Like anything found on the Disney Channel, The Wizards of Waverly Place is a series that is appropriate for all ages, but with its high degree of goofiness, this series in particular shows itself to be solidly among the masses of tween-centric shows out today in that it’s actually a show that only those with patience for light unrealistic morality comedies will likely enjoy.
The Wizards of Waverly Place features the Russo family, New Yorkers of Italian and Mexican descent who own and run a sandwich shop and, oh yeah, the kids are training to be wizards. The family consists of ex-wizard dad Jerry (David DeLuise – Stargate: SG-1), overly mothering mom Theresa (Maria Canals Barrera, aka Hawkgirl from Justice League), older brother Justin (David Henrie – How I Met Your Mother), middle daughter and star of the show Alex (Selena Gomez – Horton Hears a Who!), and youngest brother Max (Jake T. Austin – Hotel For Dogs).
The Wizards of Waverly Place: Supernaturally Stylin’ features four episodes:
“Credit Check”
Alex (who often reminds me of a young Michelle Rodriguez) stumbles into an internship at a mockery of a fashion magazine, finds out early how backstabby people can get in a business environment, then uses her magical powers to stop time in an attempt to stop her attempt at revenge from backfiring, while all the while proving she’s no Hiro Nakamura.
“Smarty Pants”
Alex stumbles into the academic league team at her school, then cheats with magic to try to win. Of course this is Disney, so thankfully she doesn’t get away with it for long.
“Beware Wolf”
Older brother Justin disobeys his father and starts dating a girl he met on the internet. In order to instill fears of contracting STDs by using MySpace or Facebook to meet dates, the writers of this episode showed how when you meet someone you don’t know on WizFace, you just might contract a disease in this case it wasn’t something mundane like herpes. Nope, Justin gets lycanthropy by kissing the girl he met online. How this anti-VD allegory snuck past the Disney censors I have no idea, but it was hilarious.
“Graphic Novel”
Alex has used her magical powers and created a pocket dimension within her diary where all her dreams come true: She dresses like a princess and the boy of her dreams is her knight on a dangerous motorcycle. Naturally her brothers snoop in on it and screw up Alex’ fantasy utopia by bringing her arch-rival into her dreamscape and muddying up her weird world that someone went all “Filter: Artistic: Plastic Wrap” to.
Extras:
-Backstage Disney – Fashionista Presto Chango: Behind the scenes in the costume shop with the cast and costumer.
This was my first time in the world of The Wizards of Waverly Place, and while it’s silly and absurd, it’s also everything it promises to be: light and entertaining and cute short moral stories told by an engaging cast playing likable characters.
ComicsOnline gives The Wizards of Waverly Place: Supernaturally Stylin’ 3 ½ out of 5 misused magical powers.
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