Alex Hirsch Wishes He'd Done More With One Specific Gravity Falls Character
Of the many unanswered questions surrounding the series, the popularity behind "Gravity Falls" is no mystery. After just a few minutes in the Mystery Shack, I guarantee you'll understand the hype and realize exactly why this remains one of the most beloved shows of recent years. Jam-packed with all the hyperactive energy you expect from a Disney Channel cartoon, the Alex Hirsch-created series also brought some fresh ideas to the network by telling a story that ranged from wacky hijinks to supernatural horror. The result was a mystery box of a show: a sci-fi mystery about two twins exploring the supernatural happenings of the titular small town. Clever, hilarious, and spooky in all the best ways, "Gravity Falls" captured the hearts of kids and adults alike.
So is the "X-Files"-esque premise that won folks over? Or the hidden messages that fans could learn to solve for themselves? Or maybe just the show's penchant for getting weirder by the episode? Yes to all of those, but most importantly, it was about the characters. "Gravity Falls" may have a small cast at its core, but the small-town nature of the setting means it is packed with fascinating side characters coming in and out of the story. It's the kind of extended ensemble where everyone is bound to have their own list of personal favorites.
The main crew includes 12-year-old twins Mabel and Dipper Pines, their great-uncle ("Grunkle") Stan, and his two employees, Soos and Wendy. Given the amount of time we spend at the Mystery Shack with those five characters, it's inevitably hard for anyone else to measure up — and yet, every time "Gravity Falls" tosses a new character onscreen, it's all too easy to fall in love. And there's one character, in particular, that creator Alex Hirsch wishes he spent more time with.
The characters are the heart of Gravity Falls
When the series begins, we learn that the Pines twins are spending a summer in the sleepy town of Gravity Falls. Just as they must grow accustomed to the supernatural happenings, they must also adjust to the quirky locals. Across the show's two seasons, we spend time with recurring presences like Mabel's best friends Grenda and Candy, fully-fledged antagonists like Lil' Gideon, and minor off-shoots who might not get a ton of development but whose presence is very much treasured (I'm looking at you, Waddles).
Personally, I'm partial to Tad Strange, the low-profile normal guy whose entire existence is just a running gag. And yet, who would dare complain about the opportunity to hear more of his thoughts about bread? No one! The same can be said of most characters, and not just from the fans' perspective. Series creator Alex Hirsch has his own ideas of which character he would've liked to have spent more time with.
Reflecting on "Gravity Falls" a decade after its release, Hirsch sat down with Inverse to chat about what could've been and what could still be. Along with speculating about how he might continue the series one day, Hirsch discussed which character he wanted more time to write for, saying:
"If I ever told more Gravity Falls stories, I'd probably use that chance to get to know Wendy a little bit better as a character."
Wendy Cordury, an absolute legend
Hirsch told Inverse:
"Wendy is probably a character who I didn't get to do as much with, like we never did a full episode about Wendy — and it wasn't for lack of trying. We tried to crack a few of them in the process of writing and none of them quite worked. If I had more time, I think I could have cracked it, but we always have to be mindful of schedule and budget. And we've got a lot of stories we're trying to tell."
As a Mystery Shack employee, Wendy is a frequent presence in the series, but the kind of breakout character that we never really got enough time with. When she's first introduced, Wendy (voiced by Linda Cardellini) is the laid-back teenager Dipper immediately develops a crush on. Outwardly cool and collected, she's prone to mischief and always kind to the young twins, even when some of her teenage counterparts bristle about hanging out with a pair of preteens. Adding to her coolness is Wendy's lumberjack aesthetic and the fact that she's handy with an ax. But the best thing about Wendy is that she proves to be so much more than a cool-girl archetype.
Late in the series, Wendy admits that her bravery is a front and we get hints of the pressures she faces at home. But when Bill Cipher turns the world into an existential hellscape, Wendy becomes the Mad Max of Weirdmageddon, proving that the badassery she's always projected goes deeper than she realized. If the opportunity for more "Gravity Falls" really does present itself, more of Wendy Corduroy would be an absolute gift.