Why Gravity Falls Is the Smartest Cartoon on Television

Why <cite>Gravity Falls</cite> Is the Smartest Cartoon on Television

While trying to convince my wife to join the rest of the family in watching the latest episode of Disney Channel's Gravity Falls I was asked to describe the show. I went on to tell of an animated series that combines the warm family element of Phineas and Ferb and outlandish characterization of Adventure Time with the snowballing conspiracies of the X-Files and Twin Peaks' patently surreal setting. In short: a pair of quirky but supportive siblings head to an isolated town to spend the summer with their great uncle, and mystery ensues.

Avengers Assemble!

Avengers Assemble!

It was to be “a golden future.” After frustrating years watching its four-color superhero properties sputter in Hollywood—while rival DC drove its own superhero franchise to even greater prominence—Marvel Comics resolved to put its destiny in its own hands at last. “Total creative control of our celebrated roster of comic book characters”—that’s how a company newsletter announced the launching of Marvel Productions, its new studio. “We are looking forward to taking the reins for the development of our own properties as well as sharing our expertise with other suppliers.”

The real in the unreal of Gravity Falls

TV: Interview: Comedy Showrunners Week: Alex Hirsch on the real in the unreal of Gravity Falls

Comedy is a more important part of the television landscape than ever before, thanks in part to a generation of highly visible creators, writers, and executive producers who balance the work of maintaining a show's artistic vision while also overseeing its day-to-day operations. In anticipation of the new fall TV season, The A.V. Club spoke to a handful of the people who've made the industry term "showrunner" a household word. Today, we talk to Alex Hirsch, creator of Gravity Falls. 

After graduating from the California Institute of the Arts in 2007, Alex Hirsch found work as a writer and storyboard artist on Cartoon Network's The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack, before jumping to Disney Channel to help develop Fish Hooks. However, it's Hirsch's first animated effort as a creator, Gravity Falls, that has turned the most heads: The supernatural comedy, which debuted this summer, quickly ...

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Who Was the Most Religious President of All Time?

Who Was the Most Religious President of All Time?

If elected, Mitt Romney “would arguably be the most actively religious President in American history,” according to a profile in the latest New Yorker. Who’s been our most religious president?

Kickstarter Will Not Save Artists From the Entertainment Industry’s Shackles

Kickstarter Will Not Save Artists From the Entertainment Industry’s Shackles

To see how the highly decentralized world of social media could disrupt the hegemony of established taste-makers in music, design, or fashion, look no further than Kickstarter. Just like Wikipedia redefined the process of creating an encyclopedia, this poster child of the crowdfunding revolution could redefine how dreamers raise funds for their next gadget or film—and perhaps even beget a cultural renaissance.

The Odd Hollywood History Behind Ben Affleck's 'Argo'

The Odd Hollywood History Behind Ben Affleck's 'Argo'



A kooky sci-fi script, the CIA and ads in The Hollywood Reporter: the real story behind the film is too strange to have been invented.

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Actress To Open Private Club in Venice

Actress To Open Private Club in Venice

Anjelica Huston will convert her Venice home into a private social club, the New York Post reported on Monday.
The actress, best known for her roles in Prizzi’s Honor and the Addams Family, listed her 13,775-square-foot Venice home in September of 2010 for $18 million. The home has not sold, and Huston announced she will turn it into private club called the Venice Social Club. It will charge people $2,000 a year for membership, which will include a farm-to-table restaurant, a gallery, screening room and cultural programs, according to the New York Post.
The home was built in 1994 by her Huston’s late husband Robert Graham. The home is comprised of two buildings, a three-bedroom home and an artist building. Both structures have high ceilings and ample lighting, and there is a lap pool with abundant outdoor seating for potential club guests.
The home is located on Windward Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Speedway.

How Corning Created the Ultrathin, Ultrastrong Material of the Future

Glass Works: How Corning Created the Ultrathin, Ultrastrong Material of the Future

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Don Stookey knew he had botched the experiment. One day in 1952, the Corning Glass Works chemist placed a sample of photosensitive glass inside a furnace and set the temperature to 600 ...