‘Falls’ Is Quite Supernatural

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There’s been something strange going on lately. No, I’m not referring to midterms; I’m talking about “Gravity Falls,” the new animated series by Alex Hirsch, writer and storyboard artist for Cartoon Network’s “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.” Still in its first season, the show has a lot of potential, yet is still great with what has been released.

The series focuses on 12-year-old twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, who are forced to help their great-uncle Stan (often shortened as Grunkle Stan) work at his Mystery Shack for the summer in the titular town of Gravity Falls. Dipper is serious for his age, taking everything into account before deciding to act, yet doesn’t hesitate to help his sister out in times of need. Mabel is the polar opposite of Dipper; she is eccentric and impulsive, yet still maintains a level head when her brother needs her. Grunkle Stan is a stereotypical cranky old man obsessed with money and finding ways to scam his customers; most of the exhibits in the Mystery Shack are shams or fakes.

The real mysteries lie outside of the shack and in the town itself, as Dipper and Mabel discover. Every episode is guaranteed to have some sort of supernatural element; whether it is gnomes, man-o-taurs or ghosts. The Mystery Shack is also staffed by Soos, a lovable oaf, and Wendy, an apathetic but fun teenager. Soos mainly plays the role of a “big brother” to Dipper and Mabel, often accompanying them on their adventures. Wendy is the cashier at the Mystery Shack, yet it is clear that she would rather be hanging out with friends than work all day. Wendy has also won the heart of Dipper, yet Dipper is much too shy to act upon his feelings.

“Gravity Falls” also has an excellent voice cast. Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal lend their voices for Dipper and Mabel respectively, with Hirsch contributing to the voice cast as Grunkle Stan, Soos and various other characters. You’re also bound to hear some of the voices of the more recognized voice actors such as John DiMaggio, Grey DeLisle and Kevin Michael Richardson; if you’ve watched any amount of animation, you’re bound to hear at least one of their voices.

With a great story and clever writing, fantastic character development and an excellent voice cast, “Gravity Falls” has great potential to be one of the better animated shows playing on television. Even though some of you may be put off by the fact that it is labeled as a “cartoon” and could be seen as childish, “Gravity Falls” still can appeal to a variety of audiences.

Recommended: “Gravity Falls” is highly recommended, even to those who may not normally be into animation.