Over four seasons and 106 episodes, Wizards of Waverly Place
I had to develop a system to always have new and exciting spells that the audience could remember. Although the Disney Channel show also featured several common recurring enchantments such as teleportation, transformation, body swapping, and changing clothes – the ability to improvise spells made the possibilities endless. This, combined with Alex’s mischievous creativity, provided the series with many scenarios that, although bizarre, were entirely plausible according to the show’s magic system.
Notably, Wizards Beyond Waverly PlaceThe positive reviews demonstrate how the revival pays homage to what made the original so compelling, including the unlimited and joyful use of magic. Throughout its execution, The popular Disney Channel show has proven to be quite ingenious in offering new twists on old, never-before-heard incantations. At the very beginning of the 1st season, the Wizards of Waverly Place the characters have been warned that, although anything that rhymes can become an incantation, the meaning of the words will be interpreted literally. This paved the way for a lot of quick adjustments, but it also led to some unintended results that proved to be a lot of fun to watch.
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“Some people are a gem, some people are a mouse, to know who is who, give me a bat ear.”
Season 1, Episode 7, “Alex’s Choice”
In “Alex’s Choice,” Alex must determine whether to let Harper get hurt or use magic to prevent it. When popular mean girl Gigi invites an excited Harper to her tea party, Alex uses a spell to make a bat’s supersonic hearing spy on Gigi. She overhears her talking to her friends about a plan to give Harper the Loser Crown at the event.
Although it is an efficient way to spy on other people, the fact that the spell gives its user literally a bat ear is very unexpected and comical. It may also be the only enchantment that grants your wizard an animal organ. In previous episodes of season 1 Alex only used spells for selfish purposes. However, this moment marks a change and shows that she is actually good friends with Harper, as she goes to great lengths to protect her from being bullied.
9
“Piggly, Wiggly, get into Jiggly.”
Season 2, Episode 6, “Saving WizTech Part 1”
When WizTech is infested with plastic balls, Professor Crumbs asks Jerry to take in some students from the school. Ronald, who orchestrated the attack, falls in love with Alex and tries to charm her, making her doubt her relationship with the unaffectionate Dean. Ronald uses “Piggly, Wiggly, get into Jiggly” to trap Alex’s boyfriend in a giant piece of jellyso that later he can transform into him and pretend he broke up with Alex.
While it’s not uncommon to have a bad guy trying to break up a couple, the fact that Ronald prides himself on setting traps “precious Dean in a bouncy fruit dessert,” he does the spell embodies the ridiculousness and exaggerated nature of teenage love. The episode pokes fun at this by telling the joke that a two-month relationship breaks the record for longest relationship in the normal and wizarding school.
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“Alex, Haper, Cambia Coporum, Meum Capora, Sua Numinavi.”
Season 2, Episode 20, “Family Game Night”
In “Family Game Night”, Alex switches bodies with Harper so he can do an exam for her. After the reverse enchantment fails, the best friends are trapped in each other’s bodies. To remedy this, Alex randomly chooses a combination of switching spellsoffering an unexpected display of body-swapping magic.
Taking body swapping a step further, “Family Game Night” sees Alex and Harper swap bodies, hair and voices until both of their brains are stuck in Alex’s head. in the middle of a family night of charades. The trick produces many funny and original exchanges, as Selena Gomez and Jennifer Stone brilliantly imitate each other’s characters – leading Gomez to play both at the same time. Like the cherry on top, Wizards of Waverly Place develops his magical world further by having Justin explain that the magical memo said the body swap spell was failing.
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“From the place where dark beasts dwell, I summon a slut with this spell.”
Season 1, Episode 1, “Not Everything Is What It Seems”
Wizards Beyond Waverly PlaceThe new and returning cast of troublemakers decided to continue the original’s limitless and fun approach to magic. In its first episode, Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) summons a class three monster in the bedroom of Justin’s sons, Milo and Roman. Called “tramp”, the creature is the size of a medium dog and its many eyes can freeze its victims. When Billie attacks, the monster gets bigger.
Clearly taking advantage of advances in visual effects, the new Disney+ show gives form to a monster that the 2009 show was unable to present due to its limited technology. The revival successfully suggests an expansion of The Wizard of Waverly Place already extensive and bizarre list of spellscombinations and monsters. The show will no doubt see Billie, like Alex before her, cause all sorts of chaos with her spontaneous creativity and zero regard for consequences.
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“Here are the details. Give this girl back to Max.
Season 4, Episode 5, “Three Maxes And A Little Lady” – Featuring Maxine Russo
When Max moves the wizarding family’s competition to an earlier date, his brothers try to change the date by transforming into him. When he confronts them about it, Alex and Justin cast a spell that collides and forms a mutant spell, transforming Max into a little girl.. Despite Alex and Justin’s efforts to turn her little brother back, Maxine Russo threatens to stay indefinitely and ends up receiving a lot of attention in Wizards of Waverly Place.
The mutant spell isn’t so much bizarre as it is lasts seven episodes, mysteriously replacing recurring actor Jake T. Austin with Just go aheadActress Bailee Madison. As usual, the creative Disney Channel show manages to pull off another crazy plot, benefiting greatly from the child performer’s charm and her chemistry with the rest of the cast.
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“I’m old enough to date actress/model/spokeswoman Ruby Donahue, so take me to Disaster Night 2 at the Sorority Halloween Party.”
Season 1, Episode 9, “Movies”
“Movies” perfectly sums up the rivalry between older brothers and middle children that drives Wizards of Waverly Place. When Alex becomes jealous that Justin can hang out with his 17-year-old friends, she decides to befriend them. Having been introduced to improvised spells, Alex invents one that gets her into the R-rated horror film the group is watching; however, as Jerry warned, magic takes his words literally.
Alex ends up inside the film, offering a hilarious moment of metafiction, as it signals the absurdity of horror film formulas and causes the actresses to break their character. The spell has so many possibilities that it’s a mystery why it wasn’t used again in the series. However, it was a great device for setting up the brothers’ contrasting abilities – as Alex, albeit unintentionally, easily created the cool enchantment, while Justin had to work harder to replicate it.
4
“When you’re tired of the same old story, turn a few pages… trash can.”
Season 3, Episode 13, “Dude Looks Like Shakira”
Uncle Kelbo brought one of the coolest stories in Wizards of Waverly Place. In season 3, he confessed that he created Shakira with a transformation spell. The episode establishes its randomness early on, when Shakira enters Waverly Place and states that she must sing a duet with a fan to repair her tour bus. She and Alex sing “Gypsy” until Uncle Kelbo returns to normal, asking for help with your uncontrollable transformations.
When Alex concludes the enchantment has been taintedthe sick wizard is cured by drinking a smoothie made from troll liver, dragon tongue, cinnamon, and elf boogers. The plot is completely unexpected, but it perfectly follows the kind of randomness that works in the magical world of Wizards of Waverly Place. It also marked the biggest guest appearance by a star on the Disney Channel show.
3
“Take away the color and sound, this is where revenge is found.“
Season 2, Episode 21, “Justin’s New Girlfriend”
After Alex tries to sabotage Justin and Harper’s growing friendship out of jealousy, the pair decide to punish her. As they are both silent film enthusiasts, and Alex is not, they decide to trap her in one. The black and white sequence where Alex runs after Justin and Harper’s marks one of the show’s best displays of physical comedy and a great homage to Charlie Chaplin films.
In addition to being a tribute that is rarely seen on a children’s TV program, the actors’ remarkable performance elevates the charming enchantment to an unforgettable and special segment. For the episode, Wizards of Waverly Place made an unusual but smart move by putting David Henry and Jennifer Stone in the spotlight. The actor and actress use their bodies to boost their performance, presenting great comedic prowess and revealing a chemistry never before seen on screen.
2
“Murrieta-animata.”
Season 1, Episode 10, “Pop Me and We Both Go Down”
“Murrieta-animata” is not one of the most bizarre spells, but it has a bizarre effect when Alex accidentally uses it to perk up Justin’s spine. The pimple develops a face and personality that matches its grossnessthat of a cunning and obscene man. The spell is introduced early in the episode, but Jerry withholds the counterspell until Alex captures the animated trophy man running loose through the house.
After playing Justin’s wingman with his date, the pimple attacks several women at the prom – causing Miranda (Lucy Hale) to get mad at Justin, thinking he was the one making the rude comments. Alex arrives at the ball on time and uses the counter-enchantment: “Garibay Immobility”, to discourage the spine. It remains one of the Wizards of Waverly Place more bizarre and witty stories, giving perfect form to an embarrassing teenage experience.
1
“Scrubby dubby, chubby” and “Argyle, bobby, tube.” Knee-length, in socks, transform this guy.
Season 3, Episode 5, “Night at the Lazerama” – Featuring Max’s Conscience
In season 3, Max takes consciousness out of his body to help you beat the Wizard’s test. Conscience, played by the quirkily charming Moises Arias, always wears Max’s clothes, but bottoms up and with a tie – giving the pair a hilariously awkward appearance. The character joins the Russos in three episodes and is responsible for one of the craziest twists in the series.
In Wizards of Waverly PlaceThe most bizarre spell, Conscience develops its own consciousness. Trying to sabotage his brother’s wizard studies, Alex makes Harper convince Conscience to take some time away from Max. Unforeseen for anyone, when the character is alone, he starts to become himself — creating a conscience inside his backpack. This creates a strange chain of consciousness that attaches itself to Max and forces him to return his fellow student to his body. Alex’s spell to return consciousness is as baffling as his second sprout – she turns Max into a washing machine, Conscience into socks, and then mixes the two.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place follows adult Justin Russo, who leads a normal life until his sister Alex asks for help with a young wizard in training. Justin must revive his magical abilities to guide the intern while balancing his family life and safeguarding the future of the Wizarding World.
- Character(s)
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Justin Russo, Billie, Roman Russo, Milo Russo, Winter, Giada Russo, Alex Russo
- Release date
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October 29, 2024
- Seasons
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1