Wizardry, apparently, is on a “need to know†basis.
In “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,†the art of the wand isn’t shared with everyone. Justin Russo (David Henrie) is vice principal at a middle school but isn’t eager to pass along the tricks of the trade with others. Enter: sister Alex (Selena Gomez) who has a friend, Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown), who could use a little guidance. Just as soon as she steps in, Alex is gone, and Justin is left to explain to sons Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko) what’s bubbling.
Getting into the plot – for fans of “Wizards of Waverly Place†and newcomers to “Beyond†– takes a little work, particularly since there’s the ol’ “who knows about the magic?†thing to consider.
Once the table is set, it’s just a matter of Brown offering up the kind of snark that Gomez did. Thiele is a dead ringer for Henrie and Matenko has mastered enough of Jake T. Austin’s swagger to make this seem like déjà vu all over again.
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Friends, from left, Taylor Cora, Alkaio Thiele and Janice LeAnn Brown, try to figure out how to best use wizardry in their daily lives in "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place."
To its credit, “Beyond†gives the show’s mom (nicely played by Mimi Gianopulos) more to do than her predecessor. Likewise, Henrie. He’s not just a dad running a sandwich shop. He’s a retired wizard teacher who wants to lead a “normal†life (sort of like Samantha on “Bewitchedâ€).
He’s pulled in, however, and forced to show the kids the “right†way to deal with their skills.
Produced by Henrie and Gomez (among others), the new series has enough hallmarks of the old to please O.G. viewers and snag new ones.
Key to much of the new fun is how exacting Thiele is at suggesting the younger Henrie. He’s a dead ringer for the dad and a fine comedian. Brown has hints of Gomez but she’s blazing her own trail, particularly since we’re not sure where she’s from or why she’s here.
Dad (David Henrie) has his hands full when a new wizard (Janice LeAnn Brown) moves into the house and his son (Max Matenko) decides to show off in "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place."
“Beyond†still has very cheap special effects and a set so colorful you’d swear it was assembled from a garage sale at “Friends.â€
Henrie gets much more to do than David DeLuise ever did as his TV dad and an opportunity to convey life lessons that might play well in a new era.
“Wizards Beyond Waverly†still has the old beats (and a few burns that weren’t in Gomez’s original book) but it’s not like a “Fuller House†carbon copy.
This incarnation could help pre-teens deal with a number of contemporary issues and cope with an ever-changing world.
It’s goofy. But there’s a time for goofiness and a place for wizardry. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out how often Alex will stop by to check out the family’s progress.
“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place†begins Oct. 29 on The Disney Channel. (A very special Halloween episode is a given.)
