It’s 4 p.m. on a crisp autumn day in 2011. I jump off the bus and run up the driveway where my mom greets me at the door. I toss my backpack and rush to the living room where I snack on some Gripz (if you know, you know) and fiddle with my Silly Bandz as I watch the new Disney Channel episode of “Wizards of Waverly Place.” This scenario was certainly a pillar of my childhood.
When I saw that there would be a reboot of this beloved show, called “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” I knew it was going to be something special. The fact that Selena Gomez and David Henrie will be acting and producing made me all the more excited to watch. The reboot premiered Oct. 29 on Disney+ and new episodes are released every Friday. Over the weekend, I was able to watch the first episode with some friends, and it definitely was not what we expected.
To start off, there is a major time jump to the present day. The plot surrounds Justin Russo (Henrie), now a middle school vice principal, living in the suburbs with his wife, Giada, and two sons, Milo and Roman. Justin stopped practicing magic when he was exiled from teaching at WizTech years ago, and his family has no idea he is a wizard. It’s his 34th birthday and his sister, Alex (Gomez), comes to visit with her young apprentice, Billie. It turns out that Alex and Billie came to town for more than just the birthday festivities — they are actually there to see if Justin could be Billie’s new teacher because of a prophecy that says she is going to have to save the world. Alex has faith that Justin, being one of the most talented wizards, can prepare Billie for this mission. Justin agrees, and after a day of celebration and some unexpected magic, Milo and Roman discover that wizards are real.
Ultimately, this show already has a lot of substantial plotlines, an energetic cast and lighthearted humor that I think the next generation will really enjoy. According to Variety, “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” had “a solid foundation to build upon, but it soared because of its cast. Henrie and Gomez step seamlessly back into their beloved roles… But the child actors are phenomenal… They’ve mastered comedic timing and the ability to elevate the punchiness of jokes.” I certainly agree that they perfectly cast each role, especially Billie, Milo and Roman. Furthermore, Gomez and Henrie are exceptional as well, with realistic sibling banter that makes their characters so authentic and loved.
Although the whole cast is loved dearly, I think what drew most Gen Zers in was the return of Gomez. Being the founder of a $2 billion beauty brand, actively working on Emmy nominated series “Only Murders in the Building,” going on a press tour for “Emilia Pérez” and filming holiday episodes for her hit Food Network Show, “Selena and Chef,” I was surprised that she had time to take on this project. When asked about how she manages everything, along with why she came back to Disney Channel, Gomez said to People magazine, “This is what gave me everything that I have today, and I’ll never forget that this is where I started… It’s the best feeling in the whole world to be able to bring this back for you and to all the people who have never seen it before.”
I actually learned about the series when I saw a TikTok of the “Wizards” red carpet with many Disney Channel celebrities, including Gomez, Henrie, Corbin Bleu (“High School Musical”), Raini Rodriguez (“Austin & Ally”), Danielle Fishel (“Boy Meets World” and “Girl Meets World”), Hayley Kiyoko (“Lemonade Mouth”) and Jake Thomas (“Lizzie McGuire”). Although I certainly felt much nostalgia seeing so many of my favorite childhood stars together again, I did feel some disappointment with the absence of certain “Wizards” cast members. For example, where were Harper, Max and Juliet? I hope that they, along with all other original cast members, are woven into the show at some point.
Unlike the “iCarly” reboot, which catered to audiences who watched the original series, this show is definitely just for kids. My friends and I were glad we got to see this reunion of our favorite Disney Channel stars, but we won’t necessarily be watching the rest of the series. However, we are certainly hopeful that viewers will be able to see this show as a classic. As Henrie said, this show is the perfect way to “pass the wand to a whole new generation,” and I couldn’t agree more.
