Before season 2 comes out in August, FAS decided to watch and review the first season of Gravity Falls, a Disney Channel cartoon that got a lot of positive reception.
Tourist Trapped (Written by Alex Hirsch) (Directed by John Aoshima)
This was the first episode of my favorite DC show Gravity Falls. The start of an awesome cartoon. It is a lot better and interesting than Phineas and Ferb because let's be honest, the writers on Phineas and Ferb had no longer stay fresh since the third season and even though the fourth season had been a stepup, the show still needs to go. Once it go, this show might a chance to be the number 1 Disney Channel cartoon. So far, there hadn't a bad episode at all. Let's hope the second and the possible future seasons (if any) stays like that. It's definitely in my top 10 current cartoons. Anyway, the first episode may have a serious sounding plot, but I'm not fooled of that since the episode was pretty hilarious as well. Dramedy is actually better handled than it is in Regular Show and Adventure Time (there's usually almost no humor in serious RS/AT episode). For a pilot themed episode like this, the story for the episode is unusually perfect. The episode is full of laugh out loud moments. Those funny moments in the first episode were Stan scaring Dipper with a mask, flashback of Mabel flirting with various guys, Dipper yelling zombie and Stan overhears thinking someone said "crombie," Stan coming in when Mabel say she won't be surprised if the man of her dream walk in the door and says "oh, why?", the reef blower sucking in Mabel's mouth (LOL funny), rock that looks like a face, a gnome puking rainbow (including the one in the credits, Mabel tricking the gnomes into marrying her and sucking them with a leaf blower, and Mabel using the grappling hook. Mabel and Dipper running away from the gnomes and Mabel throwing the gnomes away were very awesome scenes. Norman turning out to be gnomes was the most creepiest scene in the episode. The animation in the episode is awesome. My nitpick (I won't be taking off points considering how witty this episode was) was when Mabel not believing that Norman is a zombie and not listening to Dipper. Overall, this was an excellent start to my favorite Disney cartoon.
Score: 10/10 (Amazing)
Fun facts: It's the fifth episode to produced, despite being the first episode.
The Legend of the Gobblewonker (Written by Michael Rianda and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by John Aoshima)
This episode is almost excellent and it's not as awesome as the first episode. For the story, it's not the best, but it's good. Some of the funny moments are flashback at the cold open, Old Man McGrucket's appearance in the episode, Mabel imagining herself when she gets rich, the gang breaking/throwing the cameras on accident, Stan telling a couple a joke about marriage, "butt island" (I don't mind butt jokes usually as long as they don't get overused), Dipper's imagine spot at the end when Mabel appears, the gang running to the glass, and the last part of the episode. It was creepy that the monster of the lake turns out to be a machine controlled by Old Man McGrucket because he wanted some attention. Still, Old Man McGrucket is a funny, but weird character. The animation is awesome as in the first episode. My only flaw was how Stan being a bit of a jerk in few scenes.
Score: 9/10 (Great)
Fun facts: Debut appearance: Manly Dan, Old Man McGrucket.
Wendy is absent in this episode.
Headhunters (Written by Aury Wallington and Alex Hirsch) (Directed John Aoshima)
A story about waxes named after a few famous people? Very strange. Memorable parts are Mabel chewing toothpaste, Stan scaring his grandkids and Soos, Abraham Lincoln wax melted, a minor pretending to go to a manly restaurant, Toby kissing the cardboard, waxes clapping sarcastically, Sherlock Holmes being melted by the sunrise, the cops splitting coffee at each other, and the credits scene. Dipper and Mabel getting rid of all of the waxes by melting them with fire was pretty awesome. This episode was boring in some scenes. What started off interesting becomes dull for a while. I didn't like the cops in this episode since they were doubtful about who murdered Stan's wax. However, it's no longer boring once the waxes comes to life. Those are my only flaws for the episode, but they both have 20 negative points, making it...
Score: an 8/10 (Good)
Fun facts: Ever since the scene with Dipper and Sherlock Holmes wax brawling at the roof, the S in Snack there has been depicted and reminds like for the rest of the show.
The Hand That Rocks the Mabel (Written by Zach Paez and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by John Aoshima)
This episode was slightly lower on humor as it was focused more on the seriousness unlike the last three episodes which were comedy and drama combined. There were only several I laughed/chuckled compared to the 7-10 times I did. I don't think none of those funny moments were LOL worthy. Stan in the Lil Gideon commercial, Soos glaring at his clone, Soos and dipper blowing up the hot dogs, "Team Gideon" shirt looks fat on Stan, Gideon using his (?), and Soos dancing with (?) were some of the funniest moments in this serious episode. I put question marks in a couple of those because I don't know what they are. There are some other positives such as Dipper telling Gideon to stop seeing Mabel (heartwarming) and Mabel saving Dipper from Gideon (awesome and heartwarming at same time). Overall, while I may not be a fan of the story and the lesser amount of humor here, I still enjoyed it 100 percent.
Score: 10/10 (Great)
Fun facts: Another recognizable voices: the creator and voice of Flapjack as Lil Gideon and Stephen Root as his dad.
The Inconveniencing (Written by Michael Rianda and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by Aaron Springer and Joe Pitt)
What can I say? I just loved this episode and it's my top 5 GF episodes (so far and in the first season overall). The plot is so interesting but creepy at the same time. It's a better plot than the previous episode. What's great is that this is the first episode where Wendy has a major role while Stan and Soos only has a minor role (even when they're not important, they still crack me up). Also, the episode debuted Wendy's friends, including Robbie. Unlike most of his appearances, Robbie was very tolerable and not much of a big jerk towards Dipper. Does this another serious sounding plot still made me laugh? Yes. Wendy hitting a car, Mabel teasing Dipper about Wendy, then Dipper is laying at night about thinking about her, Dipper flipping Mabel's hair, Stan is stuck watching a romance, anytime Mabel is drunk of Smile Dip, Stan liking the romance, Dipper dancing in a lamb, and Stan throwing the TV are all hilarious moments in this episode. Creepy moments were the teens (and Dipper) reflecting skulls, Mabel under the influence of sugar and seriously, most of act three. Act 3 barely had comedy expect for a couple scenes (credit scene included) and it was outright dark most of the time. All in all, this is one of the best GF episodes I've seen, but it's not the real best GF episode.
Score: 10/10 (Amazing)
Fun facts: Mabel while in sugar drugs was voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.
Dipper vs. Manliness (Written by Tim McKeon) (Directed by Aaron Springer and Joe Pitt)'
It's not my favorite plot since it's weak, but it's alright. Both plots. It's a bit underrated to be honest. Aside the fact that the episode has lack of humor in some scenes and interesting scenes, I didn't liked Mabel and Stan making fun of Dipper's lack of manliness. Not being manliness is no laughing matter for guys. This is why I want guys acting manly while girls all feminine and that's just my opinion. I laughed at Mabel and Dipper whining they're hungry, Stan, Mabel, and Dipper runs off from the customer, Sheriff eating the pancakes quickly, Dipper listening to girly music, Dipper showing Mabel and Stan his chest hair, Dipper's girly (and then manly) scream, Soos as Lazy Susan, pain hole scene, Stan's smile scaring Soos, one of the bears listening Baba (the girly artist), and the credit scene. Dipper battling the bears was very awesome, but sadly it got ruined the fact that Dipper refuses to kill some weird looking bear. Overall, this was a great episode, but I'm not a fan of the story in both plots.
Score: 8/10 (Good)
Double Dipper (Story by Mitch Larson; Teleplay by Michael Rianda, Tim McKeon, and Alex Hirsch)
(Directed by Aaron Springer and Joe Pitt)
Like the previous episode, it contains an alright sounding plot. To be honest, cloning plots aren't my favorite because you know what happen in these episodes. The clones take over during the climax.This episode had enough humor for me to give a high score. Mabel, Dipper, and Wendy spraying silly string, Soos throughout the episode (mainly when was the DJ and when he finds the lighting sfx), all of Dipper's fantasy, "I shall call you number 2," "Definitley not" (Tyrone knows it means (bleep). Grenda and Candy's lines, clone fight, Dipper's clones stealing Robbie's bike, and Dipper clones' face when they get caught under the sprinklers are examples. Seriously, Soos is the most funniest in the show. He does nothing but crack me up. Everything he does here is hilarious. There were two scary scenes. Dipper's hand coming to life and Paper Jam Dipper. Paper Jam Dipper was freaking creepy and so does his voice. What I hated here was when the clones become a bit of jerks when they locked Dipper in the closet. Though it was only moment that bugged me and the rest of the episode was excellent.
Score: 9/10 (Great)
Irrational Treasure (Story by David Slack) (Teleplay Tim McKeon and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by John Aoshima)
Funny: Most of the cold opening, "welcome to 1863," "I break you, Little man!", the man being married to a woodpecker, Mabel and Dipper talking like a pioneer, the exchange with Stan and Steve ("cut me slack!", "slack? I am unfamiliar with this bold, new expression."), Stan being thrown to ye stocks after saying "what are you gonna do? Throw me in ye stocks?", Gideon's part, " the story of Quentin Trembly, the top secret document, Dipper making fun of the founder not being Nathaniel Northwest, then Dipper said that revenge feels awesome.
Flaws: It gets a little boring at times. Also, Pacifia's egoistical behavior in this episode.
Score: 9/10 (Great)
The Time Traveler's Pig (Written by Aury Wallington and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by Aaron Springer and Joe Pitt)
Funny: The dunk tank scene, Mabel's low attention when she said will supporting dipper only to say "OH MY GOSH, A PIG!", "let's get two dods and force them to make out!," some of Blendin Blandin's parts, Dipper repeatedly messing up the time, Dipper and Mabel in a portable toilet, and the credits scene.
Nitpick: Dipper being selfish about caring more on Wendy than Mabel's pig.
Tearjerker: Mabel banging her head repeatedly
Score: 10/10 (Great)
Fight Fighters (Written by Zach Paez and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by John Aoshima)
Funny: Old Man McGucket dancing in an out of order game machine, some of Stan's and Rumble's (it was funny when he thinks Robbie killed Dipper's father) lines, the conservation with Mabel and Stan telling each "cray-cray," Soos going inside a game, and later get trapped, Mabel giving Stan high heels, Stan's reaction to the skydiving show, Donkey Kong reference, Soos touching Rumble's health bar, Rumble wining the match against Dipper, but then the game over show up and then he dissolves, Mabel is now scared of heights, and the 8-bit version of Gravity Falls (credits scene).
Awesome: Any time they played Fight Fighters. The animation is just amazing. The fight between Dipper and Rumble.
Flaws: Robbie's jerky behavior for most of the episode (he deserved to be attacked by Rumble McSkmirish, even if he took it a little too far). Also, a few dull moments.
Score: 9/10
Little Dipper (Written by Tim McKeon, Zach Paez, and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by Aaron Springer and Joe Pitt)
Funny: Stan getting tricked by Gideon that he got a lot money, "Suck a lemon little man!", Gideon dropping the jar and the termites chase him, Dipper blowing the airhorn at Gideon, Soos putting on Stan's fez, Soos making fat angels, Gideon feeling ticklish, and the last scene.
Flaws: Stan and Mabel making fun of Dipper's shorter height
Score: 9/10 (Great)
Summerween (Written by Zach Paez, Alex Hirsch, and Michael Rianda) (Directed by John Aoshima)
Funny: Cold opening, Stan thinks Glenda has a cold, the whole Stan subplot (from scaring the kids by melting his face, putting down the sausage, Waddles on Stan's shirt, Stan scared by a cat video, and Stan's lack of having his shirt off), the scene with Toby Determined, Old Man McGrucket, Soos defeating the Candy monster by eating it, the candy monster crying candies of happiness, the last scene before the credits (and Soos' line after their evil laugh)
Flaws: Boring in some scenes. Also, Dipper was selfish just like in The Time Travel's Pig, where he only seems to care more about hanging out with Wendy rather than doing something for Mabel.
Score: 8/10 (Great)
Boss Mabel (Story by Tommy Reahard) (Teleplay by Tim McKeon and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by John Aoshima)
Funny: Dipper as a pre-teen wolf boy, Mabel breaking the jar, Waddles as Mabel's secretary, Stan pretending to have a heart attack, Soos dressed as a question mark, Stan guessing "shut your yacht," the two visitors getting haunted by the red eyed breast, and Stan doing a dance, then a goat ate his fez/
Flaws: Again, a few borings parts and when Stan took off his clothes. Eventually, Mabel acts too much like Stan, making her the most out of character moment to date.
Score: 8/10 (Good)
Bottomless Pit! (Written by Alex Hirsch and Michael Rianda) (Directed by Aaron Springer and Joe Pitt)
It's three story
Non story:
Funny: Soos asking about the pit being bottomless, "I've got a story. It's called the time Grunkle Stan got us all thrown into a bottomless pit where we spent the rest of our natural lives!", Mabel spinning Dipper, as Soos named the story Dipper is seen flying off, and Stan falling to the pit where he just stands there in the credits sequence.
First Story: Voice Over
Funny:Old Man Gruckert's part, Dipper making a prank call, and Stan sounding like a black woman
Flaws: Everyone making fun at the way Dipper sounds whenever he cracks. The story was pretty boring for almost half of it.
Second Story: Pinball Story
Funny: Soos' long title of the story, Soos hitting a button but it hits him in the eye, Soos talking to a pinball wrench, Mabel and Dipper making annoying sounds, and "You think pinball wrench will call me?"
Third Story: Grunkle Stan Wins the Football Bowl (later Trooth Ache)
Funny: Stan's sidekick being a robot and the others thinks it ridiculous, the scene with Stan telling the cops pretending to go to a doctor's appointment, the juggler and Stan doesn't thinks it's funny, Mabel lying to the cops that Stan is a fan fic writer.
Flaws: One particular scene and a couple boring scenes.
Score: 6/10+10/10+9/10=8/10 (Good) (average overall score)
The Deep End (Written by Nancy Cohen) (Directed by Aaron Springer and Joe Pitt)
After several episodes of not perfectness, I finally got the first perfect 2013 episode. There were problems with the episode at all. It still contains the humor and drama combined. Some of the funny moments in the episode were Stan getting burned at the beginning, the gag with the sun in the tower wearing sunglasses, Wendy throwing water balloons at Stan, Mabel thinking Mermando's accent is Australian, Old Man McGrucket putting lotion in front of everyone, all the scenes with Gideon, the talking inflatable duck, a bird pecking at Mermando, Soos sneaking in, Durland thinks it's a dream, and Dipper grossed by Mermando and Mabel's kiss. Drama is overlapped due to the story of how Mermando ended up in the pool. The ending credit is a bit random tbh. Overall, this was an excellent GF episode.
Score: 10/10 (Amazing)
Carpet Diem (Written by Tim McKeon, Zach Paez, and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by Joe Pitt)
This episode premiered part of a themed week, which where's a Freaky Friday-esque plot. You would have guess what it is: an episode in which characters switch bodies. I wish other networks done this theme week as well besides Disney Channel. The episode's humor are Dipper hitting Stan in the head with the eyeball, where Soos sleeps in, Dipper's reading keeping Mabel up at night, Stan saying "fight, fight," at every show/channel he watched, Dipper (in Mabel's body) giving Stan a sandwich with rocks, any time Soos (in Waddles' body) and Waddles (in Soos' body) did after the body switch, Stan showing Mabel (in Dipper's body) the "birds and the bees," Glenda and Candy giving Mabel (in Dipper's body) a makeover, everyone having a chain reaction when they keep switching bodies, and the return of the smae gag from the cold opening. My nitpick was the girls' yelling in the beginning was annoying. Dipper was even bothered by it. I'll let it slide though.
Score: 10/10 (Great)
Boyz Crazy (Written by Matt Chapman and Alex Hirsch) (Durected by John Aoshima)
In my opinion, so far, this is the weakest Gravity Falls episode I've seen, as well as the whole first season.Of course, I don't think it's bad, the plot for the episode is sort of on the mediocrity level, but there's still humor to enjoy it. I'll list the problems first. First, I'm not a fan of both plots as they deal something: one had to do with boy bands and the other is a relationship problem. Second, Robbie using Wendy to brainwash her. Now Robbie is already one of my least favorite characters on Gravity Falls due to how much of a jerk he is in most of his appearances and this episode along with Fight Fighters proved it. Then, once it get towards the end of the subplot, it become much of a mess since Wendy is upset about the situation. Third, of course, there are some annoying girls screaming just like how girls do with One Direction and shitty singers like Justin You Know Who. Also, the main plot itself is kinda weird and I don't like the fact that I obviously hear some Auto-tune in their songs. I don't like the way they talk either, they sound like hipsters. If I have to pick which plot was better, it's the subplot since it was interesting more the main plot to be honest. Last, the episode itself is boring at times. As the humor, some of the funniest scenes were a few of Glenda/Candy's lines, Old Man McGrucket doing the girly scream, Stan eating the brown meat, Leggy eating some cylinder shape food, one of the ST member called Mabel beef, Stan's subtle message, Soos high fiving himself, "bury your gold, you been buying gold, right?," There are still good scenes in the main plot such as the farewell song the Sev'rl Timez (?) sing to Mabel. The part where Mabel let go Sev'rl Timez was sad. Overall, I still think it's good enough to like it despite being my least favorite episode of the show (so far) and season 1.
Score: 7/10 (Good)
Land Before Swine (Written by Tim McKeon and Alex Hirsch) (Directed by John Aoshima)
This was an improvement over Boyz Crazy. The plot for the episode was very creative. My only minor flaws were and Stan being mean to Waddles, but I can let that slide. Plus, Stan being mean to Waddles always seems to be funny because he kinda holds a grudge against the pig. As usual, the genre is always dramedy done right. Some of the funny moments in this episode were Mabel having a dance party with Waddles, Mabel impersonating Dipper, most of Soos' lines, the Huggy Wuvvy Tummy Bundle commercial, Waddles eating all the corn, Stan making up the story how Waddles get captured, a montage of Soos messing stuffs up, most of the lines/antics from Old Man Grucket, and the stinger. Stan punching the pterodactyl in the punch while saving Waddles was awesome. Overall, this was an awesome episode of Gravity Falls.
Score: 10/10 (Amazing)
Dreamscapers (Written by Tim McKeon, Matt Chapman, and Alex Hirsch) (Directed Joe Pitt and John Aoshima)
This is two part episode. This time, Dreamscapers and Gideon Rises have a much serious sounding plot than the rest of the show so far. The drama was done right here (and its next episode), just like most of the show. It still manages to made me laugh in certain parts like Gideon singing a song, Stan beats Gideon with a broom, "Grandpa the Kid," the end of act one with Soos talking about bring in his chips, Soos impersonating Stan, arm throne, the two radical dudes, all of Stan's memories (the tummy was the funniest), "left hook", British dog, and Soos thinking that the fat one refers to Mabel. Dipper looking in at one of Stan's memories on why he's harsh on Dipper was a bit sad. But it turns out Stan was unlucky as a child. The whole plot where Dipper, Mabel and Soos exploring Stan's mind was awesome, but nightmare fuelish at the same time. Bill Cipher was a funny and awesome villain and he pretty much stole the show in this episode. Dipper, Mabel, and Soos stopping Bill Cipher was the most awesome scene. Overall, an awesome episode that ends in a cliffhanger, which could be a more awesome episode for Gideon Rises.
Score: 10/10 (Amazing)
Gideon Rises (Written by Matt Chapman, Alex Hirsch, and Michael Rianda) (Directed by John Aoshima and Joe Pitt
Yet another perfect episode and it's the season finale. Is this a even more badass episode than Dreamscapers? Yes, it is. Let's find out after listing some of the funny moments in this otherwise serious episode: Dipper thinking he is dreaming, but he's really in Soos' grandma's house, Mabel using the grappling hook on the jelly, Manly Dan choking the cops, Sooos kinda knowing Dipper's crush on Wendy, Robbie's cameo, the grappling hook hitting Dipper, the gnomes thinking Gideon is a girl (they're obviously judging from his voice), the Owl Trowel commercial, Stan kissing Soos' grandma, The story on journal book number 2 was interesting. At the end, Dipper shows Stan journal #3 and it turns he owns the first journal. It was very sad that the Pines twins were forced to go home because of the Mystery Shack being taken over. Now, here comes the most exciting part of the episode. What shocking is that Dipper was bleeding in one scene and all of a sudden, he took a level in badass and stop Gideon! While Dipper is not my favorite character, this had to got the be the best thing he had done (so far). Overall, season 1 ended with a happy one. Best episode ever (for the first season).
Score: 10/10 (Amazing)
My thoughts on Season 1
This was a superb season. You can already tell that Gravity Falls has been my favorite Disney Channel show in general (including the animated DC shows). Unlike Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls manages to interests me and almost never bores me (expect for the weaker episodes). I love how the dramedy category is handled here. While I may love Regular Show and all, the dramedy in that show is terrible nowadays because there's barely humor in the recent seasons, but I still enjoy the newer seasons though. All I can say is, Gravity Falls managed to make me laugh a lot even when the episodes are serious. I'm glad it's ended on a part two cliffhanger which makes us curious for what will happen next season. Thankfully that year long wait is over and I can't wait for season 2. I hope season 2 had more interesting and awesome episodes.
Overall season: 9/10
Episodes Rank in Order from Best to Worst
1. Gideon Rises
2. Dreamscapers
3. The Inconveniencing
4, Tourist Trapped
5. The Time Traveler's Pig
6. The Deep End
7. Land Before Swine
8. The Hand That Rocks the Mabel
9. Carpe Diem
10. Double Dipper
11. Little Dipper
12. The Legend of Gobblewonker
13. Fight Fighters
14. Irrational Treasure
15. Summerween
16. Boss Mabel
17. Dipper vs. Manliness
18. Headhunters
19. Bottomless Pit
20. Boyz Crazy
6 Amazing
8 Great
5 Good
Great Season
The End
