Gravity Falls Review: "Weirdmageddon III - Take Back The Falls" (Season 2, Episode 20)

Massive Inter-dimensional pyramid with bowtie used mega fist pound! It's not very effective.

Airdate: February 15th, 2016

Synopsis: After going through the sugar-coated hell that was Mabeland, Dipper, Mabel, Soos, and Wendy team up with a group of refugees taking shelter in the Mystery Shack alongside Stan. There, they devise a plan to rescue Ford and bring down Bill. Thing is, Stan is remiss over rescuing somebody he feels screwed up purely on impulse. He begrudgingly goes along, but his feud with Ford almost brings the Pines family - and, on a larger scale, the entire town of Gravity Falls, Oregon - to the brink of death.

Review: First off, a personal note. I can't believe that this is the last one of these new-episode reviews that I'll do for this show. Sure, I'll re-review the show in the not-too distant future, maybe set up a "tribute" site, but it won't really feel the same. The waiting for every Gravity Falls episode will never be experienced again.

With that said...

"Ah, summer break. A time for leisure, recreation, and taking her easy... unless you're me. My name is Dipper - the girl about to puke is my sister, Mabel. You may be wondering what we're doing in a golf cart, fleeing from a creature of unimaginable horror.

Rest assured - there's a perfectly logical explanation..."

On June 15th, 2012, with those words, we were introduced to the world of Gravity Falls, thanks to the Disney Channel. Initially coming off as merely a quirky Disney cartoon, within 22 minutes, the show unveiled itself as something more complex and brilliant. What was Grunkle Stan doing at the end of that last episode? Who did write that journal? As it turns out, we were about to go on a beautiful journey.

Forty-four months later (to the day, no less), the long, long, long summer ended. So, how did this last episode close it all out?

Warning before we go further... spoilers are legion. Watch the episode before you go any further. I am dead. Serious.

Movie Review: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

"The battle for galactic peace has begun..." (Screencap from Wikipedia, poster by John Alvin.)

Premiere: December 6th, 1991

Synopsis: The moon that provides the Klingon Empire's energy suffers a major disaster, releasing ozone onto the planet. This potentially condemns the empire to a maximum of fifty years, should the planet not reign in it's military expenditures. The Federation is ready to broker a treaty between them and the empire, and sends Captain James T Kirk and the Enterprise out to make a truce. Thing is, Kirk doesn't trust the Klingons - something about them stabbing his son and wrecking his old ship doesn't endear them to him.

Just after a series of awkward talks between the Klingon Ambassadors and the Enterprise (appointed ambassadors), the latter ship fires on the former's ship, killing the Klingon Chancellor. With no knowledge on who did it, Kirk and Dr McCoy stand trial and face life in prison, and the two forces appear on the brink of war.

Review: Well, it took far longer than I expected (again, my apologies), but here we are. The last movie solely based off of Star Trek: The Original Series, and the last film produced during Gene Roddenberry's lifetime (he died a month and a half before the premiere, but got an advance screening two days before he died).

After the utter disaster that was Star Trek V, nobody was sure what to do with Star Trek VI. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that it was the franchise's 25th anniversary, and that TNG had done alright in the ratings so far, Paramount probably would've sunk Star Trek into history. After waffling around as to what the plot would be, the end result is actually a genuinely moving film - an arguably overlooked classic in the Trek canon.

(Warning: spoilers. Proceed at your own peril. Or disappointment. Hey, it's a movie.)

Gravity Falls Review: "Dipper and Mabel Vs. The Future" (Season 2, Episode 17)

The truth is... surprisingly, not that far out there. (Small note, but building that bridge must've required some awesome engineering.)

Airdate: October 12th, 2015

Synopsis: Mabel is elated - the end of August marks her and Dipper's 13th birthday, and she's planning a celebration to mark both the occasion and put a massive cap on the summer. Excited for everything, her happiness is slowly quashed as the world she once knew begins to fall apart. Wendy pops her bubble about high school, there can't be a party at the shack itself, and her best friends can't come to a party.

Meanwhile, Dipper and Ford go looking for a super-adhesive glue to try and seal a crack in the globe that holds the rift between the universes. To do this, they wind up going under Gravity Falls... a town founded over a UFO. (Arnold Rimmer has been vindicated.) After a series of strange events, Ford offers Dipper a proposal - stay in Gravity Falls after the summer ends, and become his apprentice in mystery solving.

When the two plots intersect... the end results are not good, to say the very least.

Review (WARNING, LONG REVIEW. ALSO, SPOILERS FOR VARIOUS PIECES OF MEDIA): Shortly before the premiere of "Roadside Attraction", Alex Hirsch tweeted something to the effect that "RA" was a "breather episode" before the epic episode afterwards. Reading that, I thought that this episode would change the show's canon on a scale unseen since "Not What He Seems."

Well, it turns out, I was wrong.

For "Dipper and Mabel vs the Future" has less changed the status quo... and more curled the status quo in a ball, flung said ball out the window, and sent it barreling towards the sun at speeds so fast, the Millennium Falcon wouldn't be able to catch up.

I'm not even sure how else to put it, other than this episode is undeniably the most stunning in the history of the show.

Gravity Falls Review: "The Last Mabelcorn" (Season 2, Episode 15)

Warning: neither moment nor episode are as lighthearted as this picture makes them out to be.

Airdate: September 7th, 2015

Synopsis: Tortured by a nightmare of Bill Cipher, Ford asks that Mabel go and find a unicorn, so that he can use it's locks to help build a force field. Alongside Wendy, Candy, and Grenda, Mabel actually manages to stumble across a unicorn village. The unicorn nearest the front gate declares that she will give her hair to the one "pure of heart". Mabel doesn't necessarily fit that, though. Cue emotional crisis!!!!

Meanwhile, Ford and Dipper use a machine to try and encrypt their minds, in an attempt to protect themselves from mindjacking via Bill. What happens is... weird, to say the very least.

Review (MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD - READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION): Always! I wanna be with you! And make believe with you! And live in harmony, harmony! Oh, yeah!

Uh, sorry about that. Curse you, Andy and Vince!

Anyway... unicorns. Those mystical magical horses are among the most used fictional animals in fantasy works. Their powers, their pointy horns, their hybrid of grace and power all contribute to the unicorn's staying power in the fantasy canon. I believe that the unicorn itself gained it's most recent spike in popularity with the use of Twilight Sparkle, one of the protagonists of the cult hit My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic. Many new "unicorns" have been used since then and have gained cult followings, such as recurring antagonist Pony Head from Star Vs. The Forces of Evil.

Naturally, Gravity Falls, being a part-fantasy show, needed to take it's stab at it in one episode this season. And wow, was that a great episode. An awesome episode, in fact.

But how awesome was it?

Gravity Falls Review: "A Tale of Two Stans" (Season 2, Episode 12)

Weird Science!

Airdate: July 13th, 2015

Synopsis: After a whole bunch of madness, Stan's brother has returned from the abyss - uh, portal. He is not thrilled, slapping Stan as his first action outside the portal. With Dipper and Mabel confused as to what the hell is going on, Stan decides to go way back...

...Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey, early 1960s.

Stan and Stanford - referred in this review henceforth as Ford - were the closest of brothers, with the two going on lookouts for mysterious goods, and Stan coming to Ford's defense - which happened a lot, as Ford had six fingers due to a birth defect. The two plan to grow up, get on a boat they found in a cave, travel the world. However, it all goes to naught when Ford is offered a full ride to West Coast Tech, provided his science project impresses the advisors. In a fit of rage, Stan accidentally breaks the device - a perpetual motion machine - the night before. The family's chances of financial greatness sullied, Ford sits back as their parents chuck Stan out.

After Ford gets a PhD at a... less prestigious school, he goes on investigating the anomalies of the US. He winds up in Gravity Falls, Roadkill County, Oregon, and constructs a device that could transport him to another dimension, which he believes is the source of the town's anomalies.

Meanwhile, Stan tries to impress his parents by making a fortune as a traveling salesman. End result? He's banned from Jersey, chucked out of Pennsylvania, winds up in various prisons, and is almost half-broke by the time he meets his brother again, in Gravity Falls.

Review: It's BACK!!!!!! AGAIN!!!! Jeez, being a fan of this show requires you to have a ton of patience. Anyway, enough about that - after all this time waiting, theorizing, fanfic-writing, freaking out about how long each hiatus is, how was the episode?

Gorgeous.

(WARNING: SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON. WATCH THE EPISODE BEFORE READING ON. UNLESS YOU DON'T MIND SPOILERS. THAT'S COOL.)

Gravity Falls Review: Season 1, Episode 3: "Headhunters"

Three figures, only one with dignity
In fair Oregon, where we lay our scene.
From retro grudge to break a nouveaux peace
Where wax-made hands make wooden floors unclean.
From forth the fatal hands of Mabel Pines
A wax figure of Stan loses his head.
But Stanford's wax head had no connection
To Archibald Cox and eighteen minute gaps.

Airdate: June 30, 2012

Synopsis: Dipper, Mabel, and Soos stumble across a hidden room in the Mystery Shack. Said room is full of wax figurines. Stan reveals that he once had a wax museum, but it didn't bode too well for him financially. He decides to reopen it, and commissions Mabel to make a new figure. She makes one based off of Stan. The figure itself, plus the poorly-organized press conference announcing the relaunch, makes the wax museum fail once again.

The night after the press conference, the wax figure is decapitated. With the cops on other business, Dipper and Mabel set out to find the vandal. Who is the vandal? Well, let's just say they were close to wax Stan... and far from regular Stan.

Review (SPOILERS): One of the many, many, many things that drives people to watch Gravity Falls is the relationships between the characters - especially between our protagonists. After all, many TV shows showcase something of a power struggle between siblings, or partners/bosses in detective-type shows.

What makes Gravity Falls unique in this regard is the relatively egalitarian relationship between Dipper and Mabel. This episode cements this idea. Neither of them are a "leader" or a "follower" - they both participate in the investigation, contributing equally, while adding their own quirks to make the characters relatable.

We got a glimpse of that at the end of "Tourist Trapped" and during parts of "Legend of the Gobblewonker". However, in the latter, the two were buoyed by Soos, and the latter was more to introduce the characters, with the dynamics being secondary. Here, the focus is on Dipper and Mabel. The dynamic that they have is brilliantly played - whatever conflict there is between them comes not from a desire of power, but due to their contrasting personalities.

It really is refreshing to see a show without a battle in the balance of power. Granted, shows like that are not to be knocked: House of Cards (both versions) and Red Dwarf showcase an antagonistic relationship between the main character and another character or two or ten. However, not every show can be Lister v Rimmer, or Frank Underwood v the President. It's nice to see a friendly relationship such as the one between Dipper and Mabel written so well.

Their plot is actually intriguing enough as it is - not only is the twist generally, uh, "twisty", but the climax is actually pretty scary. It's the first time the show actually went into a sense of terror, rather than just use peril for comedy.

One might wonder whether the wax figures were really nuts before their interactions with Stan, or whether being locked away drove them mad. That's our moral dilemma for the episode - relatively small, but worth thinking about.

John Oliver (Last Week Tonight) does a brilliant job as Wax Sherlock Holmes - managing to convey a form of comedy and terrifying leadership in his character. Oh, and getting Coolio and Larry King to guest star? Ignore the hiatus - this really shows what Disney thinks of the show; they had so much faith in it, and were so impressed, that the third episode got high-end voice actors. Brilliant.

That's not even getting into the rest of the characters. Sherrif Blubs, Deputy Durland, and Toby Determined, as far as gag and minor characters go, are all brilliantly written, multi-dimensional, and hysterical. Kevin Michael Richardson, Keith Ferguson, and Greg Turkington are all fantastic voice actors.

While not a "must watch" episode, it's definitely a fun one, showing the show's evolution in the three episodes alone.

Trivia:

• While Stan's reaction to losing his wax self might seem exaggerated, recent events do show a... darker side to this loss. Still, a bit egocentric, eh?
• Come to think about it, Soos's keyboard is a bit tragic, given that he got it on the day that he realised his dad was a damn deadbeat!
• When I first did the review, I read on the Gravity Falls Wiki that one of the detectives on Duck-Tective was voiced by Gavin McTarvish, who voiced Warden Ackerman in Series VIII of Red Dwarf. Turns out that was just a rumour. Also, I said in that review something along the lines of "weak Dwarf is better than no Dwarf." In hindsight... not so much.
• One thing I don't like is that they gave Richard Nixon... nothing. C'mon. Nixon would've been awesome. Two words: Billy. West.

Favorite Scene: The botched exposure of Toby Determined, including... "Your little knees must be sore... from jumping to conclusions!" Yeah, it's corny, but there's also a hint of character in it. 

Least Favorite Scene: Take out the "Duck-tective" scenes - not because they're not funny, mind you, but because they're unnecessary - and you would get just a bit more wax figure lines and action. Thankfully, "Duck-tective" does help flesh out Dipper and Mabel's character, so it's not a total write off.

Score: 9

Gravity Falls Review: Season 2, Episode 4: "Sock Opera"

"WE HAVE A TITLE!"- Joel and the Bots, MST3K ("I Accuse My Parents")

Airdate: September 8, 2014

Synopsis: Mabel's "boyfriend of the week" is a puppet snob. Getting trapped in a lie, she needs to produce a decent puppet show. This interferes with Dipper's goal to secure the password to the laptop they found a couple of episodes back. Running out of options and time, he manages to come across a certain isosceles monster, who is willing to make a deal... seemingly.

Review: While Gravity Falls normally has awesome character development, a sizable chunk of it has been centered on Dipper and Stan. Mabel seems to have been put behind as far as character development goes. This episode goes far in trying to flesh her out, and in doing so, continues a streak of fantastic episodes.

Gravity Falls Review: "Into the Bunker" (Season 2, Episode 2)

"This baby is called the Withstandinator. It can take a six megaton blast. No more. No less." -Herman, The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror VIII"

Airdate: August 4th, 2014

Synopsis: Dipper is at the end of his wits when it comes to his relationship with Wendy: he needs to confess, yet also refuses to. A botched attempt at a confession drives Wendy into one of Dipper's investigations: exploring the bunker under the tree where 3 was first found. As Dipper, Wendy, Mabel, and Soos dive down into the bunker, events conspire that drive Dipper closer to the breaking point, the duo to what seems to be a figure of local lore, and the quartet close to their demise.

*WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK*

Review: Last time the writers dedicated an episode to the faux-supercouple of Wendy and Dipper, the relationship between the two bottomed out. For those unawares, after Wendy broke up with Robbie, Dipper tried to get Wendy on the rebound. Wendy responded by blasting Dipper and Robbie's misogynistic, self-serving manoeuvres, before running off distraught.

That episode was "Boyz Crazy", which was my favourite episode when I first reviewed it. It's dark themes in both its plot and subplot were striking, yet also realistic. They showed a darker side to our favourite characters.

"Into the Bunker" seems to be an attempt to finally put something of a confirmation to where Dipper and Wendy stand. In so doing, they have made an episode that further reaffirmed just how far the writing for the show has gone.

Gravity Falls Review: Season 2, Episode 1: "Scaryoke"

Airdate: August 1st, 2014

Synopsis: With Gideon finally secured in a local prison, the Mystery Shack holds a mixer to try and celebrate something of a return to the status quo. Pretty much the entire town is invited to the party. However, Stan's activation of his device in the basement alerts the federal government to the town. Dipper tries to convince the feds that the town is strange... to the point where he raises the dead and wrecks the party.

*WARNING: SOME SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON. READ AT OWN RISK*

Review: To quote Red Dwarf's Dave Lister... "SHE RIDES!"

Gravity Falls comes back, and it comes back with a bang! I'll put it this way: it was worth the year-long hiatus.

Want more? So do I!

Red Dwarf Review: Series VI, Episode 3: "Gunmen of the Apocalypse"

Airdate: 21 October, 1993

Synopsis: As Lister is in the TIV machine (dating various characters), the wackos aboard Starbug are intercepted by Rouge Simulants, who just happen to despise humans and humanoids. An attempt to trick them fails (said attempt involves googly-eyes), and they are put to sleep. They are woken up, to find that the shuttle has been upgraded in terms of weaponry... so that they can battle.

Thanks to the Cat's theories (and his dismissal of Tom and Jerry logic), the crew manage to destroy the Simulants. However, the Simulants go out with a bang; they inject a virus into Starbug that shuts down their controls, sending them hurling to a lava-moon. Fearing a wreck, Kryten wires himself into the computer to beat the virus. Said computer and virus manifests as a TIV-style game set in the Wild West, where Kryten is a cowardly, burnt-out drunkard of a sheriff put up against the "Apocalypse Boys", who want him out of town.

Fearing for their lives, the gang wires themselves into the game to take down the virus, giving themselves strategic advantages via the "special powers". Thus, the ballad of The Riviera Kid, Dangerous Dan McGrew, and Brett Riverboat begins. They have to deal with cowboys, bar-maids, and the risk of the loss of "special powers".

Review: I've noticed one thing about this series that really stands out. To be specific, that would have to be the pseudo-sequels that have made up most of the series; episodes that took strong elements from earlier episodes. "Psirens" was something of a sequel to "Camille", "Legion" had elements of "Queeg" and "Justice", "Rimmerworld" holds elements from "Terrorform" and "Meltdown", "Out of Time" holds elements from "Stasis Leak", and "Emohawk: Polymorph II" is a 3-in-1 package ("Polymorph", "Dimension Jump", and "Back to Reality").

"Gunmen" is no exception; it really feels like a sequel to "Better Than Life". I've mentioned before that "Better Than Life" holds a place in my heart; it was the episode that hooked me on Red Dwarf once and for all. This episode is also spectacular; in the somewhat lacklustre Series VI, this episode is awesome.

Most of it has to do with it's inventive and carefully-created plot. The Wild West has been something of a centrepiece of science fiction television. Star Trek did it thrice (in Enterprise, The Original Series, and The Next Generation). Doctor Who did it a couple of times (the obscure-ish "Gunfighters" and the recent "A Town Called Mercy"). Naturally, Red Dwarf had to not just do it, but parody it, interject it in a creative manner, and above all, make it funny.

And parody they did. Oh, and don't forget interjecting it in a creative manner. The drinks scene, the fight scenes, and the dynamic between the characters are comic knocks on the Western cliches. What starts one fight? Rimmer does not react well to a drink poured at the saloon.

Note that every time Cat pulls out his guns, he does not directly hit anybody; rather, due to the application of his "special ability" of creative shooting, he either knocks bullets out of the air, or knocks a sign down on somebody, knocking him out cold. No blood is shed. Oh, and Cat acts like such an exaggerated version of a stereotypical Latin dancer. The Riviera Kid: the awesomeness of a sheriff, the gracefulness of, well, a Cat.

Rimmer also get a chance to get into typical barfights. The parody comes in Dan McGee's behaviour; despite getting into fistfights, he's still quite a bit of a coward, still really aspires to the upper class, and still isn't that bright. He finally gets something on his side; his physical strength is increased. Yet, it's clear that all this has really done is boosted his ego. Once his special power gets damaged he's back to the same old cowardly Rimmer. As much as Rimmer might be more one-dimensional this series than ever before, this is still an awesome reminder of something going right for him... and having it cruelly taken away. The writing for him is quintesential Red Dwarf; instead of just being a jackass, he is a man kept down by life itself.

Lister gets some throwbacks to his Series I and II childish behaviour, albeit not in the western itself. It's found in his initial use of the TIV, which is to go on various dates and one-night stands. Also, his attempt at diplomacy with the Simulants results in what is considered one of the funnier scenes in Red Dwarf history.

Oh, here's how you DON'T do diplomacy.

Just... fantastic.

Kryten's Dwarfer traits have manifested in the TIV. There, desperate, he becomes a drunken wreck. I took it as Kryten showing a deep-seated reluctance to serve a slob, a narcissist, and an all-around wreck of a man. Of course, I might be looking too deep into his actions.

The sets and special effects are awesome, especially by BBC standards. I love models in this series. It would be a damn shame if they ever converted to CGI for the purposes of staying "modern" and developing cheap sci-fi plots.

It would be like The Simpsons making Elf-like Jockeys the villains for an episode, or Star Trek putting an entire episode in sickbay for the purposes of innuendo and sexual tension. Thank god those are just worst-case scenarios and never manifested... right?

Probably my biggest problems with this episode include the pacing (it seems to feel a bit too lanky at the beginning of the episode, and thus, a bit too rushed at the end of the episode) and the re-use of the sitcom gags (although these are funner this time around). Otherwise, we have a pretty good outing, one that really elevated the standing of Series VI as a whole.

Tidbits:

• The BBC's Head of Art and Entertainment, Janet Street-Portier, actually got hold of the script. She informed Grant/Naylor that the episode would be way too expensive and complex, and thus, demanded production be shut down. Her memo came down just in time for the episode to be in post-production. 
• One year earlier, Star Trek: The Next Generation aired an episode similar to this, called "A Fistful of Datas". It's actually not a bad episode in and of itself, even though it falls victim to some TNG-era cliches (Data wanting to be more human, the Holodeck breaking down, etc.)
• Speaking of which, Patrick Stewart managed to catch this episode during an airing. Thinking it was a ripoff of "Fistful", Stewart almost threw a lawsuit at the BBC. Then he began laughing...
• The noir-type game at the beginning is a parody of the somewhat obscure 1971 UK film Gumshoe, which was set in Liverpool. 
• This episode was written main plot first; the Simulant plot came after.
• Personal opinion; the music here is perfect. Do I have to mention the ending theme? It's simply perfect.
• For an episode that almost got shut down by the BBC's arts department and almost got Grant/Naylor sued, this episode...
• Won an International Emmy in 1994;
• Topped Red Dwarf polls in 1994 and 1997
• Ranked second in 1999;
• And, after a 10-point drop in 2008, was bumped up to #3 in 2013.

Favourite Scene: Pretty much everything from the Vindaloovian scene to just before the final battle. It's some of the best Red Dwarf ever.

Least Favourite Scene: The noir scene just goes on too long.

Score: 9. It deserved it's smeggin' Emmy!

Gravity Falls Review: "Gideon Rises" (Season 1, Episode 20)

Airdate: August 2nd, 2013

Took a page out of Duloc, eh?

Synopsis: With Gideon now in control of the Mystery Shack- uh, I mean Gideonland- the Pines Family (and Soos) have to crash at Soos's Grandmother's house. The world seems to be falling apart; Gideon has Waddles, the kids have nowhere to go, Stan's store is gone, and Wendy will be shipped off to her cousin's logging camp if she can't hold a job in Gravity Falls. (In this economy? Enjoy the logging camp!) Threatened with being sent back to Piedmont, CA for the rest of Summer, the twins have to resort to drastic measures to try and take down the shack.

As this is happening, Gideon reveals the reason de jure for his takeover of the shack... as the last traces of his sanity evaporate. Stan, meanwhile, is trying to get used to the fact that his life is all but trashed... when he notices something fishy with the Gideonland buttons

Review (SPOILERS MIGHT BE AHEAD): Let's get this out of the way; the ending. I can't say I enjoyed the basics of it that much, given that everybody and their mother expected it. In a show that twists and turns every other day of the week, this just seems like a weak end. Still, can't fault the excellent music and the creative visuals.

Hell, you can't fault the episode that much. It really is pretty damn good.

Again, the raison d'etre for my love of Gravity Falls comes in the characters and their development and interactions. And might I say, these are some of the finest we've seen our characters at this point. First would have to be Gideon. Between his knowledge of the history of the secret in the Shack, and the construction of the Gideon-Bot, we see just how manipulatively intelligent he is.

To segway a bit, remember the beginning of the first book?

In Gravity Falls, there is no one you can trust.

We'll go into this line a bit later in the season wrap up. Rather appropriately, that applies to Gideon and his relationship with the town. He manages to con and manipulate the town over god-knows-how-long to try and access a great power. The facade and propaganda manages to keep the town by his side, even after the robot is wrecked, Gideon accuses the twins of trying to assassinate him via dynamite.

Dipper, meanwhile, loses his trust in himself after he not only loses the book, but is also given a verbal beatdown from Gideon himself over the simple fact that he possessed the book. Gideon puts it best;

Every victory you've had was because of your precious book... No muscles? No brains?... You're nothing without this book.

Yet, without the book, Dipper managed to take down Gideon. How? Going back to character development, unlike Gideon, who has committed god-knows-how-many felonies, Dipper has honour. Once Gideon captures Mabel, Dipper finally goes in for a full-blown attack against the kid. Here's a tip for those who value their lives; Do. Not. Mess. With. Mabel.

Mabel takes less of an action-oriented role than in "Dreamscaperers". However, in a moment where the two seem to be close to death, Mabel pulls out the Grappling Hook from "Tourist Trapped". Truly, the Chekov's Gun trope has been applied in full force.

Soos seems to retain his role as the "jack of all trades" - strangely enough, despite being a master of nothing, his roles help save the plot. His seemingly goofy persona helps make his heroic actions that much more awesome.

Admittedly, Wendy does not get much of a role in this one. However, whatever scenes she did have gave me hope for the future. Why? She proves that the last ties between her and Robbie are cut. Apparently, being lied to in terms of creativity does nothing for her. Let's just hope this marks her shifting into more of an independent role and less of a "thrust Dipper into puberty" role.

And Stan... whoa. Stan proves once and for all that he will protect and defend the twins... even if it means sending them back to California, as he has no money to raise them. Hell, contrast his reaction to the twins having no food against a line in "Dipper v. Manliness", where he orders the kids... ketchup for breakfast. That's certainly not the character we see here. Once Stan realises something is fishy with the Gideon buttons thanks to his hearing aid, he goes out and tries to get Gideon locked up. Is it selfish because he always wanted Gideon out of his hair? Maybe. However, it also shows another example on how not every hero is a selfless knight in shining armour; that they can be selfish, slobbish, and rather manipulative.

But how did Stan figure out the truth about Gideon's buttons so suddenly? That's a pretty damn good question... which might lead to further questions if and when it's answered next season.

This episode also relies a bit on call-backs... and they are really used effectively. They could've used the Manotaurs to try and take down Gideon. No. They used the foot-tall gnomes. Admittedly, it also shows that as awesome as Dipper and Mabel are, they are still kids, and thus, may not think things through that well.

The visual effects are pretty good, albeit not the best this show has done. The Gideon-bot, to be honest, sort of reminds me of Futurama, what with putting CGI special effects in an otherwise cartoonish show. However, background shots are the strength of this particular episode. Look at this one, for example.

Not only is this the image of a man that has hit rock bottom, but look at the kitchen. That is not an acceptable kitchen, especially for two 12-year olds.  Add to that the presence of the shadows, and the shading, and you have a screenshot that shows just how well animated this show is.

Again, the ending was a tad bit predictable, and that does drag the score down a tiny bit. However, the rest of the episode is fantastic. A wonderful end to a great first season!

Favourite Scene: Hard to pick, but it would have to be Mabel using her grappling hook... to help rescue herself and Dipper.

Least Favourite Scene: Personally, I wasn't a fan of the reveal that Soos was the bus driver, but only because the Pines twins should've known when they first boarded the bus. Really though, it's not a bad scene; it's just my least favourite.

Rating: 9

Gravity Falls Review: Season 1, Episode 19: "Dreamscaperers"

Airdate: July 12, 2013

Ah, Bill! Keep on laughing, you morally ambiguous wacko.

Synopsis: Back for revenge against the Mystery Shack... again... Gideon is driven over the edge. Taking out book #2, he summons Bill Cypher, a mind demon with the power to enter and control the subconscious, so that Gideon can gain control of the safe and steal the deed. Bill goes into Stan's mind. Dipper has to summon himself into the mind of Grunkle Stan... just as relations between the two seem to have hit an all time low. As the gang crosses the mindscape to try and hunt Bill Cypher, the way Stan's mind works is slowly unveiled, as Dipper realises how Stan treats the kid, and why he does the things he does.

Review (SPOILERS MAY BE AND ARE AHEAD): In February of 2014, I reviewed "Boyz Crazy" and declared it to be my favourite episode of the series thus far, due to it's use of Shakespearian tragicomedy and questionable motives amongst every single character. It really was the closest thing Gravity Falls ever came to nihilism.

However, remember: just because it's my favourite does not mean it was the most well produced episode. That honour goes to "Dreamscaperers". I swear to you, the survey on the Gravity Falls Wiki shows "Dreamscaperers" in a commanding lead for "Best Episode", and it seems to be there for at least the next few months. (The new season premieres over Summer).

Strangely enough, some of the features of "Dreamscaperers" oppose those of "Boyz Crazy". "Boyz Crazy" focused on the darker underbelly of our main characters, and the connections between them being threatened; "Dreamscaperers" focuses on the development of the supernatural features and a more positive side to the characters, especially Stan.

We get a peek in Stan's memories, which literally gives him the most complete backstory of the main characters so far. I used to compare Dipper to Red Dwarf's Arnold Rimmer, due to Dipper's own neurosis, organisational tendencies, and pride. However, as I rewatched the episodes, I slowly realised that the comparison, while justified, was not the best matchup. The reason? Dipper, past his moments of selfishness, neurosis, and pride, is actually one to practise self-improvement, selflessness, and will always come to the defence of other characters.

I now have to give the comparison to Stan, due to the tragic backstory the two had, as well as their cynical, self-serving actions. Yet, whereas Rimmer's childhood was played for comedy and was not used as an excuse for his behaviour, Stan's childhood was played in a much more tragic light, and used to show just why he became the man he is today; he's a jaded man, cynical because of the cards life dealt him. He doesn't want Dipper to turn into him; a weak man who is beaten into cynicism and selfishness.

We also see Mabel really take on a leadership role in the episode. Whereas Dipper has normally taken on the role of team leader, he's too derailed by his own self-interests and cynicism for much of the episode. It's Mabel who sends the crew into action against Bill Cypher. Yet she still keeps her eccentric behaviour and quirks.

And may we also give Bill Cypher a hand here? Sure, the first time you watch, he's a perfectly affable guy, who is merely a slave to the journal holder. Yet, we get to see a darker side to the "Isosceles Monster", as he has the power to manipulate the human mind, connect with people who are outright cruel (Gideon), and tortures the crew by bringing their worst nightmares to life. To go off on a tangent, that last part reminds me of the Red Dwarf episode "Back to Reality", an episode which is not only one I will review in the coming weeks, but an episode considered the zenith of it's franchise. Bringing the worst nightmares of people to life is, again, nothing new, but it also plays into the characters: Soos, despite bouts of maturity, still has the mind of a child, and Mabel also has the level of self awareness that makes her quirkiness just awesome enough to work.

Sorry for the tangent; back to Bill. He really is ambiguous; is he looking out for his own power and out to cause mischef, or is he only forced to do what people command him to do? Is he a wise being, or is he just using scare tactics? Is he the product of a Gravity Falls figurehead? What could be behind this character?

Last but not least on the Character chart, Gideon. We already know from "The Hand That Rocks the Mabel" that he owns #2, and that he wants the Shack (thank you, "Little Dipper"), but here, we see him finally execute 15 episodes worth of development. I won't spoil the ending, except for the fact that dynamite and personal connections get involved. Really, that last scene shows that he is craftier than we thought he was even in recent episodes: he knows his science.

We also must mention that, while the art in Gravity Falls has always been fantastic, it is the art in this episode (especially the credits sequence and the scenes with Bill) that convince me to say this: in terms of animation, Gravity Falls is the best animated TV show in recent years... possibly ever.

I don't even have to say anything else, really. The conflict is awesome, the humour is fantastic, the plot twists are pretty damn good... this is simply an episode that anybody and everybody should watch. Is it my favourite? It's close. A 10 score is given to my favourite episode of the entire show, and I think "Boyz Crazy" is still my favourite because it gave development to otherwise underrated characters... but still. This is damn near perfect. This is to Gravity Falls what "Back to Reality" was to Red Dwarf: it sent the show from fantastic to a show that will hopefully stand the test of time. Alex Hirsch, Tim McKeon, Matt Chapman, Joe Pitt, and John Aoshima, you should all be proud of yourselves. (And that's not even getting into the actors!)

Favourite Scene: If I HAVE to narrow it down... anything and everything with Bill Cypher. The character is just well crafted enough to work.

Least Favourite Scene: One of my most frequent complains this season has to be the underuse of Wendy. She gets one line ("One time, I caught Gideon stealing my moisturiser"), and it just does not connect as well as others in the episode, or others that the character has delivered. It just seems like they keep her in simply to give Dipper a love interest and personal flaws, or to try and avert "The Smurfette Principle". Come on guys, give her some sense of development. (Still an otherwise fantastic scene.)

Score: 9.5.

Red Dwarf Review: Series V, Episode 4: "Quarantine"

Think your bunkmate is bad? Try living with this guy.

Airdate: 12 March, 1992

Synopsis: The crew land on an ice planet to rescue Dr Lanstrom, a holo-researcher. This would require Rimmer to be turned off. The trio realise that Dr Langstrom has a holo-virus that drives her insane... yet also researched "good" viruses that provide good luck and happiness. Meanwhile, finally driven over the edge, Rimmer acquires the Space Corps Directives book thanks to Kryten, and begins using it against the crew, forcing them in a 1-bunk quarantine with no entertainment... in the hope that they destroy themselves. However, Rimmer manages to still catch a holo-virus... thanks to the holo-virus being transmitted over the radio.

Review: Certainly, this episode is one of those "reminder" episodes that Red Dwarf likes to utilise; that Lister is technically the only real crew member on board ship, that Kryten still is generally of little value when compared to his contemporaries, and, most importantly, that for all life threw at him, Rimmer is a smeghead.

On that last point, we are thrust straight into his neurosis at the beginning. It's a constant cycle; nobody likes him, so he's a smeghead, causing nobody to like him, causing him to act like a smeghead. Again, nobody liking him is not a justification for Rimmer's behaviour. He more or less uses his revenge by turning his crew member's flaws against him. Kryten's desire to quote Space Corps Directives gets Rimmer a nifty Book 'O Directives, causing him to trap the crew in quarantine, use every technicality and loophole in the book, borderline torturing the crew, and getting the crew to turn on each other. The Holo-virus he gets simply exaggerates his behaviour to comically sick levels.

The trio getting trapped in Quarantine also shows that their hatred of Rimmer is the closest they have in common. Lister is a total slob who really didn't mature past his early teenage years, the Cat is more egocentric than Rimmer and will not confess to anything that could put him in a negative light, and Kryten is neurotic and will do anything to the letter. The three are basically the three faces of Rimmer: the immaturity, the ego, and the neurosis. Yet, they all hate him. Is it because Rimmer is a smeghead? Or is it because they strive to not sink to Rimmer's smegish levels and use attacks on him as a means of defence?

Oh, crap. I over-analyzed a sitcom where Rimmer contacts a holo-virus, causing him to pull out and converse with a stuffed penguin puppet!

That seems to be what many people seem to remember this episode for; holo-virus infected Rimmer. That, my geeky friends, is just one of the many funny scenes this episode possesses. While the first half is a bit dry, once we go into Quarantine, damn near every joke connects. Rundown?

• This dialog:
• Rimmer: "I think that requires two hours of W.O.O." 
• Lister: "Well, what's W.O.O?" "
• The Cat: (in a very dry manner) "You had to ask."
• Rimmer: "With... out... oxygen! No oxygen for two hours! That'll teach you to be breadbaskets!"
• The lineup of meals served in quarantine (sprouts are a bit involved), as well as the entertainment (which is impressively bad).
• The revival of "smee hee".
• The use of the luck virus.
• "You know what happens when you call me tetchy!" So Lister writes it.

Just... fantastic! The drier first half keeps it from achieving "best episode", but it still deserves the praise it gets.

Favourite Scene: Can't I just say anything shown past "Rimmer orders the crew in quarantine?" 

Least Favourite Scene: I don't think that Dr Lanstrom chasing the crew was particularly funny.

Score: 9

Update: The title should read Episode 4, not Episode 2. Sorry.

Red Dwarf Review: Series V, Episode 2: "The Inquisitor"

Airdate: 27 February, 1992

Synopsis: According to legend, the Inquisitor is a self-repairing simulant that lived until the end of time itself. After millions of years alone, h e came to the conclusion that there is no deity nor afterlife, and that the only purpose of existence is to live a life that is full of worth and justifiable. Therefore, he erases those which are deemed unfit for the gift of life, and replaces him/her with somebody that never had a chance - the unfertilised egg, the late sperm, for example.

It just so happens that the Inquisitor is real, and has the Boys from the Dwarf as his next target. When they are captured, they are given the parameters of the test to determine their worthiness of existence. What is that test? The Inquisitor is the judge, and the boys have to defend themselves. Which are saved? The Cat and Rimmer. Shocking, right? Well, they were judged...

... by themselves. The Inquisitor took the form of the person he was judging, personality and all. Rimmer managed to get out of the charges (that of being a selfish, cruel liar) by noting that his childhood was a mess, and he did the best he could given the circumstances. The Cat cites his own beauty, effectively agreeing to the charges laid against him. ("I've given pleasure to the world 'cause I have such a beautiful ass!") Kryten tries to dismantle the charges against him by arguing that the only way he could do good deeds on his own is to break his programming, and that The Inquisitor has no right to judge anybody. He is merely able to give the argument that he could've broken his programming and done good deeds, but didn't do so. Lister simply refuses to hear the accusations that he slacked off in life. ("Spin on it!")

Thus, Lister and Kryten are doomed. As memories of them by others are deleted, Lister and Kryten manage to break the Inquisitor, and try and reverse course... with a little help from a Liverpudlian slob and a snarky robot along the way, neither of whom recognise them.

Review: Well, glad to be reviewing Red Dwarf again.

For the first time in a decent while, Lister is given the centre role in an episode. Does it work? Yes. In fact, this is almost the best episode of the series, beaten out by "Back to Reality".

This episode is somewhat more dramatic than other episodes. While comedy is prevelant in this episode, it's also an episode that's not afraid to ask a question. That question? "What is a worthwhile life like?" Are we worthwhile? Does one judge his or her self worth by the standards of society, or the standards of oneself?

The big one is simple; Can we improve ourself? For example, you see The Inquisitor take on the persona of Lister before barbing him with the fact that he never tried. Since this is the persona of Lister, it unveils some deep-seated neurosis in him. Yet, he also reveals himself to be a brilliant man in the second half, setting up a scenario quite obviously influenced by The Iliad to take down the inquisitor. This is no accident; he was seen dissecting The Iliad in the beginning of the episode. Thus, he is one of the craftier people on the ship, and thus, has a purpose in life.

The idea of self-questioning is nothing really new, but it's execution is brilliant. The Jack Docherty-played character is very innovative. He judges others, yet does it by taking the persona of the person on the hot seat, who are forced to question themselves if they made the most of their life. It's brilliant, manipulative, and so cruel. It's also seemingly nihilistic at first; those with inflated egos and tons of pride are to live, while those with neuroses are damned to be erased. Yet, it takes another turn that makes you think; Rimmer's defence shows that even those who seem to be egoists can be very, very self loathing, yet resort to trying to defend their actions (or lack thereof) so they can't admit that their life was wasted.

The humour is not as fast-and-furious as a typical episode in, say, Series III. However, the timing of each joke and action is perfect enough to carry the jokes from one moment to another. It's funny enough that the average viewer won't think about the episode's message at first; they'll just be laughing constantly. The best joke, by a country mile, is the Cat's defence.

It's pure drama, comedy, science fiction... it's just a fantastic episode. Too bad it aired in Series V, and is thus overlooked by the tragic "Holoship", the mysterious "Quarantine", and the purely topsy-turvy "Back to Reality".

Favourite Moment: Again, it has to be the core four defending themselves. It's dramatic (Rimmer's defence), prophetic (Lister's defence), thought provoking (Kryten's defence) and hysterical (Cat's defence, dear god, Cat's defence!)

Least Favourite Moment: The one thing keeping it from a 10 score is Lister's move to get past a door that won't recognise them. It's a bit out of character, given the near-perfect character that Lister is as of this episode.

Rating: 9.5.

Gravity Falls Review: "Boyz Crazy" (Season 1, Episode 17)

"Sieze upon Oregon; give to the edge of the sword
Candy, Grenda, and all unfortunate souls
that dare to kidnap you."

Airdate: April 19th, 2013.

Synopsis (SPOILERS AHEAD: PROCEED AT YOUR OWN CAUTION): Mabel, Candy, and Grenda try to land tickets to a concert by their favorite "decade-behind" boy band, Several Timez. However, tickets quickly sell out. They decide to break into the back of the concert, where they realize that the boy band is all genetically engineered. Several Timez (who's leader is played by N-Sync star Lance Bass) are broken out and hidden inside the Mystery Shack. Initially thrilled by having their own boy band, Candy and Grenda quickly realize that Mabel will keep them as slaves, no matter what the cost. Her insanity almost overtakes her, before she comes to her senses about the fact that she's, you know, breaking the 13th amendment, and decides to let them go.

Meanwhile, Dipper's frustration with Robbie going out with Wendy reaches it's zenith when he realizes that Robbie is a negligent Jerkass who manages to maintain a relationship with Wendy because he writes music. Dipper believes that the music is possessed, and teams up with Grunkle Stan (who had to deal with a long lost love himself) to try and decipher the record. They realize that the record contains a backmasked message, and tries to stop Robbie from playing the record again... whilst in a van with Wendy. Robbie confesses... that he had no knowledge of the backmasking because he plagiarised the song. As Wendy burns the last bridge of the Wenbie relationship, Dipper's own hubris manages to wreck his relationship with her.

Review (AGAIN, SPOILERS AHEAD): There exists a trope (on, where else, TVTropes) called "True Art is Angsty". Translated, the trope says that the best type of art is one that is outright depressing. The reason for this perception is that tragic art is one that pulls at our emotions, that makes us feel empathy for the subject. Thus, whereas "Carpet Diem" was some fantastic comedy, "Boyz Crazy" takes a turn into Shakespearean tragedy/tragicomedy. The end result?

As of this writing, this is my all time favourite Gravity Falls episode. Ever. I'm serious. I don't care if I'm reinforcing a trope. This is one hell of an episode!

Red Dwarf Review: Series V, Episode 1: "Holoship"

Airdate: 20 February, 1992

The eponymous Holoship.

Synopsis (Spoilers): Rimmer is sceptical of a film whose message comes off as "love triumphs career". As he criticises Lister for loving it, an energy force takes him away. (Cat: "Let's get out of here before they bring him back.") It turns out that Rimmer was kidnapped by a Holoship, the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment features the cream of the crop in terms of personnel, and casual sex is not just shrugged off... it's mandatory. Rimmer's piece of heaven, he realises that he can get on... after a strenuous intellectual competition against another hologram. If Rimmer wins, said hologram is turned off. Rimmer also falls in love with Nirvanah Crane (Jane Horrocks), despite love having been long criticised on Enlightenment.

He tries to take the test with the help of a mind implant that would drastically increase his IQ (against Kryten's wishes). However, the implant fails, as Rimmer's mind will not mesh with the mind of anybody else. He gets a surprise mid test... although that makes him reconsider his decision to join Enlightment.

Review (SPOILERS AHEAD): Well, this and "The Deep End" both have a connecting theme: personal desires over love. For Mabel, it was her epic summer romance versus the well being of a merman. For "Holoship", it's the advancement of career versus the well being of the others. Both Mabel and Rimmer are separated from their lovers for eternity, yet are separated for totally unselfish reasons on their part.

Never have I put the words "Rimmer" and "Unselfish" in the same sentence before. And that is why I had to labour over whether or not this episode should be considered the best Red Dwarf episode of the series. (Ultimately, it went to another episode). For the first time ever, Rimmer officially crosses from the "Jerkass" trope to the "Jerk with a Heart of Gold" trope. It really shows just how complex the writing is: for a comedy where jokes about vindaloo and the laddish culture rank high up, Red Dwarf is really a character study. Starting in Series I with the callous and uptight character, Series II and III really began peeling away, showing him as an insecure figure. Series IV emphasised his negative features a bit more, if only to remind us that, as much as Rimmer was a sympathetic character, he was still a smeghead. Now, Rimmer has made the greatest move he has made thus far, and one of the greatest moves he may have made in all ten series.

Of course, in 1992, this episode was voted as one of the weakest episode ever, simply because it focused too much on character, with unfavourable comparisons made to Star Trek (what RD was trying to avoid). However, "Holoship" did make many a nod to this pathos: in fact, Rimmer was critical of the "man puts love ahead of career" cliche in the beginning of the episode. Ah, irony.

Plus, this episode is so hysterical. Most of the jokes are quoteable, and those that aren't are still funny. Highlights include...

• "They've taken Mr Rimmer. Sir, they've taken Mr Rimmer!" "Quick; let's get out of here before they bring him back!"
• Crane: "Perhaps, if you're not in any great rush, Mr Rimmer, we could retire to my quarters and have sex for a few hours." (Smash cut to the two in bed).
• "[Under a mind patch]] You could be reduced to a gibbering simpleton!" "Reduced?"
• And once Rimmer is under the mind Patch...
• "Assuming of course we're not dealing with five-dimensional objects in a basic Euclidean geometric universe and given the essential premise that all geo-mathematics is based on the hideously limiting notion that one plus one equals two, and not as {Astemeyer} correctly postulates that one and two are in fact the same thing observed from different precepts, the theoretical shape described by {Siddus} must therefore be a poly-dri-doc-deca-wee-hedron-a-hexa-sexa-hedro-adicon-a-di-bi-dolly-he-deca-dodron. Everything else is popycock. Isn't that so?"
• "I wrote a Palinadromic Haiku this morning! Perhaps you would like to hear it?"
• Just don't get me started on the "Binks to Enlightment" scene.

It's a fantastic episode, and required viewing for any Dwarfer!

Favourite Scene: The scene after Rimmer and Crane have sex. Not because it's funny (although it is), but because the acting shows the love in Rimmer's mind rather than tells you.

Least Favourite Scene: Honestly, the interviewing scene, while not bad, was tedious enough to drag this episode down a bit. It was this scene that kept the episode out of the spot of my favourite episode of the series.

Score: 9.

Scullyfied Simpsons: Season 9, Episode 3: "Lisa's Sax"

Airdate: October 19, 1997

Synopsis: Lisa's saxophone gets destroyed in an accident. While Lisa is mourning her companion cube, Homer recounts the time Lisa got her saxophone. Two stories are then told: the first one connecting to the second one.

In the story, a 5-year old Bart loses his enthusiasm for school because his kindergarten teacher was apathetic and callous. While talking to the school psychologist, Homer and Marge note that Lisa is gifted. With no money to afford private school, Homer and Marge worry about Lisa's creativity being channeled in the cultural wasteland they live in. Meanwhile, Bart has to deal with his depression. Yes. Depression.

Review: This is going to be a slightly shorter review than normal, partially because there is not a whole lot to talk about. This is also the last episode until season 13 that did not have Mike Scully at the helm. Enjoy it.

Why? This might be the best episode between season 9 and season 13. It actually feels like a classic-era episode, with that sense of cruelty and heart that the show demonstrated during those wicked early years. The development given to Lisa and Bart is not only brilliant, it is also quite sad. Bart was depressed by a teacher, got ignored by his parents, and became America's Bad Boy because of it. We get to see how Lisa was put down by society and class, and how she got to channel her intelligence in the cultural wasteland called Springfield.

Might I also add that the humour is on par with what one would see during the Oakley-Weinstein Era. A bit sad, given the next episode had Mike Scully take over and launch his reign of terror.

It is truly a brilliant episode with few flaws. If there is only one episode to watch from season 9, make it this one.

Favourite Scene: The All in the Family parody opening. That might be even more hysterical because of the Sheriff Lobo reference.

Least Favourite Scene: Homer and Marge not paying much attention to Bart's Depression is a bit cold of them. Granted, The Simpsons is not an overtly-sweet sitcom (at least not when this episode aired) but still.

Score: 9.

Next Simpsons review... we delve into the Scully Era. Be afraid. Be Very afraid!

Depressing Tribute Time: Last Saturday, Marcia Wallace, the voice of Edna Krabappel, went to the great comedy club in the sky. This is, of course, depressing, and has shaken the show to it's core. Al Jean has announced that the character will be retired. Gotta give Jean respect for that.

Gravity Falls Review: Season 1, Episode 14: Bottomless Pit!

Airdate: March 1st, 2013

Special Note about this review: This episode is split into a few segments, sort of like the "Treehouse of Horror" specials from The Simpsons or the "Anthology of Interest" episodes from Futurama. It's a controversial practice that many shows do, and this episode has received mixed reviews from the fandom because of it.

Due to this structure, each segment will be graded separately, and all grades will be averaged out. So this is going to be a bit of a longer review.

As always, beware of SPOILERS!

Wrap-around: While dumping stuff in a bottomless pit, Stan, Dipper, Mabel, and Soos wind up falling in said pit. To pass the time, they each tell stories.

The wrap around segment is brilliant. It ties into the science-fiction aspect of the show, and the resolution to this shows just how brilliant this show is.

"Voice Over" (Dipper's Story)

Hey, at least it isn't introduced by Mr. Freeze... as played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Dipper realizes that his voice is godawful and scratchy after hearing it on tape. He winds up buying a voice-changing serum from Old Man McGucket, making his voice far deeper. However, he manages to scare off many people (up to and including his own sister), and wants his voice changed back. McGucket tells him that not only did he get the wrong serum, but also, said serum expires at sundown. After he relistens to the tape, he learns that others loved his unique voice. He goes back to his old voice, although Grunkle Stan gets another version of the Serum.

"Voice Over", if analyzed correctly, shows one overlooked aspect of Dipper's character. Dipper has this desire to mature in every aspect of his personality and body. Gravity Falls is partially a coming-of-age story for Dipper. Granted, the message "you're fine just the way you are" is a tad bit cliche, but the humour in this segment helps mitigate that problem. And the ending... oh, god the ending.

Score: 8.5

"Soos' Really Great Pinball Story (Is That a Good Title? Do They Have To Be Puns, or Whatever?) (Soos's Story)

No. No, they don't.

Soos, Dipper, and Mabel are playing Pinball in the Shack's recreation room. As Soos is about to beat his high score, the three wind up entering the pinball game. The game threatens to kill the gang with various pinballs. Soos manages to go into the core of the game, and faces the reset button. Soos is now faced with a dilemma, save his friends, or his high score? He chooses his friends, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

This segment is also pretty darn great. The ending is a bit predictable, but it presents quite a bit of development for Soos. This segment represents a central part of his character: despite his childish attachment to something with little sentimental value (his high score), when faced with an ultimate decision, he will choose his friends over anything else. The fact that he takes a decent while to make his decision shows that, despite being noble at the end, he is still a child at heart, whether for good or for bad.

Score: 9.

"Grunkle Stan Wins the Football Bowl" (Stan's Story)

Only in your dreams, Stanford!

It's exactly what it says on the tin. Stan scores the winning touchdown at the Football Bowl, gets a trophy presented by a beautiful lady, football players learn that old guys are valuable, and Stan's robot thanks him.

This one is my favorite of them all. Despite being a mere 30 seconds, it reveals that, alongside his greed and callousness, Stan also has a bit of a problem with his ego, and can't write for beans. This scene managed to leave me in stitches the first time I saw it, and not a whole lot more needs to be said.

Score: 9.5 (Although those falling down the hole with him think otherwise).

"Trooth Ache" (Mabel's Story)

The title card of this segment is way too creepy. Instead, here's a screenshot.

Mabel is upset that Stan is a consumate liar. especially after he lies to Police. Mabel consults Dipper's journal to get some help for Stan's lying problem, and manages to land some truth-telling teeth. They work too well, causing Stan to tell the truth too much, such as on his taxes (he committed flaud) and reveal a ton more truths... most of them illegal. As the cops come to arrest Stan, Mabel has to lie to save her uncle.

One part of this segment manages to land it right along Soos' Great Pinball Story. It shows that Mabel, despite being quite loopy, is probably the most moral of the main cast. Think about it: Dipper will do anything to date Wendy, Soos still has childish tendencies, Wendy is a slob, and Stan's list of flaws rivals that of Bender from Futurama. The fact that she has to lie is taken as a great disservice to her morals, and she only does so in defense of her family. Also, this segment also provides some brilliant lines! "Stan is sick and needs a bear", anybody? And the ending of this one is just brilliant all around!

Score: 9.

Overall Review and Semi-pointless Tangent/Plea: Certainly, this episode is one of my favourite episodes of the show, partially because it reminds me of the Treehouse of Horror episodes from The Simpsons which to me, were always mandatory viewing. The idea of doing a trilogy of shorts is nothing new, but this time especially, it was done very, very well. Characterisation was perfect, development was wonderful, the humour was brilliant, and overall, it was just a joy to watch.

It also supports what I like about trilogy-based episodes: despite being shorter, you have more liberties taken with the characters and the setting. Therefore, creativity is not looked down upon. You can do something like a parody of the Mary Sue, satirize TV cliches, or set the characters in situations which, while not full enough to take up an entire episode, work well in 7-minute clips.

I do have to go on a bit of a tangent and make a plea/warning to the writers of Gravity Falls, however. This also concerns the connection between "Treehouse of Horror" and "Bottomless Pit". During the Mike Scully and early-to-middle Al Jean years of The Simpsons (In layman's terms, seasons 10-20), more effort was put into the Treehouse of Horror episodes of those seasons compared to the rest of the episodes. That, alongside numerous other factors (such as characterization and plot ideas), caused quite the decline in overall quality for the show. Therefore, Gravity Falls writers, remember that if you make this an annual tradition, every episode in the season deserves a large amount of effort and not just the annual trilogy episodes.

(Even the writers of The Simpsons figured this out, however, and decided to make all of their episodes have an equal amount of effort put into them. That is to say, they now decide what not-so-relevant celebrity to put in an episode, write their episodes in two shots at best, send every single one of them off to animation studios without care for quality, collect their cheques, and let the episodes air to a frustrated and ever-shrinking fanbase.)

TL;DR: This episode is brilliant, the trilogy-type structure in cartoons works when done right, and they should've canceled The Simpsons 10 years ago.

Overall Score: 9

Another pointless note: As of this episode, the cipher used at the end credits is A1Z26.

Red Dwarf Review: Series IV, Episode 5: "Dimension Jump"

Airdate: 14 March 1991

Synopsis: In an alternate universe, Arnold Rimmer is a handsome, loveable test pilot in the Space Corps (played by Chris Barrie). His close friends include engineer Spanners (Craig Charles, yes, THAT Craig Charles), chaplain Padre (Danny John-Jules; yes, THAT Danny John-Jules), secretary Mellie (Hattie Hayridge, notice a pattern here?) and head of Space Corps, Bongo (Robe... you know what I'm going to smeggin say). Bongo gives "Ace" the opportunity to take a dimension hopper and test it out. Despite being warned that he may never return, Ace takes up on the offer, and winds up in another universe...

... where a mining ship is floating around, three million years deep in space.

In this universe, Rimmer manages to lay a major guilt trip on the others and makes him go fishing with them. While boring them to death, however, the dimension hopper manages to crash into Starbug, sending the latter ship crashing on the fishing planet, injuring the Cat (and worse, damaging his suits). Ace turns to rescue Starbug, and meets the crew. All of the Red Dwarf crew fall head over Cuban heels over Ace... except Rimmer, who belittles Ace for being better than him. Ace manages (with the help of Lister) to fix Starbug, and tries to save the Cat.

Now why was Ace such a success? Well, it had to deal with an event in school. This one I'm not going to spoil.

Review: This episode is part of what I like to call the Red Dwarf episodic trinity, consisting of "Polymorph", "Back To Reality" (from series V), and this episode. These three episodes have the most fame from the casual viewer, are considered the most memorable, and are considered to be the funniest.

And they have a point. This episode is just a joy to watch from beginning to end!

I'll be honest: at first, I didn't "get" Ace. However, upon repeated re-watchings, this episode went from being merely funny to outright brilliant.

Ace Rimmer is a brilliant parody of the typical action hero/"marty stu" character. His exploits are over the top awesome! In fact, Ace fills the role of action hero brilliantly (I thank Chris Barrie for this episode; he actually requested this episode, as he had spent his career playing Arnold Rimmer, the goofy Ronald Reagan on Spitting Image - that show also brought Grant/Naylor to fame - and the incompetent Gordon Brittas on The Brittas Empire.)

His introduction in the alternate universe is brilliant. The fact that Craig, Danny, Robert, and Hattie reprised there roles is brilliant enough, (in fact, when you realise this, the scene becomes even better), but they fit so well in their roles! What makes this scene even more brilliant is that you would never hear of any of the Posse liking Rimmer. Ace, meanwhile, was asked by both Bongo and Mellie if they wanted to have relations.

The backstory behind Ace Rimmer and what caused him to be so successful and why Rimmer is such a git is one of the most brilliant reveals in history. Even if you know what it is, it's still brilliant. It brings up an important lesson: sometimes, negative reinforcement is needed to succeed.

This episode also goes quite far as to show who Arnold Rimmer really is: despite his smegishness, this episode cements him as a pathetic, poor individual who never got anything good to occur to him. Granted, much of this is due to the fact that, again, he is a smeghead, but a sizeable amount of his behaviour was caused by his childhood. And then he mucks it up by mocking Ace.

That's not to say that the other characters are totally left out. Cat's reaction to having his leg crushed is brilliant! ("I look like a jerk. I'm bleeding an unfashionable colour!") There's also Lister talking about his prior fishing experiences even though there was no fish, alongside Holly's reaction to the crash, both of which deliver great laughs. Kryten, while not getting the same amount of brilliant lines as Cat and Lister, gets a laugh when he fesses up to Rimmer about attempting to leave him to go fishing.

Overall, a brilliant episode, and one of the all-time TV greats.

Favourite Scene: Ace's first few minutes on TV.

Least Favourite Scene: Hard to decide. I'll get back to you later.

Score: 9.5

Red Dwarf Review: Series IV, Episode 4: "White Hole"

 Airdate: 7 March, 1991

Synopsis: Kryten manages to create a device to repair Holly's intelligence, at the cost of a decreased lifespan. The device works... too well. In fact, Holly, while brilliant, only has the lifespan of 3 minutes, so she has to shut herself down. Once Holly goes, so does the ship. Rimmer refuses to sacrifice his life to try and increase the lifespan for everybody, so the crew are stuck, waiting to die with no power nor heat.

While trying to move supplies from one part of the ship to another (which now takes hours), Rimmer and Kryten encounter a strange time phenomenon. Kryten deduces that this is the fault of a white hole, which spits out time. Holly is briefly reactivated to give a plan: shoot a bomb into the sun, knocking it into the white hole. Lister, however, decides to use his pool-playing skills to fire the bomb, and chooses another planet. The planets bounce against one another, and a sun plugs up the white hole... eliminating the events that happened in the episode.

Review: This episode marks something of a watershed moment in the character of Holly. The producers argued that the character was written out because they ran out of ideas for her. Nowhere is it clearer than in this episode. Initially, it seems that Holly will be the centre of the episode, with the IQ increase and all that. However, once it's revealed that Holly has to shutdown, the episode jerks to another "Boys from the Dwarf" episode, with Holly barely mentioned, spitting out a plan, and having Lister deviate from her plan.

However, this episode is not hurt by this. Rather, this is my second-favourite episode from the fourth series. The plot manages to combine brilliant sci-fi with killer comedy (they have to plug up a white hole by playing billiards). There was not a lot in the way of character development. However, in my Top 5 Lowest Arnold Rimmer Moments list, I cited the scene where Rimmer refuses to sacrifice his life for the good of the crew as an indicatior that, despite his desire to lead, he lacks the components to lead.

The comedy in this episode was hysterical. I had previously mentioned that Talkie Toaster is much funnier here. This is actually a good example of the concept of Flanderisation, where a single trait of a character consumes most of the character. In this case, Talkie Toaster went from a mere annoying git to a bread-obsessed annoying git. Granted, he does try and justify it ("It's my raison d'etre- 'I toast, therefore I am!').

The Cat gets quite a few brilliant lines, such as this one.

Rimmer: (to the Cat) You'd sacrifice your life for the good of the crew?

The Cat: No. I'd sacrifice YOUR life for the good of the crew!

Kryten manages to end the episode by finally telling Rimmer that he is a complete and utter smeghead. Best. Red Dwarf. Ending. Ever.

Oh, and do I have to mention "What is it" and the pool with planets scenes?

Favourite Scene: Talkie. Toaster.

Least Favourite Scene: Don't make me choose... alright! The scene where Lister and Cat have to go back to basics was the least funny. Still a decent scene, but a bit more filler.

Score: 9.