The revival of Gravity Falls reminds me how great the show is
It’s been eight years already Gravity waterfalls is over, but the fandom is experiencing a mini-renaissance. It’s all thanks to Bill’s Book, a new accompanying text (like a book with a page dedicated to dumb straws, a direct excerpt from The Great Gatsbyand a two-page ad for demonic Precious Moments-inspired trinkets can be considered “text”) written by the show’s creator, Alex Hirsch. It’s the first solid piece of Gravity waterfalls content in a while, and that’s why I’ve seen more Gravity Falls fan art on social media in the past few weeks than I have in the past eight years. Judging by the nearly month-long stronghold that Gravity waterfalls And Gravity waterfalls-associated terms have had on Tumblr’s Weekly Fandom Roundups (and anecdotal evidence from my friends on TikTok), I’m not alone.
A lot of the fan art revolves around Bill Cipher, the triangular demonic entity who narrates the book, and Stanford Pines, the mysterious paranormal investigator great-uncle of the two main characters. The book really leans into their relationship, almost confirming that they were romantically involved. Naturally, fans have taken that and run with it, and they really enjoy the toxic exes vibe that the book reveals.
But it’s not just Bill and Ford having their big moment: there’s a general revival of Gravity waterfallsand all the characters join in. (It also helped that Dipper and Mabel’s birthdays canonically fall on August 31st, meaning the usual annual chorus of fans wishing them a happy birthday was even louder this year.)
People pore over the pages of the book, focusing on small details, the same way they used to dissect screenshots to try to predict where the series was going. There’s a lot of thought — not to mention background jokes — that goes into every frame and page of Gravity waterfalls material and I love seeing people notice the little bits that I missed the first time around.
But aside from those clues and hints and Alex Hirsch’s Excessive TrollingI’m just glad I remember what a great show Gravity waterfalls is. It started out simple, with a monster-of-the-week premise as Dipper and Mabel had new paranormal encounters, but eventually fans started to pick up on a larger overarching mystery. I wasn’t necessarily one to pore over every new screenshot with my own theories, but it was always a lot of fun to see others do. And because I started watching the show a little after it aired, I could keep looking for the clues I already knew. (What can I say? I’m pro-spoiler.) Seeing people approach the book with the same passion reminds me of how much fun it was to read people who Gravity waterfalls: not just the theories, but also the relationships between the characters and the crazy world building that made it so special.
One of the show’s greatest strengths was how weird it could get, putting fun twists on typical paranormal tropes. The bar was set in the first episode, with Mabel developing a crush on a brooding, pale boy who Dipper assumed was a zombie. He was actually a couple of goblins in hoodies. There were all sorts of fun twists and subversions to the supernatural antics, but at the same time, the show could get pretty damn weird. scaryIt’s just a wonderful and crazy time, full of humor and creativity. Gravity waterfalls really set the bar for what Disney Channel animation could be. Unfortunately, people at Disney Channel don’t seem to realize that, and other shows that followed in its footsteps, such as The Owl House, still being shortchanged.
But we will always have Gravity waterfalls. And the fandom is still there – and stronger than ever, thanks to Bill’s Book. Sometimes it can be a little bittersweet to revisit an old favorite, like looking back on childhood summers and not quite being able to grasp the same joy. But the renewed passion proves to me, at least, that there was something so special about this quirky show.
Gravity waterfalls is available to stream on Disney Plus.