Disney
Airing on the Disney Channel and Disney XD, Gravity Falls is an animated series following the adventures of 12-year-old Dipper Pines (voiced by Jason Ritter) and his twin sister Mabel (voiced by Kristen Schaal) after they’ve been shipped off to Gravity Falls, Oregon for the summer. Sent to live with their great-uncle Grunkle Stan (voiced by show creator Alex Hirsch), the two expect their time in Gravity Falls to be quite dull as they’re forced to lend a hand at Grunkle Stan’s tourist sideshow, The Mystery Shack. It isn’t until they stumble upon a strange journal in the woods that they realize the new town they’re in is far from ordinary.
Running from June 15, 2012, to February 15, 2016, the Pines twins investigate local mysteries and face supernatural creatures for just two seasons. All 40 episodes and 17 shorts are available for Gravity Falls streaming and continue to attract new fans to this day. The show’s popularity was evident when the final episode, “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls”, broke records when it aired. It had 2.47 million viewers in the United States alone, making it the highest-rated telecast ever on Disney XD.
Before you watch Gravity Falls online, know that Hirsch gave the series a proper ending in the final episode, yet he wanted to leave room for future projects within the world he had created. While the television series stands on its own, on July 24, 2018, Gravity Falls: Lost Legends was released, a graphic novel continuing the family’s paranormal adventures.
Here’s how to watch Gravity Falls streaming online:
How to Stream ‘Gravity Falls’ – Exclusively on Disney+
Gravity Falls is one of the fan-favorite Disney original shows that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream Gravity Falls and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Gravity Falls”
- 5. Tap on “Gravity Falls”
- 6. Tap the PLAY button
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘Gravity Falls’: Overview
When Was It On TV: June 2012 to February 2016
Creators: Alex Hirsch
Starring: Jason Ritter, Kristen Schaal, Alex Hirsch, and Linda Cardellini
Rating: TV-Y7
Synopsis: A brother and sister duo are sent to spend the summer with their great-uncle where they come across supernatural creatures and solve mysteries that plague the town of Gravity Falls.
‘Gravity Falls’ Plot
Dipper and Mabel Pines’ summer vacation takes an unexpected turn when they’re sent to live with their Grunkle Stan in Gravity Falls, Oregon. They’re quickly enlisted to work at their great-uncle’s sideshow, The Mystery Shack, which is considered a tourist trap that overcharges unsuspecting customers to get a look at strange creatures such as a Jackalope and a Fiji Mermaid. It’s not long before the Pines twins realize that Grunkle Stan’s exhibit is a hoax, feeding his insatiable appetite for money.
While Dipper sees any prospect of his summer being salvaged slowly disappearing, his sister sees their unfortunate circumstances as the perfect opportunity to pursue a summer romance. These plans are thwarted, however, when Dipper comes across an unusual journal that uncovers some of Gravity Falls’ most significant secrets. It’s not long before the two realize they must join forces to battle the evil forces that lurk around town. Meanwhile, Grunkle Stan is keeping his own secrets that just might explain the mysterious occurrences in Gravity Falls.
How Many Seasons of ‘Gravity Falls’ Are There?
There are two seasons of Gravity Falls, each consisting of 20 episodes. Season one ran from June 2012 to August 2013, while season two ran from August 2014 to February 2016.
‘Gravity Falls’ Season 1
20 Episodes | June 2012 to August 2013
The first season of Gravity Falls introduces viewers to twins Dipper and Mabel Pines as they’re sent to spend the summer with their money-hungry great-uncle, Grunkle Stan. After being recruited by Grunkle Stan to work at his sideshow tourist attraction, The Mystery Shack, the siblings have little hope of making much of their summer vacation.
However, after Dipper discovers a strange journal, the two quickly realize that there’s more to the small town of Gravity Falls than they originally thought. With the help of The Mystery Shack employees Soos (also voiced by Hirsch) and Dipper’s love interest Wendy Corduroy (voiced by Linda Cardellini), they stumble upon a number of supernatural oddities that leave them with mysteries to solve.
‘Gravity Falls’ Season 2
20 Episodes | August 2014 to February 2016
Season two of Gravity Falls picks up right where the first season left off. The Pines twins continue their search for the person behind the mysterious journal with Soos and Wendy by their side. A dream demon, Bill Cipher (voiced by Hirsch), threatens to take over the world with weirdness, forcing Dipper, Mabel, Soos, and Wendy to do anything they can to stop him.
Meanwhile, Grunkle Stan is occupied by the mysterious portal he found beneath The Mystery Shack. He works on figuring out how to operate it until he’s taken away by two government officials. The author of the journal is finally revealed, forcing Stan to come clean about his past.
The Best ‘Gravity Falls’ Episodes
Several Gravity Falls episodes can be considered the best. “The Deep End” aired on the Disney Channel during season one and became the highest-rated episode of the series with 4.5 million viewers. After the show was moved from the Disney Channel to Disney XD, it continued to break records. “A Tale of Two Stans” became the highest-rated telecast on Disney XD after it aired during the second season to 1.91 million viewers. The show’s finale “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls” went on to beat that record after reaching 2.47 million viewers.
Here’s a list of the best Gravity Falls episodes:
Season 1, Episode 15: “The Deep End”
As the most-watched Gravity Falls episode, “The Deep End” begins on the hottest day of the summer. The town’s public pool officially opens for the season, and Mabel meets Mermando (voiced by Matt Chapman), the mysterious loner who seems to never leave the water. Despite the rumors, Mabel instantly develops a crush on Mermando and works up the courage to ask him out. While Mermando seems to be interested in Mabel, he turns her down, blaming it on a “terrible secret.”
Dipper also tries his hand at love by volunteering at the pool after learning that Wendy got hired as a lifeguard. To get the job, however, he must get approval from the high-strung Mr. Poolcheck (voiced by Michael Rianda). He gets the job but risks it all to impress Wendy and help out his sister after she learns what Mermando’s big secret is. Spoiler Alert! Mermando is a merman trapped inside the town’s public pool. Mabel is determined to reunite him with his family, accepting the fact that this means their short-lived romance will have to come to an end.
Meanwhile, Stan is determined to find the best lounge chair at the pool. When it’s already taken by someone else, he oversteps his boundaries. He eventually gets thrown into the pool jail for breaking the rules. However, this doesn’t stop him from stirring up trouble when he gets out for the sake of the perfect lounge chair.
Season 2, Episode 12: “A Tale of Two Stans”
After finally getting the portal to work, Gunkle Stan is finally reunited with his long, lost twin brother, Stanford Pines (voiced by J.K. Simmons) in Disney XD’s first record-breaking Gravity Falls episode, “A Tale of Two Stans.” We learn that Stanley and Stanford Pines were quite the opposite growing up, but always had each other’s backs. That is until Stanley accidentally broke Stanford’s science fair project resulting in his rejection from his dream college.
The brothers go their separate ways, Stanley becoming a money-hungry businessman and Stanford graduating at the top of his class at a different university. Stanford’s scientific research brought him to Gravity Falls due to the area’s high levels of anomalies. Along with his partner Fiddleford McGucket (voiced by Hirsch), Stanford created a portal to an unknown dimension they felt Gravity Falls must have originated in. After his partner, who later became known as Old Man McGucket, nearly gets sucked into the portal, causing him to act strangely, Standford was on his own with his research.
Standford eventually enlists the help of his brother Stanley, asking him to come to Gravity Falls and hide his notes so that no one can ever activate the portal again. The brothers end up getting into an argument resulting in Stanford being sucked into the portal, and Stanley had no idea how to get him out. People in town assumed Stanley was Stanford, as the two were identical, so Stanley took his brother’s identity while he worked tirelessly to free him from the other dimension.
Season 2, Episode 20: “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls”
As the series finale, it should come as no surprise that “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls” is one of the best Gravity Falls episodes. It beat the record-breaking viewer numbers of “A Tale of Two Stans” on Disney XD, earning the title as the network’s most-watched episode at the time. As an hour-long episode, the final episode is the last of a three-part story. The second half of the episode is broadcast as “Weirdmageddon 4: Somewhere in The Woods” in re-airings in order to fill half-hour slots.
The episode begins with Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, and Soos bursting into The Mystery Shack, where they stumble upon Gunkle Stan, Old Man McGucket, and other townsfolks hiding out. With Weirdmageddon in full force, the group is struggling to survive as many are injured, and their food supply is running low. While Stan plans to wait it out in the shack until they run out of food, Dipper informs him that Stanford had been taken by the dream demon, Bill Cipher, and requires rescuing. Convinced that Stanford knows Bill’s weaknesses, Dipper encourages the group to rustle up enough energy to try and save him.
Old Man McGucket comes up with a plan, and everyone gets to work building the mysterious mechanism. Stan remains skeptical as the rest of the group prepares for their rescue mission. It turns out that the group had been working on transforming The Mystery Shack into a giant robot labeled a Shack-Tron. The Shack-Tron and the group then face Bill and his Fearamid in an unforgettable battle.
‘Gravity Falls’ Cast
When you watch Gravity Falls online, you may recognize some of the voices of the show’s main characters. Here’s a look at the main cast of the show:
JASON RITTER as DIPPER PINES
Actor Jason Ritter portrays the voice of Dipper Pines, the 12-year-old twin brother of Mabel Pines. As a smart and adventurous boy, Dipper often finds himself at the center of the show’s plot lines. This role occurred in midway through Ritter’s career and is one of his first recurring roles in an animated series.
KRISTEN SCHAAL as MABEL PINES
Actress and comedian Kristen Schaal voices Mabel Pines, the 12-year-old twin sister of Dipper. While Mabel often finds herself in the center of Gravity Falls’ biggest mysteries, she handles them with a less serious approach than her brother. Schaal is a well-known voice artist who has lent her unique voice to popular animated shows, including Bob’s Burgers, The Simpsons, and BoJack Horseman.
ALEX HIRSCH as GRUNKLE STAN
Show creator Alex Hirsch voices Grunkle Stan, the money-hungry great uncle and guardian of Dipper and Mabel. Stan runs a mysterious sideshow called The Mystery Shack that appeals to tourists, although it’s full of bogus attractions. We also eventually learn that Stan not only knows about the supernatural occurrences in Gravity Falls but is heavily involved in them. Hirsch started his television writing career with The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack and then Fish Hooks before creating Gravity Falls.
ALEX HIRSCH as SOOS RAMIREZ
Alex Hirsch also voices Soos Ramirez, a 22-year-old long-time employee at The Mystery Shack. As the sideshow’s handyman, Soos is often involved in the adventures Mabel and Dipper go on. He begins and ends most of his sentences with “dude,” and is considered a harmless but awkward young man.
LINDA CARDELLINI as WENDY CORDUROY
Long-time actress Linda Cardellini voices Wendy Corduroy, a 15-year-old part-time employee at The Mystery Shack, as well as the object of Dipper’s affection. Wendy will often do her best to skip out on work to spend time with her friends or go on adventures with Dipper and Mabel. She’s seen as a laid back and rebellious teen, making her a vital addition to the crew. Cardellini’s breakout role on Freak and Geeks paved the way for her career, leading up to her voice artist work on Gravity Falls.
Who Are the Top Guest Stars on ‘Gravity Falls’?
As a show with the kind of humor that appeals to both children and adults, it should come as no surprise that Gravity Falls episodes are full of some of the industry’s top comedians and actors. Some of the most well-known celebs to lend their voice to the show include Jon Stewart, Larry King, Lance Bass, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Jennifer Coolidge, and so many more.
Here’s a list of the most important Gravity Falls guest stars:
Chelsea Peretti as Darlene
Stand-up comedian and actress Chelsea Peretti guest stars as Darlene in season two, episode 16 of Gravity Falls. Darlene disguises herself as a woman while working at Mystery Mountain, a sideshow attraction similar to The Mystery Shop. The crew crosses paths with her on a road trip to nearby tourist attractions in an attempt to sabotage them and bring more business to The Mystery Shop. They soon discovered that Darlene is actually an Arachnimorph, a half-spider paranormal being. She is a significant character on the show, as she is the first supernatural creature they come across outside of the town of Gravity Falls.
Jillian Bell as Melody
Actress and comedian Jillian Bell voices Melody, Soos’ long-distance girlfriend. She appears in four Gravity Falls episodes throughout season two, but viewers get to know her mostly in “Soos and the Real Girl” when she and Soos go on their first date. Later on, she is seen briefly video-chatting with Soos in “The Love God,” trapped in Bill’s throne in “Weirdmageddon 2: Escape From Reality,” and then working at The Mystery Shop in the series finale “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls.”
Mark Hamill as Bats Biker
The one and only Mark Hamill lent his voice to several Gravity Falls episodes as Bats Biker, the brutish biker with a soft spot for cuteness. Bats Biker becomes an essential character towards the end of the series when he manages to avoid capture during Weirdmaggedon. He then joins the resistance led by Stan at The Mystery Shack, partaking in the rescue mission.
Who Are the Writers & Creators Behind ‘Gravity Falls’?
Creator Alex Hirsch got his inspiration for his animated work from The Simpsons, which showed him that cartoons humor doesn’t have to be exclusively for children. While attending the California Institute of the Arts, he created a short animation based on his own childhood summers, birthing the idea for Gravity Falls. Hirsch used the people to inspire many of the characters from the show. For example, Gunkle Stan is actually based on Hirsch’s Grandfather in real life, even using the same name. The Disney Channel bought the idea for the show based on his short film, and the rest is history.
In an interview, Hirsch went into detail describing how each episode of Gravity Falls was written, revealing that he and creative director Mike Rianda are very hands-on. Hirsch explains their process by saying, “I’m very hands-on—me and my creative director Mike Rianda, tend to get in there and both personally do a draft before the final script. When the writers hand in a final script, me and Mike do our pass on it. We often rewrite a huge amount of it, which is not a discredit to our writers—it’s just we have a very particular vision. In particular, I usually rewrite almost all of Dipper’s dialogue and most of Mabel’s dialogue, just because I have them in my head.”
Alex Hirsch: Gravity Falls Creator and Writer
When you watch Gravity Falls online, you may pick up on some of the ’90s humor that Hirsch drew his inspiration from. He wanted to create an animated show for kids and teens that adults could enjoy as well. Hirsch has also written episodes for Disney’s Fish Hooks and Cartoon Network’s The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. He recently joined forces with Netflix and will be releasing new animated projects geared towards adults.
Mike Rianda: Gravity Falls Creative Director
Mike Rianda was a writer, creative director, and voice actor on Gravity Falls. He is currently writing for the animated series The Mitchells vs. the Machines, expected to be released in 2020.
‘Gravity Falls’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
Reviews of Gravity Falls are overwhelmingly positive and appeals to viewers of all ages. It uses a specific kind of humor that has been compared to Disney movies like Toy Story, Wreck-It Ralph, and Aladdin. Both seasons have earned a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Where ‘Gravity Falls’ Ranks in the Television Pantheon
Forbes called Gravity Falls the best show on television, and ratings show to agree with that sentiment. It is ranked by IMDB as the highest-rated Disney cartoon of all time. The show also ranked as number 21 in the top 100 cartoons of all time and has maintained its popularity long after the series finale premiered.
‘Gravity Falls’ Trailer
‘Gravity Falls’ Theme Song
The theme song for Gravity Falls was composed by Brad Breeck, best known as a member of the critically-acclaimed band The Mae Shi. He wrote and composed dozens of songs for the show and is currently working on music for the upcoming Netflix reboot of Voltron.
‘Gravity Falls’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
1. The Show Contains Hidden Messages
When you watch Gravity Falls episodes, you’ll notice both throughout the show and at the end of the credits several cryptograms and riddles for you to solve. The answers are either something funny or an essential clue to the mysteries being solved on the show.
2. The Mystery Shack Exists In Real Life
Show creator Alex Hirsch based The Mystery Shack on a real-life tourist sideshow that he visited in college called the Oregon Vortex. Located in Gold Hill, Oregon, it’s still open to tourists today.
3. There’s A Secret Message In The Show’s Intro
As you watch Gravity Falls episodes, you may notice at the end of the intro a wheel with a picture of Bill Cipher, the dream demon, appears. The wheel is surrounded by symbols, each representing one of the show’s main characters. It’s not revealed until the series finale what each symbol means.
4. The Theme Song Holds A Hidden Message
At the end of the intro song in earlier episodes, you will hear a whisper that sounds like someone saying, “I’m still here.” When played backward, it actually provides viewers with instructions on how to figure out each cryptogram. The message whispered changes several times throughout the show and brings a whole different level to the viewer’s experience.
5. You’ll Find A Few References To The Show In’Rick and Morty’
Alex Hirsch is good friends with Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland. For this reason, there have been quite a few references to Gravity Falls in Rick and Morty episodes and vice versa. One of these Easter eggs occurred during the Gravity Falls episode titled “Society of the Blind Eye,” where Stan’s mug, notepad, and pen were sucked into the portal. They later come out of a dimensional portal on Rick and Morty in the episode “Close Encounters of the Rick Kind.” These small details have led many fans to believe that the two shows exist in the same world.