A new algorithm for gradual scene change detection in MPEG based frame sequences is proposed in this paper. The proposed algorithm is based on the fact that most of gradual curves can be characterized by variance distributions of edge information in the frame sequences. Average edge frame sequences are obtained by performing "sober" edge detection. Features are extracted by comparing variances with those of local blocks in the average edge frames. Those features are further processed by the opening operation to obtain smoothing variance curves. The lowest variance in the local frame sequences is chosen as a gradual detection point. Experimental results show that the proposed method provides 85% precision and 86% recall rate fur gradual scene changes.