i finally watched gravity falls for the first time. i see now why it's so beloved. most of the time when watching something aimed for a younger audience, i sit around waiting for something engaging or not-so-trite to happen (i'm sorry but when i watched avatar: the last airbender at multiple friends' behest, the show bounced right off me. i certainly didn't like it as much as the other american anime-styled show of the 2000s: the boondocks. the syndicated comic strip is so worth reading btw). i like adventure time & over the garden wall and honestly a voice actor i like is enough for me to at least give a show a try, and i'm a fan of kristen schaal.
i did not expect the sense of humor to be so influenced by fellow oregon animated institution the simpsons. the similarities of the cadence of the jokes are hard for me to ignore. is i don't think i'm reaching when i say a "file photo" gag, mabel & dipper's eyes in the dark, and a once-per-season theremin-themed three story anthology episode are references. i don't believe this is a direct reference but i like how tad strange was a pun turned recurring character a la disco stu. maybe the idea for grunkle stan's fez came from akbar & jeff?
i did not know that matt chapman (one of the brothers chaps) was also involved a writer and voice actor. i used to love homestar runner and the simpsons. i still do, but i used to too. gravity falls' cult status is completely earned. it was gone too soon but i loved how happy soos was at the end.
there were a couple things i didn't like but they're all minor complaints. i didn't care for the increased serialization but that's just because i am a huge fan of the "monster of the week" format (buffy & angel, x-files & millenium, evil, eerie indiana). i also didn't care much for grunkle ford and missed his much funnier brother whenever he was onscreen. here's a totally unfair criticism: one of the things that contributes to the oregon sense of "weirdness" is all the serial killers hiding out in the woods. why weren't there any serial killer references in this disney cartoon? or references to poisoned salads in the dalles?
assorted thoughts:
and if you don't know who akbar and jeff are, now you do:
