The Hand That Rocks the Mabel

"The Hand That Rocks the Mabel" is the fourth episode in Season 1 of Gravity Falls. It debuted as a part of Disney Channel's Night of Premieres on July 6, 2012.

Overview
Dipper and Mabel discover their seemingly cherubic new neighbor, 'Lil Gideon, happens to be the town’s adored psychic. But when Dipper convinces Mabel to go on a date with Gideon to question his authenticity, she soon learns that his cuteness can fade all too quickly.

Synopsis
Dipper, Mabel and Soos are watching TV where they see a commercial for Lil Gideon's Tent of Telepathy. They want to test his authenticity as a psychic, so they decide to go to one of his shows. Grunkle Stan forbids them from going due to Gideon causing him trouble, but they find a loophole. At the show, Gideon sings a song about his abilities and everyone is impressed with Gideon except for Dipper. When the show is over, Dipper says that Gideon is a bigger fraud than Stan. Mabel says that his dance moves are adorable and compliments his hair. Unknown to them, Gideon was eavesdropping on their conversation.

The next day, Gideon shows up at The Mystery Shack and asks Mabel if she would like to go to his dressing room so they could do makeovers. Mabel happily accepts. She returns to the Mystery Shack with a new look. Dipper doesn't trust Gideon, but Mabel says to give him a chance since Dipper never wants to do girly stuff with her and he and Soos get to do boy stuff all the time. Dipper and Soos then go to watch hot dogs explode in the microwave. Gideon then takes Mabel to sit atop his family's factory. There, Gideon says he's never felt so close to someone and asks Mabel to go on a date with him. Mabel thinks he means a play date or a shopping date. Gideon swears it will only be one date. Mabel reluctantly accepts and Gideon gives her a hug.

The next day Gideon shows up to the Mystery Shack on a horse, ready to take Mabel on their date. He takes her to a fancy restaurant where people have a hard time saying no to him. Mabel is very impressed with the restaurant. She says she's never seen so many forks or water with bubbles in it. Gideon believes the date was a complete success and promises that tomorrow date with top it. Mabel reminds Gideon that he promised only one date. Gideon then uses a South American Rainbow Macaw to ask Mabel to accompany him to the ballroom dance. Mabel really doesn’t want to go along with it but with all the local attention the couple has been getting she decides to go out with him again in an attempt to hopefully be just friends. This idea is short-lived though as Stan, of whom was completely against the relationship from the start, gets sweet talked into supporting the young couple by Gideon's dad so that both businesses can merge in an attempt to make serious profit.

To help with the split, Dipper volunteers to bail Mabel out of having to break up with Gideon and decides to do it for her. After Dipper tells Gideon Mabel doesn't want to go out with him anymore, Gideon returns home and uses the Mystic Amulet to throw a huge tantrum. Gideon uses Toby Determined to get Dipper to go to the factory. Gideon warns Dipper to stay away from the secrets of Gravity Falls, and uses his amulet to attack Dipper.

Back at the Shack, Mabel and Wendy have a one sided conversation, and Mabel decides to break up with Gideon herself. Meanwhile, Gideon controls Dipper with his amulet and sends a pair of lamb shears at him. Mabel arrives and takes Gideon's amulet from him and throws it to Dipper. Gideon tackles Dipper out the window, and the two fall. Luckily, Mabel uses the amulet to save them. She tells Gideon she'll never date him, and destroys the amulet. Gideon backs into the forest, warning them, "This isn't the last you'll see of little ol' me."

Gideon forces his father to call off the deal with Stan, so Stan steals a clown painting and runs off. The three return home and joke about Gideon getting revenge on them. Gideon is then seen in his room, playing with dolls of Mabel, Dipper, and Stan. He pretends the Dipper doll asks him what is he going to do without the amulet, and Gideon replies, "Oh, you'll see boy. You'll see." He then closes 2|Book Number 2.

In the credits scene, Mabel bedazzles Soos. She turns out the lights, Dipper shines a flash light on him, and music plays as Soos becomes a disco ball. A stunned Stan says, "You're all fired."

Credits

 * Written by:
 * Zach Paez
 * Alex Hirsch


 * Directed by:
 * John Aoshima


 * Storyboards by:
 * Matt Braly
 * Luke Brookshier
 * Alonso Ramirez Ramos


 * With the Voice Talents of:
 * Kristen Schaal - Mabel Pines
 * Jason Ritter - Dipper Pines
 * Alex Hirsch - Grunkle Stan and Soos


 * Linda Cardellini - Wendy
 * Will Forte - Cute Biker
 * Kevin Michael Richardson - Sheriff Blubs
 * Stephen Root - Bud Gleeful
 * Gregg Turkington - Toby Determined
 * Thurop Van Orman - 'Lil Gideon


 * Additional Voices:
 * Eric Bauza
 * Grey DeLisle
 * Alex Hirsch - Macaw, Old Man McGucket
 * Stephen Root
 * April Winchell

Production notes

 * See also: List of allusions and List of goofs.

Series continuity

 * Dipper apologizes to Toby Determined for accusing him of being a murderer in the last episode.
 * Mabel is seen wearing the llama sweater that Wax Larry King suggested she wear in the previous episode.
 * The S on the Mystery Shack is still detached from Headhunters.
 * Gideon comments that Dipper and Mabel have been in Gravity Falls for one or two weeks.

Songs featured

 * 'Lil Ol' Me

Trivia

 * Viewership: 2.956 million, making it the most-watched original episode on Nick/Disney for the week, slightly beating out Big Time Rush, which had 2.936 million on Monday, July 2 on Nick.
 * This episode title is based on the idiom "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."
 * On the outside of the Mystery Shack at the 6:07 time frame, the sign says "World Papov" instead of "World Famous."
 * S1e4 carla.png disclaimer in Gideon's commercial reads: "Void where prohibited, no C.O.D.'s accepted, the letter "p" in the word psychic is silent and used for entertainment purposes only. If unsatisfied, please return unused portion for a full refund. Side effects may include but are not limited to: prosperity, wads of cash, fun at parties, tight pants, 6.2% APR, no money down! Psychic readings may cause a warming sensation in the abdomen. If pain persists, consult your physicist immediately. Carla, I've always loved you but never had the guts to say it."
 * 'Lil Gideon's Dipper has a dark green shirt instead of an orange shirt. Mabel wears a heart sweater that Mabel never actually appears on her, though it bears a strong resemblance to her main sweater in The Legend of the Gobblewonker.
 * At the 15:28 time frame, Mabel's headband is bluish-green in color. However at 15:33, it's pink.
 * The reason Gideon knew Mabel's name was Mabel while he sang his song was because her own name was on her sweater.
 * During the song, "Li'l Ole Me," Gideon uses his telepathic powers because he is seen clutching his amulet and lifts his hand, making the entire audience (especially Dipper) stand up.
 * In the latin spanish version, Dipper says that Mabel looks like "Wolverine", a Marvel's superhero, instead of a Wolverine.
 * while Dipper and Mabel are playing the video game, the background music is an 8-bit version of the background music played while the gnome monster was chasing them in the first episode

Cryptogram

 * During the end credits of this episode, there was a cryptogram that read "FDUOD, ZKB ZROW BRY FDOO PH?" Once decoded, it reads "CARLA, WHY WONT YOU CALL ME?". 'Carla' was mentioned in the Tent of Telepathy commercial.