Disney Sets Hour-Long Final Episode of "Gravity Falls" Airing For Feb. 15th.; Creator Alex Hirsch Explains Why He’s Ending the Show After 2 Seasons

The Emmy Award-winning quirky, popular Disney XD animated series Gravity Falls will reach its final showdown with a highly anticipated one-hour series finale episode that will air Monday February 15th (7:00 p.m., EST/PT).

Gravity Falls is coming to an end — a decision made by the show’s creator, Alex Hirsch.

“There’s no easy way to say it so I’m just going to say it: Gravity Falls is coming to an end,” Hirsch wrote on his Tumblr. 

“Gravity Falls” creator Alex Hirsch. (Photo by Greg De Stefano.)

“The first thing to know is that the show isn't being cancelled [in any way],” the frequently-flanneled series creator Alex Hirsch wrote on his Tumblr. “It’s being finished. This is 100% my choice, and it[’]s something I decided on a very long time ago. I always designed Gravity Falls to be a finite series about one epic summer- a series with a beginning, middle, and end. There are so many shows that go on endlessly until they lose their original spark, or mysteries that are cancelled before they ever get a chance to payoff.”

Hirsch has promised fans that these last episodes are leading to a finale that will answer some, but not all, questions about the show’s mysteries.

“I wanted Gravity Falls to have a mystery that had a real answer, an adventure that had a real climax, and an ending that had a real conclusion for the characters I care so much about,” the 30-year-old CalArts graduate wrote. “This is very unusual in television and a pretty big experiment, and Disney for their part has been enormously supportive. I know that hits are rare in this business, and its hard to let one of them go, so I’m so grateful that this company has had the vision to let me start (and end) the show the way I always wanted to.”

Disney XD released its own statement confirming the show’s end saying:

“Alex Hirsch had a masterful plan for the stories and characters of Gravity Falls and, through 40 episodes and 17 shorts, he and a team of outstanding writers, artists and actors consistently delivered an inspired and unique story. Alex made the decision to conclude the story at this time, and while we’re disappointed we all won’t have the opportunity to explore more of the Gravity Falls world, we respect his creative vision.”

Hirsch has left the door open for future Gravity Falls revivals, writing, “[J]ust because I’ve finished the story I wanted to tell doesn’t necessarily mean we will never see Dipper, Mabel, & Stan again. It means that this chapter is closed, and that I, at least for now, am personally done telling their story.”

He has not announced a new project, but encourages his fans to follow him on Twitter for future news.

Gravity Falls ‘Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls’

In the episode titled "Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back The Falls," Ford discovers Bill's true motives and then a final confrontation with Bill leads to the family's ultimate fate and greatest sacrifice. Starring Jason Ritter ("Parenthood") as Dipper and Kristen Schaal ("The Last Man on Earth") as Mabel, the animated adventure-comedy series was created and is executive-produced by Alex Hirsch. The series will continue to be presented daily on Disney XD and Disney Channels around the world.

Disney Publishing will release the official Gravity Falls: Journal 3 that appears within the TV series and is an integral part of the "Gravity Falls" story, in July 2016. 

Additionally, celebrating the series finale, a half-hour program introducing exclusive facts about the series, featuring special commentary from Hirsch and hosted by "Gravity Falls" character Time Baby, will air Monday February 8th  (8:00 p.m., EST/PT) on Disney XD. 

And finally, Disney XD will present a 68-hour marathon of Gravity Falls episodes beginning Friday February 12th (11:00 p.m., ET/PT). The new interactive game Gravity Falls: Take Back The Falls, allowing players to help Dipper and Mabel save the world, will launch on WATCH Disney XD in mid-February.
Since its premiere in June 2012, Gravity Falls has captivated millions of kids and families with its comedic storytelling, unique mysteries and beloved characters. In the U.S., it is the #1 series in Disney XD's history in total viewers and all target kid and boy demographics, and accounts for the network's Top 10 regular animated-series telecasts of all time in Kids 6-11 and the Top 6 in Boys 6-11. In addition to two Emmy Awards, the series won this year's Children's British Academy of Film and Television Award (BAFTA) and has garnered two Annie Awards.
Inspired by Hirsch's real-life adventures with his twin sister, Gravity Falls follows twin brother and sister Dipper and Mabel Pines on an adventure of a lifetime when they spend the summer with their great uncle, Grunkle Stan, in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, Oregon.
In addition to Ritter and Schaal, Gravity Falls stars Hirsch as Grunkle Stan and Soos, and Linda Cardellini as Wendy. The recurring cast includes J.K. Simmons as Ford, Will Forte as Tyler the Cute Biker, Jennifer Coolidge as Lazy Susan, Stephen Root as Bud Gleeful, T.J. Miller as Robbie, Gregg Turkington as Toby Determined, Kevin Michael Richardson as Sheriff Blubs, Keith Ferguson as Deputy Durland and Thurop Van Orman as Li'l Gideon Gleeful. Renowned guest stars throughout the series' two seasons have included Neil deGrasse Tyson, Nick Offerman, Larry King, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Patton Oswalt, Lance Bass, Coolio and John Oliver.
Gravity Falls is produced by Disney Television Animation, and carries a TV-Y7 parental guideline.

I can't believe I'm saying this, as a fan of Gravity Falls, but I like this idea. A show like Gravity Falls, one with an ongoing storyline building toward a designated finale, isn't meant to go on and on forever. In fact, I think Western animation needs more of this-- more limited-format series that tell in-depth stories. I hate it when a good cartoon goes on until it inevitably sucks hard enough to get cancelled for low ratings. I hate how that's the usual intent for shows in this country. I love Hirsch for fighting the system. I figured it would end now, considering the events in recent episodes. While I'm sad to see it go, I admire Hirsch's decision to stop the show while it's still in it's prime and not drag it out.

I love Gravity Falls. Alex Hirsch ran with the opportunity given to him to make one of the best animated series we've seen on Disney. And he did it his way. I would like to thank Alex Hirsch and everyone else involved for making such a great and phenomenal series. It will be missed. Whether he comes back with the Pine family, or another project with a whole set of new characters, I know it will be awesome. It's been a wild ride, and I'm looking forward to his return after a nice deserved break and what's next for Hirsch's team. Godspeed Alex!