Gravity Falls Shorts
By Stephanie Morgan,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cartoon micro-episodes have witty humor and silly spooks.
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Gravity Falls Shorts
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What's the Story?
GRAVITY FALLS SHORTS is a spinoff of Gravity Falls and continues to follow the misadventures of twins Dipper (voiced by Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal) in the rustic, mysterious forest of Gravity Falls, Oregon, where they're sent for the summer to live with their curmudgeonly relative, Grunkle Stan (Alex Hirsch). In the shorts, footage is shown of the siblings filming a show they call "Dippers Guide to the Unexplained." In each episode of their show, they investigate a new Gravity Falls anomaly.
Is It Any Good?
Despite the three-minute run time of each episode, this series manage to retain many of the best parts of its longer counterpart. Gravity Falls Shorts has all the humor and charm of the regular-length series, with jokes and gags that a wide range of audiences will find amusing. Investigated anomaly #82, for example, looks into the guy who only faces to the left. Older viewers will appreciate the satirical references to things like overdone movie tropes while younger kids will find fun in Dipper's constant misadventures and Mabel's blunt teasing. Beware, though, letting kids burn through micro-episode after micro-episode could set up a problematic habit of wanting to watch "just one more." With only 17 episodes available, this isn't an issue that will last too long but it's something to be mindful about.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the supernatural questions that Gravity Falls raises. Do you believe in ghosts, monsters, and the other types of creatures that Dipper and Mabel encounter?
Talk about what happens in our brains when short pieces of content like this make us happy. Talk about how dopamine is created and the role it plays in technology addiction.
How do the characters in Gravity Falls demonstrate curiosity? Why is this an important character strength?
Is stereotyping a concern in this cartoon? Where do you draw the line between characterizations and stereotypes? Are stereotypes always harmful?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 4, 2013
- Cast: Jason Ritter , Kristen Schaal , Alex Hirsch
- Network: Disney+
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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