“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” returns to silly spells and heartfelt lessons

By Danielle Cherry

A powerful wizard, an unsuspecting mentor and magical hilarity await viewers of “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.” Aimed at children, this magical world deals with very adult topics of perseverance and forgiveness. This show in all its silliness and wand twirling would have been the perfect watch for my younger self. 

“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” is a spin-off sitcom of the 2007 show “Wizards of Waverly Place” following the life of the magical and non-magical members of the Russo family. This redevelopment envelops audiences back into the world of wizards and magic.

The magic system in the show is very basic, and the animation attached to it is subpar. The show itself makes a joke that the magic was similar to “Harry Potter,” but “not close enough that they could sue.” Even though the magic is basic, it is silly in its nature, using hilarious made-up words for monsters and adversaries being more cute-looking than threatening. Making the magic silly gives it a unique twist to that of classic magical worlds.

When beginning the series, it reminded me of an early childhood television show I would watch in my living room. The show is littered with underwhelming jokes and recorded audience laughter. Yet there is a feeling of familiarity in this style of television shows. As an older viewer, the show lacks humor in certain areas, with jokes being too simplistic. Despite the simplicity, heartwarming themes still emerge from the relationships between the characters.

The first episode reintroduces the Russo family. Justin (David Henrie), one of the main characters from the original series, is all grown up and is married to a mortal woman, Giada (Mimi Gianopulos). They have two boys, Roman (Alkaio Thiele) a boy who rejects using magic because he is afraid of it, and Milo (Max Matenko) who readily embraces magic and all the wonders it brings. Justin keeps his wizard identity a secret from his family and lives a normal life until Alex comes knocking on their door

Alex Russo, (Selena Gomez), another main character from the original show, comes back and asks Justin to become a teacher once again. The banter between Alex and Justin reflects the relationship the actors built throughout the first series. Alex brings with her a young wizard, Billie, who got kicked out of wizarding school because of her misbehavior. 

Janice Le Ann Brown, who plays Billie, shines as an incredible young actress. She effortlessly steps into the spotlight of the show, capturing the audience’s attention with her wit and her sass. This is Brown’s first main character role, as she has only played background in other shows. Despite being 13 she plays Billie with real passion, making her character an easy stand out. 

The first episode reveals how similar Justin and Billie are. Justin was kicked out of teaching at a wizarding school and fears he will fail to teach Billie. Billie has a similar fear of rejection and strives to prove that she can do everything on her own. 

In an attempt to prove her ability, Billie conjures a monster who creates chaos in the house. She calls for Alex to help, but the monster freezes Alex and it is up to Billie to take it down. Justin aids Bille by instructing her how to cast a spell. They eventually defeat the monster and Billie and Justin learn they are more capable than others believed.

Episode four is a classic Halloween episode featuring costumes, scares and candy. Billie tries to recreate a wizard Halloween for the Russo family, explaining that Halloween is the biggest holiday in the wizarding world. This episode deals with Billie’s homesickness and her desire to be in familiar situations. As a college student, this episode really resonated with me as I can relate to what it feels like to not be close to home for special holidays.

The themes that are brought out in the show are encouraging to audiences. One of the themes is that forgiveness is necessary because everyone makes mistakes. Along the same line, persevering despite failure causes a person to reach their goals. From a Christian perspective, they are uplifting and follow the moral teachings in the Bible, which is surprising because of the show’s magical world. Kids will not only be entertained while watching but also learn the realities of life. This show does a great job of being both entertaining and educating in a subtle way. 

Despite this show lacking complexity in plot, it brings a sense of comfort to viewers of classic television shows. “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” is perfect for a younger audience wanting to dip their toes in a magical storyline. As for older viewers, I would say this is a great show if you want a good laugh, but if you want complex characters or an in-depth plot maybe look to another wand-twirling adventure for satisfaction.

“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” is airing new episodes on Disney+ and Disney Channel.

Danielle Cherry is a freshman Biology major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and loves a good cup of coffee.

Images courtesy of Disney Channel