Let me get one thing straight – I love magic.
For years, ever since I was a little girl, I have been obsessed with magic and even as I've gotten older, I still find myself drawn to fantasy worlds. I’ll gladly re-watch all the Harry Potter movies, or find the best fantasy movies, or dive deeper into the world in other great films such as The Lord of the Rings franchise. But, there was one series from my childhood that I didn’t realize how much I loved until I re-watched it recently.
And that was Wizards of Waverly Place.
The Disney Channel show was a huge hit, turning Selena Gomez into a star overnight, and having not only a movie made but also a special reunion episode a year after the series ended. As someone who truly did love this show as a kid, I decided to re-watch it again as an adult, and honestly, I have to say, it still hits. If anything, I think I love it more, and it seems funnier now than it did was when I was a kid.
Today, I’m going to dive into deep detail about why I think this classic show is even funnier when you’re an adult – because I honestly just need to talk about Wizards of Waverly Place.
Selena Gomez's Comedic Timing Was Legitimately Really Good For A Teenager
I’ll be honest and say I always had a very special connection to Selena Gomez.
In my Disney Channel-watching years, she was one of the few Latina actresses that I saw on the television screen that represented my culture, and when she played Alex Russo, someone who not only has the same initials as me but the same first name, and was a wizard – oh, I was locked in.
If you love Selena Gomez as much as I do, here is what to watch if you like her.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to love Gomez even more for her personality, talent, and wit. I’ve followed her music career, watched all her movies, and have cheered for her through everything she has done, from her cooking show on Max to her starring role in the popular Hulu series, Only Murders in the Building, which is receiving Season 3 in August 2023.
But, upon re-watching this sitcom, I have to admit – she was even amazing back then with her comedic timing. I totally forgot how good she was. When this show began, she was still just a teenager, and sometimes acting from those that young – especially on Disney Channel sitcoms – can be a little choppy. But Gomez nailed every aspect of the show.
Not only was her comedic timing some of the best out of any lead actress on that channel, but she was just plain funny. She was able to properly show off Alex's sarcasm and make her a loveable character, while also having you laugh at whatever mischief she gets up to next. Even when she was young, Gomez was nothing short of amazing when it came to her acting. It’s no wonder she’s starring in another awesome comedy show now. She’s great at it.
But The Rest Of This Cast Was Also Hilarious — Especially David DeLuise
However, I can’t do a whole Wizards of Waverly Place article without mentioning all of the amazing cast. Besides Gomez, we had David Henry, Jake T. Austin, Maria Canals-Barrera, Jennifer Stone, and David DeLuis.
All of these actors have gone on to do some incredible work elsewhere. Some have stayed in the acting business and others have not, like Stone becoming a nurse and being my absolute hero. But, they were on this show, they were so freaking funny.
From Henry’s timing as the protective yet dorky older brother, Justin, to Austin’s comedic delivery as Max, the dumb younger brother with a sort-of heart of gold (he had his moments), to Stone as Harper and being the ultimate best friend to Alex, to Canals-Barrera being the mother we all wish we had – everyone was so good.
However, I need to give props to David DeLuise the most. The actor is the son of Dom DeLuise, a comedic legend, and his Jerry Russo was truly one of the best Disney Channel dads. I think I liked him a lot because he really reminded me of my dad, strict when he needed to be but loving all the same, and DeLuise perfectly captured what a caring father is all about.
Even The Side Characters All Had Their Chance To Shine — Especially Gregg Sulkin As Mason
This is something small, but there are so many side characters from this show that I remember who were so funny that they stick out in my mind because of how hilarious they were. I’m talking about characters like Zeke Beakerman, Professor Crumbs, Hugh Normous – they’re all so funny.
However, I’ll give major credit to Gregg Sulkin, who played Mason Greyback. While he became more of a major character in Season 4, he was the best side character of Season 3 and was awesome in portraying the typical cute British boy, but he was so adorkably cute I can’t help but love all his little awkward moments before he started to get more comfortable in his relationship with Alex.
Even The Spell Names Are Extremely Clever
I swear, this will be short, but I have to also say the spell names that they used are so funny and cute. Like, for example,“Havity no gravity,” is a play on “have no gravity.” I wish I had a “roomius fixus” to fix my own room.
Do they sound like something a child could come up with? Heck yeah, but they’re still pretty clever and funny as heck.
The Show Did A Great Job With Comedy For Both Children And Adults
I feel like I’ve been saying this the whole time, but the one thing that makes this show so good for both adults and kids to watch is that it really does cater comedy to each group, because it never feels like there are characters left out of the humor.
As someone who used to want to be Alex as a kid, I used to laugh at her jokes all the time, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself relating more to Jerry and Theresa because I’ve experienced more of life now, and found myself laughing more at them. The chemistry that this entire ensemble had was on par with some of the best casts out there, and it really felt like a family.
That’s something that’s really rare these days, and it’s something I’d like to see more of in family comedies.
The Story Is Compelling Enough So When The Jokes Stop Rolling, You're Still Invested In The Characters And What Happens
I know that the main point of this article is to talk about how funny the show it – but even when the jokes stop rolling, there’s plenty in this story to keep you interested.
Sure, Wizards of Waverly Place isn’t going to be as jaw-dropping as the dramedies out there, but there are plenty of moments that still draw you in as a viewer, because these characters are so easy to relate to.
You feel bad for Alex whenever she goes through heartbreaks and loses her spark. You want the kids to succeed in their magic competition, so you cheer them on whenever they learn a new spell. You feel all warm inside when Jerry is proud of his kids or when Theresa is there for them and holding them close and teaching them all about the real world.
It’s a heartfelt show. Honestly, it’s one of the most real shows I watched as a kid, even if the main characters are wizards. Despite the magic, it’s so grounded in reality that you can’t help but love this family, because that’s just who they are – they’re the Russos, and they’re hilariously fantastic, but have a lot of heart.
While I’m not sure if we’ll be getting a Wizards of Waverly Place reunion anytime soon, I’ll gladly re-watch this series again and again just to experience these feelings all over. If you haven’t gotten the chance to watch the show, I’d highly recommend it.
