adventures. Dipper and Mabel always have an exciting day ahead of them.

Meet the Characters

Main Characters

• Dipper Pines (voiced by Jason Ritter) – He is 12 years old and Mabel's twin brother.
• Mabel Pines (voiced by Kristen Schaal) – She is 12 years old and Dipper's twin sister.
• Grunkle Stan (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – He is Dipper and Mabel's great-uncle.
• Soos Ramirez (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – He is 22 years old and works as the handyman at the Mystery Shack.
• Wendy Corduroy (voiced by Linda Cardellini) – She is a 15-year-old part-time employee at The Mystery Shack. Dipper has a crush on her.
• Stanford Pines (voiced by J. K. Simmons) – Also known as The Author. He is Grunkle Stan's long-lost twin brother. He has six fingers.

Other Important Characters

• Waddles (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) – Mabel's pet pig.
• Candy Chiu and Grenda (voiced by Niki Yang and Carl Faruolo) – Mabel's best friends.
• Fiddleford Hadron "Old Man" McGucket (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – He is the "local kook" of Gravity Falls. He was once Stanford's friend.
• Bill Cipher (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – A powerful dream demon. He can control people in Gravity Falls through a special mind-world.
• "Li'l" Gideon Gleeful (voiced by Thurop Van Orman) – A young con artist and Grunkle Stan's rival.
• Wendy's Friends – Tambry, Thompson, Nate, and Lee.
• Manly Dan (voiced by John DiMaggio) – A lumberjack and Wendy's father.
• Lazy Susan (voiced by Jennifer Coolidge) – She owns Greasy's Diner. She always has one eye closed and is Stan's crush.
• Tyler Cutebiker (voiced by Will Forte) – He is the "Local Enthusiasm Enthusiast" and the current mayor.
• Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson and Keith Ferguson) – The two police officers of Gravity Falls.
• Gnomes (voiced by Alex Hirsch) – Living garden gnomes who wanted Mabel to be their queen.
• Gompers (voiced by Frank Welker) – A goat who lives on the Mystery Shack's property.
• Blendin Blandin (voiced by Justin Roiland) – A worker from the Time Anomaly Correction Unit. He often meets Dipper and Mabel.
• Agent Powers and Agent Trigger (voiced by Nick Offerman and Jeff Rowe) – Two government agents who investigate Stan's portal and the town.
• Time Baby (voiced by Dave Wittenberg) – A giant who leads the Time Anomaly Correction Unit.

Episodes of Gravity Falls

Template loop detected: List of Gravity Falls episodes

How Gravity Falls Was Made

The Idea Behind the Show

Before Gravity Falls, creator Alex Hirsch was inspired by The Simpsons. He learned that "animation could be funnier than live-action." He saw that animation could be smart and about real characters. Hirsch went to the California Institute of the Arts. He then worked as a writer and storyboard artist for The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. There, he met Pendleton Ward, who created Adventure Time. After that, Hirsch helped create Fish Hooks for Disney Channel. Soon after, he pitched his idea for Gravity Falls, and it was approved.

Making an Episode

Gravity Falls's main production offices were located at Disney Television Animation in Glendale, California.

Alex Hirsch explained how an episode is made. It starts in a writers' room with a simple idea. Then, they build the story, adding a character-focused plot. Hirsch says this is the hardest part. They need to find a character story that connects with the week's magic or monster.

Writers create an outline for the story. Hirsch reviews it and gives feedback. The writer then makes a first draft. More notes are given after this. Hirsch and creative director Mike Rianda often rewrite parts themselves. They especially revise Dipper's and Mabel's dialogue. They work long hours to get the script just right.

Once the script is ready, it becomes a storyboard. Hirsch gives feedback to the artists if something doesn't work. Then, the episode idea is presented to the network. They do a read-through. The network either approves it or asks for changes. This all happens quickly before the animation studio starts working.

When the Show Aired

The first twelve episodes of Gravity Falls aired weekly on Disney Channel in 2012. But later episodes didn't have a regular schedule. The rest of the first season aired by August 2013. The second season started in August 2014 and moved to Disney XD. Again, new episodes didn't air regularly. Disney XD explained that each episode took about six months to make. So, instead of waiting to have many episodes, they aired them as they were finished. This made each new episode a special event.

Secret Codes and Ciphers

At the end of every episode, there is a secret message. These messages are written using different substitution ciphers.

Season 1 Ciphers

• Caesar cipher: This code shifts letters a certain number of places. A voice in the opening song, played backward, hints at it: "three letters back." This cipher was used in episodes 1–6.
• Atbash cipher: This code swaps letters (A becomes Z, B becomes Y, etc.). An episode announced its use in a Caesar cipher. It was used in episodes 7–13.
• A1Z26 cipher: This is a simple code where numbers stand for letters (1=A, 2=B, etc.). It was used in episodes 14–19.
• Combined ciphers: These mix two or more ciphers. The first one was at the end of "Gideon Rises." You had to use A1Z26, then Atbash, then Caesar. Season 2's combined ciphers start with the Vigenère cipher.
• Symbol cipher: This code uses symbols instead of letters. It appears in the two-part season finale and often in the journals.

Season 2 Ciphers

• Vigenère cipher: This code uses a keyword to shift letters. The keyword is hinted at in the episode. The voice at the end of the theme song, played backward, says "Key Vigenère."
• Season 2 also uses the symbol cipher mentioned above.

Awards and Recognitions

Gravity Falls won many awards and was nominated for others. Here are some of its achievements:

Images

• 

  Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013

• 

  Series creator Alex Hirsch at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013

See also

In Spanish: Gravity Falls para niños

How Gravity Falls Was Made

The Idea Behind the Show

Before Gravity Falls, creator Alex Hirsch was inspired by The Simpsons. He learned that "animation could be funnier than live-action." He saw that animation could be smart and about real characters. Hirsch went to the California Institute of the Arts. He then worked as a writer and storyboard artist for The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. There, he met Pendleton Ward, who created Adventure Time. After that, Hirsch helped create Fish Hooks for Disney Channel. Soon after, he pitched his idea for Gravity Falls, and it was approved.

Making an Episode

Gravity Falls's main production offices were located at Disney Television Animation in Glendale, California.

Alex Hirsch explained how an episode is made. It starts in a writers' room with a simple idea. Then, they build the story, adding a character-focused plot. Hirsch says this is the hardest part. They need to find a character story that connects with the week's magic or monster.

Writers create an outline for the story. Hirsch reviews it and gives feedback. The writer then makes a first draft. More notes are given after this. Hirsch and creative director Mike Rianda often rewrite parts themselves. They especially revise Dipper's and Mabel's dialogue. They work long hours to get the script just right.

Once the script is ready, it becomes a storyboard. Hirsch gives feedback to the artists if something doesn't work. Then, the episode idea is presented to the network. They do a read-through. The network either approves it or asks for changes. This all happens quickly before the animation studio starts working.

When the Show Aired

The first twelve episodes of Gravity Falls aired weekly on Disney Channel in 2012. But later episodes didn't have a regular schedule. The rest of the first season aired by August 2013. The second season started in August 2014 and moved to Disney XD. Again, new episodes didn't air regularly. Disney XD explained that each episode took about six months to make. So, instead of waiting to have many episodes, they aired them as they were finished. This made each new episode a special event.

Secret Codes and Ciphers

At the end of every episode, there is a secret message. These messages are written using different substitution ciphers.

Season 1 Ciphers

• Caesar cipher: This code shifts letters a certain number of places. A voice in the opening song, played backward, hints at it: "three letters back." This cipher was used in episodes 1–6.
• Atbash cipher: This code swaps letters (A becomes Z, B becomes Y, etc.). An episode announced its use in a Caesar cipher. It was used in episodes 7–13.
• A1Z26 cipher: This is a simple code where numbers stand for letters (1=A, 2=B, etc.). It was used in episodes 14–19.
• Combined ciphers: These mix two or more ciphers. The first one was at the end of "Gideon Rises." You had to use A1Z26, then Atbash, then Caesar. Season 2's combined ciphers start with the Vigenère cipher.
• Symbol cipher: This code uses symbols instead of letters. It appears in the two-part season finale and often in the journals.

Season 2 Ciphers

• Vigenère cipher: This code uses a keyword to shift letters. The keyword is hinted at in the episode. The voice at the end of the theme song, played backward, says "Key Vigenère."
• Season 2 also uses the symbol cipher mentioned above.

Awards and Recognitions

Gravity Falls won many awards and was nominated for others. Here are some of its achievements:

Images for kids

• 

  Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013

• 

  Series creator Alex Hirsch at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013

See also

In Spanish: Gravity Falls para niños