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I started watching Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and as a fan it feels like coming home…except for one thing

Sakege November 2, 2024

If you know me, you know I like it. Wizards of Waverly Place. When I heard that the new sequel series, Wizards beyond Waverly Place, was going to be part of TV schedule 2024I knew I had to be the first in line to see it.

Let me start by saying that I have always loved the original show. I’m part of the Disney generation that grew up with great Disney Channel shows like Hannah Montana, Sonny with a Chance, Shake It Up and of course Wizards of Waverly Place. To this day, I have maintained the fact that Wizards of Waverly Place still good as an adultand once I declared that it was time to restart.

My calls were answered because the sequel series was finally released. While new episodes air on Disney Channel each week, the first nine are available to stream right now, and I decided to binge-watch them, even though I had watched a few in advance when I had the chance to interview the cast. Let me say that this show it really does Make me feel like I’m coming home as someone who’s been a for a long time fan of this series. But… there is one thing I must point out. So let’s get into the praise…and the criticism.

Salina Gomez Looks Unsure in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Trailer — (Image credit: Disney)

First, Selena Gomez and David Henrie fell for Alex and Justin again

I always knew that Selena Gomez and David Henrie were the best brother and sister combo on a Disney show. Your chemistry is off the charts, and you just believe They are family from watching the show.

Obviously, since the original series ended in 2012, the two have had separate careers. Henrie has appeared in some acting roles, but mostly stayed behind the scenes and had his own family. Gómez has become a bigger actress than ever, which includes having a starring role in the Only murders in the building cast, among other parts. She also has a pretty decent music career. and a super successful makeup and skincare line.

They have both done and achieved a lot, but let me tell you, they went down. so quickly into their roles. It was like they had never left. While I know Gomez won’t have as big a role as Henrie (since he’s a recurring guest star), seeing them together was like seeing family for the first time in years. they alone had and it’s something I really loved seeing.

Milo and Roman talking to Billie at Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

(Image credit: Disney Channel)

Justin’s kids are incredibly adorable and have sibling dynamism, and I love his family.

Since the series is several years in the future, it would make sense for Alex or Justin (or even Max) to have a family of their own, and let’s be honest, Justin is the most likely candidate.

And you know what? I love you all. I love children and their personalities. Roman feels like a mini-Justin, but his little brother Milo is all over the place and is kind of a wild card, almost more so than Max, but we’ll see how crazy he gets as the series goes on.

And then there’s Giada, Justin’s wife. In defense of this sweet, deadly girl, I know everyone was wondering, “Where’s Harper? Where is Juliette? and all that jazz. But look, Bridget Mendler is saving the world and becoming a female tech icon, and Jennifer Stone is an active nurse at a hospital, although she still talks about the show on a podcast, so who knows? She might show up.

Either way, neither of them are that active of an actor, and it makes sense that they would go for someone who is an actor. actress now. Also, how many high school relationships actually result in having children and last? Giada and Justin, if you keep watching the series, make sense. They’re married, but they’re also best friends, and that’s really the kind of love you want.

Her whole family is sweet and I won’t let anyone go against them, especially when those The child actors were very nervous at first. about living up to the expectations of the original series.

The main character, Billie, in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

(Image credit: Disney+)

Billie is like a mini-Alex, but still has her own sweet personality

I know that many people will have a lot What to say about Billie, but I don’t want to hear any of that. When it comes to starring in a Disney Channel series, especially as a young actress, there are a lot of unnecessary pressure on them, and I don’t want to participate in any of that.

Instead, I’m just going to say that Billie is absolutely adorable and reminds me of Alex in the best way. She’s brilliant in her street style, knows how to handle things and has certainly learned to ask for help as the episodes progress. But she’s also different: she’s much more vulnerable, almost sweeter in a way, and willing to ask for advice, even if she can be sarcastic about it.

Billie is like Alex, but not have be, if that makes sense. She’s like a better copy of her and I can only imagine how she and Janice LeeAnn Brown will evolve as the series progresses. Watching this show reminds me of the advice that Gómez gave Brown before the show – not letting anyone put themselves in their place, and I totally agree.

Billie, Alex and Justin in the old Wizards hideout Beyond Waverly Place.

(Image credit: Disney+)

And I have to say that the comedy is very reminiscent of the first series.

When I say this series really felt like we’ve moved forward a decade and nothing has changed, I mean it. The humor is on par, which actually makes sense, since both Henrie and Gomez are executive producers. I mean, the creator of the original series, Todd J. Greenwald, even returned for this sequel. This is how oh really they took it.

And it shows. The comic moments are well timed. The chemistry is there with children. Children’s time coincides with that of parents. It’s all there. Of course, this is is aimed at kids, so there are some jokes in here that are childish, but as a 26 year old woman, I can easily I could see myself enjoying this with a kid, even if I wasn’t a fan yet.

There are some growing pains in the first few episodes, as there always are with any new series, but once the cast gets into the swing of things, everything In fact it gets going.

Alex standing next to an interesting looking orange-eyed monster in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

(Image credit: Disney Channel)

However, some effects and accessories could be better

To me, this show seems a little lower on budget. Of course, I don’t have numbers, so I don’t really know, but that’s how I felt.

Maybe when I was a kid, there were things that I thought looked crazy that really weren’t, but seeing this now, you can clearly see if something is a doll or not. You can see the strange effects of the puppeteers. Or you can visibly see how fake something looks. It certainly doesn’t seem so magical as it once was.

Again, maybe it’s just that I’m an adult and I analyze too much. each Kind of a special effect now that we have the world of Marvel movies and all these other CGI fests. Either way, that’s really the only complaint I have.

David Henrie talking to Selena Gomez at Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

(Image credit: Disney+)

Overall, this series feels like coming home

Effects aside, I have to admit that this series makes me feel like I’m home. When I had the opportunity to interview the cast, Henrie said that the series had to feel like they were giving a “big hug” to the original fans. And that’s precisely what I felt.

I loved the original show. It was the first TV series I actually cried over when it ended. As someone who grew up watching all the best fantasy movies and the harry potter movies over and over againI loved the idea of magic. Then, having a series that had a mixed family, where a Latina girl was the protagonist and her name was Alex, Just like mine, I quickly fell in love.

Now I almost feel like I’m passing on my love of the show to the next generation. While Alex and Justin are the leading adults now, which is crazy to think: I can only imagine how the children must feel now, seeing a young girl named Billie as the director of a big show like this, immersing herself in the world of magic.

I genuinely I hope this show continues. I know the idea of giving a sequel can sometimes be scary and even disconcerting, but I can ensure that this show is one of the best. There is blood, sweat, heart and soul poured into Wizards beyond Waverly Place – and I have a feeling it will only get better.

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Ourladyoftheassumptionparish

I started watching Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and as a fan it feels like coming home…except for one thing

First, Selena Gomez and David Henrie fell for Alex and Justin again

Sakege

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I started watching Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and as a fan it feels like coming home…except for one thing

First, Selena Gomez and David Henrie fell for Alex and Justin again

Sakege

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