Gravity Falls was a popular American animated series that ran on Disney TV from 2012 to 2016. It is dedicated to the adventures of the twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, who decided to spend their summer holidays with their uncle Stan.
The history of the creation of the animated series
The author of "Gravity Falls" is animator Alex Hirsch, who decided to create a project that would be equally interesting for children and adults. While still a student, he created an 11-minute animated film in which he talked about the experience and personal experiences during the summer holidays with his grandfather and his twin sister. For some time, Alex worked for Cartoon Network, after which he moved to Disney Channel, having a hand in several small cartoon projects.
Once, the management of Disney Channel asked Alex to conduct a training with novice animators, in which he decided to demonstrate his short cartoon. The audience was delighted with him, and the TV channel decided to immediately acquire the rights to the project and gave the green light to the production of a full-fledged animated series, which it was decided to release on TV in the summer of 2012.
Plot and production
The basic concept of the animated series remains the same, but many significant details have been introduced. The twins were given fictitious names - Dipper and Mabel Pines, and on vacation they went to their grandfather Stanley Pines, who was called "Uncle Stan". The latter lives and works in his own "hut of miracles" in the small town of Gravity Falls, located in a wooded area. After arriving, the twins realize that inexplicable things are happening in the city, the forest and even the hut itself, and they also encounter fantastic creatures.
Each episode is most often devoted to a meeting with some kind of fantastic creatures or an encounter with paranormal phenomena. Dipper and Mabel learn how to cope with another danger from a mysterious diary, and also always receive help from their friends Zusa and Wendy. As the plot develops, more and more mysteries arise, including those related to the personality of Uncle Sten and his "Shack of Miracles", as well as some residents of Gravity Falls.
The first 12 episodes of the animated series aired on Disney Channel on a weekly basis, starting in the summer of 2012, as planned. The next 8 episodes aired irregularly and as they were completed, until August 2013. The project, which became very popular on television, was immediately decided to be extended for a second season. The episodes were also released as they were completed until February 15, 2016. During the production of the animated series, the creators faced difficulties: each new series turned out to be more eventful than the previous one, which greatly delayed and complicated the production process. As a result, after the end of the second season, it was decided to close the animated series. The sequel in the form of a comic strip was subsequently posted by Alex Hirsch on his website.
Main characters
The animated series has only five main characters:
- Dipper Pines;
- Mabel Pines;
- Stanley Pines ("Uncle Stan");
- Wendy Corduroy;
- Zus Ramirez.
Dipper Pines is a 12-year-old boy, Mabel's twin brother. His real name is Mason, and he got the nickname "Dipper" for his birthmark, which resembles the constellation Big Dipper. After arriving in Gravity Falls, he finds an unusual diary in the forest, in which an unknown person described all the fantastic creatures that inhabit the area. Dipper is indecisive and has various complexes. He also has a crush on Wendy.
Mabel Pines is Deeper's 12-year-old twin sister. Unlike her uncommunicative and often self-absorbed brother, she always remains optimistic, leads an active lifestyle and dreams of having an "epic summer romance", but she has absolutely no luck in love affairs. Together with Dipper, he tries to reveal the secret of the mysterious diary. She also loves animals very much, and in one of the episodes she gives birth to a tame pig, Pukhlya.
Stanley Pines ("Uncle Stan") is the twins' great-uncle, whom they call Uncle. He owns the "Shack of Miracles" - a house-museum that supposedly contains mysterious objects and creatures found in Gravity Falls. In fact, all the exhibits are fakes, and Sten wants only to earn as much as possible on gullible tourists who periodically visit the town. He is distinguished by a gloomy disposition and does not encourage hooligan antics of children visiting him.
Wendy Corduroy is a 15-year-old teenage girl from Gravity Falls who works as a souvenir seller at the Miracle Shack. Has red hair and freckles. She is sociable and easy-going, spends a lot of time with twins. Dipper Pines is hopelessly in love with her.
Zus Ramirez is a 22-year-old employee of the Shack of Miracles who is mainly involved in home renovations. He lives with his grandmother, is absent-minded and stupid, and also loves to eat, which is why he has a full physique. However, Zus gets along well with the twins and often comes to their aid unexpectedly in difficult situations.
Minor characters
The minor characters of Gravity Falls are the inhabitants of the town, as well as various fantastic creatures that can talk. These include:
- Candy Chu and Grenda are Mabel's best friends whom she met at the party;
- Gideon Gleeful ("Baby Gideon") - 10-year-old con man who acts as the main antagonist in the first season;
- Old Fiddleford Adron McGucket is a local eccentric genius who constantly tries to invent something unusual and gets into awkward situations because of it;
- Robert Stacy Valentino ("Robbie") is a goth teen who fights with Dipper for Wendy's heart.
- Lazy Susan and Dan Corduroy (Wendy's father) are a restaurant owner and woodcutter who work near the Miracle Shack.
- Bill Cipher is a powerful demon from a parallel reality who acts as the main antagonist of the entire series and seeks to take over the planet.
The main characters of the animated series constantly interact with various families living in Gravity Falls. Among them:
- the Northwest family;
- the McGucket family;
- family of cutiebikers;
- family of Mess.
The development of the plot is also influenced by such fantastic creatures as gnomes, ghosts, talking statues, muzhikotaurs, liligolphers and many others that inhabit most of the Gravity Falls forest. Some of them help the main characters, while others want to harm.
