Mystery Shack Lookback

Charley and Ella are joined by podcast editor (and editor of this very episode!) Elizabeth Nordenholt to discuss "The Last Mabelcorn." We talk about the episode's unique production process, the big lore drops within, and why Celestabellebethabelle the unicorn is such a jerk. Episode edited by Elizabeth Nordenholt from Podcat Audio:  podcataudio.com Elizabeth's Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelovel...

Charley and Ella are joined by singer/songwriter/ukulelist Molly Lewis to watch "The Stanchurian Candidate" and travel back to the halcyon days of 2015, when a grifter running for office was funny. We discuss the personal impact of Molly's work, the episode's political satire intersecting with reality, and the epic conclusion to the saga of Tad Strange. Follow Molly: https://twitter.com/Molly23 Ch...

Charley and Ella are joined by Tony Goldmark and David Ganssle of Escape from Vault Disney to mostly discuss "Weird Al" Yankovic and sort-of discuss the Gravity Falls episode "Dungeons, Dungeons and More Dungeons." We also talk our experiences with tabletop RPGs, Stanford's effect on the family dynamic, and the abject horror of the 90s. DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded and released prior to t...

Charley and Ella discuss "A Tale of Two Stans" with voice actor and founder of the biggest Gravity Falls Facebook fan page "Yeah, Gravity Falls," GhostAnjo! We talk about the author of the journals' voice actor, Grunkle Stan's backstory, and the many lore drops in this episode. Follow Anjo: https://twitter.com/GhostAnjo Check out Anjo's series So There's This Movie: https://www.youtube.com/playlis...

Charley and Ella are joined by Bill Cipher aficionado Sara to discuss the in-character Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) event Bill hosted in April 2015. We put on our tinfoil hats to talk about the secrets revealed and speculation sparked by Bill's Q&A, as well as Bill's characterization and where the fandom diverges from the show's canon.  Follow Sara: https://twitter.com/pyramidserum Read the fu...

Charley and Ella lead Alexa and David through the HUGE midseason finale of Gravity Falls Season 2, "Not What He Seems"!! We discuss their reactions to the ep's massive revelations, the avalanche of fan theories that ensued, and the implications for the characters moving forward. Check out more of Alexa and David on Come On Fhqwhpods and How Did This NOT Get Made: https://www.pipedreampodcasts.com/...

The charming and hilarious Charley and Ella are joined by the equally charming and hilarious Alexa and David to watch and discuss "Northwest Mansion Mystery." We talk Pacifica's character arc, the class struggle shown in this episode and long-awaited justice for Grenda. Check out more of Alexa and David on Come On Fhqwhpods and How Did This NOT Get Made:  https://www.pipedreampodcasts.com/come-on-...

Charley and Ella are joined by Gravity Falls Season 1 creative director/Mitchells vs. the Machines director Michael Rianda to talk "The Love God"! We discuss Michael's path to Gravity Falls and beyond and some infamous Disney censorship of this episode. PLUS: Our own Patron Juneau Ceres helps us crack the most complex Vigenère code yet! Follow Michael: https://twitter.com/michaelrianda Watch Micha...

In this special BONUS episode, the podcast is mutinied as Charley and Ella are joined by Twitch streamer/voice actor Irish Ian to watch and discuss the new show from David Jenkins and Taika Waititi, "Our Flag Means Death"! Follow Ian: https://twitter.com/Irish_Ian17 Support us on Patreon at  https://www.patreon.com/MysteryShack Watch Our Flag Means Death episode 1 "Pilot": https://play.hbomax.com/...

In this special BONEus Patreon goal episode, Charley, Ella and Mary McKeon (of Into The Falls: A Gravity Falls Podcast https://anchor.fm/into-the-falls-podcast ) watch and discuss the Dog with a Blog episode "Freaky Fido." Remember ALF? He's back! In dog form. Support us on Patreon at  https://www.patreon.com/MysteryShack Watch Dog with a Blog episode 12 "Freaky Fido": https://www.disneyplus.com/v...

Charley and Ella are joined by digital illustrator, Tezuka scholar and Charley's longtime best friend Ray to discuss "Blendin's Game." We talk about the way it beautifully executes a story that so many other shows fumble, as well as the return of Blendin Blandin and the time travel shenanigans therein. Follow Ray: https://twitter.com/meloncrab Check out Ray's piece on Princess Knight: https://www....

Charley and Ella are joined Gravity Falls superfan and voice of Dipper Pines, Jason Ritter! They watch "Society of the Blind Eye" and discuss the huge plot revelations within, Jason's history with the show as both a voice actor and a fan, and the true meaning of "blanchin'." Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonRitter Support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/MysteryShack Watch Gravity Fa...

Charley and Ella are joined by Shelby Sessler to discuss "Dipper & Mabel's Guide to Mystery and Nonstop Fun," the first original Gravity Falls book from Disney Publishing. We participate in the book's many activities and interview the book's co-author Rob Renzetti about the production process! Follow Shelby:  https://twitter.com/shelbysessler Follow Rob: https://twitter.com/RobRenzetti Buy Dip...

Charley and Ella discuss the three terrifying tales on display in "Little Gift Shop of Horrors," with guest segments from Abby Kirby and Shelby Sessler. We talk Stan's approach to a witch's curse, the comedic (pork) chops of a genius Waddles, and the episode's stop-motion Ray Harryhausen homage. We also dig into some listener mail and discover our new favorite movie ever! Follow Abby: https://twit...

In this special BONUS episode, the podcast becomes MATRIX-y Shack Lookback as Charley and Ella discuss the latest installment in the franchise, "The Matrix Resurrections." We talk the film's deconstruction of the soft reboot, how it compares to the rest of the series and what the story means to us personally. Support us on Patreon at  https://www.patreon.com/MysteryShack Watch "The Matrix Resurrec...

DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded and released prior to the revelations about & arrest of its guest, Kyle Carrozza. We condemn Carrozza's actions and offer our deepest sympathies to his victims, and we have fully cut ties with him. That said, rather than attempt to rewrite history, we have decided to leave this episode online and intact as a time capsule of when it was made. Charley and El...

Charley and Ella are rejoined by fan studies scholar Abby Kirby ( https://twitter.com/abbyekirby ) to watch and discuss "Sock Opera." We talk the return of Bill Cipher, the cultural and historical influences on the story, and why this episode is considered iconic and forever changed the fandom. Check out Abby's Gravity Falls anniversary zine project:  https://gf10yearslaterzine.tumblr.com/ Read Ab...

Charley and Ella are visited by the Spittle Man himself, Adam New (voice actor and our audio cleaner-upper!) to discuss "The Golf War," which we argue is appropriate for Christmas. We talk the absurd amount of guest voices in the episode, the evolving relationship of Mabel and Pacifica, and the mysteries of mini-golf. Follow Adam: https://twitter.com/AdamNewVA Watch Gravity Falls episode 23 "The G...

Charley and Ella discuss "Into the Bunker" ft. the "ship"-wrecking of Dipper and Wendy, the abject horror of Mark Hamill's Shapeshifter, and the influences of Myst and The Thing on this episode. Watch Gravity Falls episode 22 "Into the Bunker": https://www.disneyplus.com/video/0eaf30ec-26ce-4e88-ae28-5f872adeb781 Support us on Patreon at  https://www.patreon.com/MysteryShack Download Ella's "The T...

Charley and Ella are joined by Gravity Falls supervising producer/"My Life as a Teenage Robot" creator Rob Renzetti to discuss the GF episode he directed, "Scary-oke"! We talk with him about the show's tonal shift moving into Season 2, the changes to the character dynamics, and the art direction that makes this episode pop. Follow Rob on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobRenzetti Watch Gravity Falls...

Charley and Ella are rejoined by Michael William Hunter (of Come On, Fhqwhpods!) to watch the remaining Gravity Falls shorts, including "Fixin' it with Soos," "TV Shorts" and "Mabel's Scrapbook." We discuss the perfection of Soos, the peeks these shorts give us at the Gravity Falls townsfolk, and that gripping Duck-tective cliffhanger. Also, Michael plays round two of our new game show segment! Ch...

(CW: brief mentions of suicide) Charley and Ella are joined by Michael William Hunter (of Come On, Fhqwhpods!) to watch the "Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained" and "Mabel's Guide to Life" shorts released during the big hiatus. We discuss how the characters and world are adapted to the new format, the hidden secrets within the shorts, and an infamous Gravity Falls knockoff app. Also, Michael plays...

Charley and Ella are joined by David Spencer to embark through "PinesQuest," the Gravity Falls browser game released during the Great Hiatus between seasons 1 and 2. We talk David's experience playing the game for the first time, the plethora of continuity nods and secrets within, and a LOT of Zelda homages. Check out more of David on Come On Fhqwhpods and How Did This NOT Get Made: https://www.pi...

Charley and Ella are joined by Alexa and David as they discuss Gravity Falls' Season One finale, "Gideon Rises." We talk the big emotional beats of the episode, the shocking secrets and twists and the many fan theories that followed. Check out more of Alexa and David on Come On Fhqwhpods and How Did This NOT Get Made: https://www.pipedreampodcasts.com/come-on-fhqwhpods! https://www.pipedreampodcas...

Charley and Ella take Alexa and David on a journey through the mind to meet Bill Cipher for the first time in "Dreamscaperers." We're also enamored with Xyler and Craz and mystified by the British Dog-Man, and we discuss one of the biggest fan theories of the time. Check out more of Alexa and David on Come On Fhqwhpods and How Did This NOT Get Made: https://www.pipedreampodcasts.com/come-on-fhqwhp...