It was a bittersweet good-bye in early 2016 when fans of Gravity Falls had to say farewell to its twin protagonists, Mabel and Dipper Pines. Bidding adieu to the titular town of supernatural mysteries and shady secrets left a uniquely shaped hole in the hearts of cartoon fans – one that some are still trying to fill in their own ways. In the years since, one storyboard artist who helped bring Alex Hirsch’s curiosities to life has stepped up to the plate as showrunner on a brand new series called The Owl House that just ended its first season – and those who adored Gravity Falls might be missing out.
The Owl House, created by showrunner Dana Terrace, shares a similar animation style to Gravity Falls, but they feel like spiritual cousins in tone and approach, and that’s a good thing. Dipper and Mabel’s story focused on family matters and skeletons in closets, told through a Scooby-Doo flavored monster-of-the-week formula. Luz Noceda, the spunky and naïvely hopeful main character of The Owl House, feels almost like a slightly older combination of the Pines twins, thrust into what feels like a demonic parody of a certain young wizard in popular fiction. And yes, ‘demonic’ is actually literal in this case.
Luz’s story still strives toward themes of growing up, forming connections, and resolving issues amongst family, but hers is a found family rather than a biological one. Told through spoofs on magic and potions, it also shares an extremely similar sense of dark humor with its cousin series, happily throwing in grotesque abominations within its first couple of episodes that easily harken to Gravity Falls’ infamous finale.
Where there once was the grumpy ‘Grunkle’ Stan and his foil Ford, there is now the hermit Eda and her rival Lilith. Where ‘Soos’ previously brought heartfelt chuckles, the adorable but aggressive King fills the same general role of lovable child-at-heart (voiced by Hirsch himself). And just as Gravity Falls had a slowly growing collection of supporting and recurring cast, so does the Boiling Isles, the grim fantasy world Luz finds herself transported to. She makes quirky friends, experiences socially awkward hiccups, and maybe even wins over the affections of a rival magic student. There are revelations to be discovered, strange and terrible atrocities to confront, and cultural differences to be mitigated. But everywhere that The Owl House would appear to copy an idea from its cousin series, Terrace and her team manage to pleasantly subvert and build on the legacy Hirsch’s team created.
Without spoiling the delights to be had with this series in its opening season, it is safe to say to Gravity Falls fans that watching The Owl House will feel very much like meeting a friend-of-a-friend: a different person in their own right, but there’s certainly a family resemblance. Those who watched Tuca and Bertie after Bojack Horseman will know this feeling well, and anyone looking for a light-hearted cartoon with enough charm and depth for adults to slip into now have a new cartoon to keep on their radar.
The Owl House can currently be streamed on DisneyNow, through Hulu via the Disney Channel, or purchased on Amazon.
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