Season 1

The first season of Gravity Falls officially premiered on June 29, 2012, but the first episode aired as a sneak peek, on June 15, 2012. The season consisted of 20 episodes.

Twin brother and sister Dipper and Mabel Pines are in for an unexpected adventure when they spend the summer with their great-uncle in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Upon their arrival, Dipper and Mabel's huckster great-uncle, also known as Stan Pines, enlists the siblings' to work at the Mystery Shack, a "fun" tourist trap he owns that overcharges unsuspecting customers, with no pay. Although Dipper and Mabel quickly discover The Mystery Shack itself is a hoax, they sense there is something strange about their new town and together they begin to unlock the secrets of Gravity Falls.

Toward the end of the season, when asked if there was anything he regretted, or would have changed about season 1, Alex answered in the affirmative; Saying he would have included more mystery stories, had less Wendy/Dipper episodes, and spaced them out more.

Main cast

 * Jason Ritter as Dipper Pines
 * Kristen Schaal as Mabel Pines
 * Alex Hirsch as Stan Pines and Soos Ramirez
 * Linda Cardellini as Wendy Corduroy
 * Dee Bradley Baker as Waddles

Recurring cast

 * Thurop Van Orman as Gideon Gleeful
 * Niki Yang as Candy Chiu
 * Carl Faruolo as Grenda
 * T.J. Miller as Robbie V.
 * Jackie Buscarino as Pacifica Northwest
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Sheriff Blubs
 * Keith Ferguson as Deputy Durland
 * Alex Hirsch as Old Man McGucket, Bill Cipher, Gnomes, and Quentin Trembley
 * Stephen Root as Bud Gleeful
 * Jennifer Coolidge as Lazy Susan
 * Gregg Turkington as Toby Determined
 * John DiMaggio as Manly Dan
 * Will Forte as Tyler

Guest stars

 * Coolio as Wax Coolio
 * Larry King as Wax Larry
 * John Oliver as Sherlock Holmes
 * Alfred Molina as Multi-Bear
 * Matt Chapman as Mermando
 * Brian Bloom as Rumble McSkirmish
 * Lance Bass as Sev'ral Timez

Episodes

 * See also: Episode guide

Production
The series, created, directed and executive-produced by 2007 California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) graduate Alex Hirsch (Fish Hooks, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack), is a production of Disney Television Animation. Set in the Pacific Northwest woods of Oregon, the animated series features supernatural elements of adventure and mystery, inspired by the real-life summer trips shared by Hirsch and his twin sister while visiting relatives as kids.

Alex Hirsch has provided conflicting information regarding the number of episodes in the first season. On August 8, 2012, he said there would be 21 episodes. However, on July 7, 2013, he implied there are only 20 episodes as Dreamscaperers is the 19th episode. On July 8, 2013, he confirmed his original statement of 21 episodes was incorrect.

Distribution
The first season is available on itunes on two volumes in HD/SD. Episodes were released within a week of the episode's premiere on Disney Channel. The exception being "Boyz Crazy" which was accidentally released under the title for "Carpet Diem" days before it actually aired. The same mix-up was included in "Disney Channel Freaky Freakend" compilation package, both mistakes were later fixed. "Summerween" was also released in "Disney Channel Monstober, Vol. 2," and later the short, "Candy Monster" was released under "Monstober, Vol. 3." Vol. 1 of Gravity Falls consists of the first 10 episodes, and vol 2. consists of the last 10 episodes. The first episode, "Tourist Trapped" was available for free download on iTunes, for a brief period of time during the show's initial premiere, and in January 2013 was chosen for Starbucks "Pick of the Week." The episodes are also available on Youtube and Amazon, and volume 2 is available on Google Play.

The first six episodes are available on DVD in "Gravity Falls: Six Strange Tales." The next eight episodes are available on in the second DVD, "Gravity Falls: Even Stranger" (which was released on August 26, 2014. )

Alex Hirsch has lamented and requested a full DVD/Blu-ray with episode commentary and extras to Disney, but was told it would be too expensive. A full DVD set could only be possibly made depending on how well the other DVDs sell, the number of people who go to the Disney store and request for Gravity Falls merchandise, and how well the series does in ratings.