Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place is widely regarded as a Gen Z classic, showcasing memorable characters and many quotable lines. The show ran from 2007-2012 and centered on the eccentric Russo family of sub-sandwich shop owners by day and wizards by night. Wizards of Waverly Place starred Selena Gomez as Alex Russo, with Jake T. Austin and David Henrie as her brothers Max and Justin Russo. The show managed to offer a humorous look at the growing pains of childhood with a fantasy element that manages to make its story continue to resonate with a new audience – in large part thanks to the script.
The now Emmy-nominated Gomez teamed up with Henrie to launch the show’s much-anticipated sequel on Disney+, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. Now, Alex and Justin are navigating wizardry with adult jobs and marriage and children. A hallmark of the show is its snappy dialogue, particularly Alex’s sarcasm and dry sense of humor. The beloved quotable quality of the source material is present in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, reminding many fans of the original show’s best lines.
10 “A Hat! A Crazy Funky Junky Hat! Overslept! Hair’s Unsightly! Trying to Look Like Keira Knightley! We’ve Been There! We’ve Done That! We See Right Through Your Funky Hat!”
Sang By Alex Russo And Harper Finkle
Alex and her best friend Harper Finkle (Jennifer Stone) perform the “Crazy Funky Junky Hat” song and dance several times throughout season 1, episode 4 of Wizards of Waverly Place. The routine is performed whenever the duo spot someone in a hat or use the word “unsightly.” In this episode, Harper gets a job as a waitress at Alex’s family business, the Waverly Sub Shop. The New York City sandwich shop is modeled after a subway car and is a cozy spot for regular customers throughout the show.
Wizards Of Waverly Place’s Russo Family Tree Explained
Wizards of Waverly Place follows the Russo family, who have a complicated relationship with magic, as shown across the original and the reboot series.
The song illustrates Harper and Alex’s strong bond as friends, and their ability to relate to one another while Alex conceals her wizarding abilities. This episode begins to illustrate one of season 1’s central conflicts – the Russo kids’ tug between their human lives as New York City teenagers and their magical powers. In this episode, Alex casts a spell on Harper that turns her into a “serving wench” to become a better waitress. When she becomes too good at her job, Alex learns how to discern when to use her magic and to avoid interfering in human lives.
9 “I’m Practicing For Later.”
Said By Alex Russo
In season 3, episode 19 of Wizards of Waverly Place, Alex discovers at school that her younger brother Max is dating his first girlfriend. However, he lies to her about his real name and family for fear of being embarrassed or outed as a wizard. When Max is reprimanded when he brings Nancy home and expects his family to play into the lie, Alex realizes that she does not want her parents’ responsibilities anytime soon.
As she plops down on the couch next to Justin, Alex says, “Oh, man, being old is hard. Let me tell you, when I get old, I’m just gonna sit around and read magazines.” Justin replies, “That’s what you do anyway,” to which Alex retorts, “I’m practicing for later.“
Alex’s maturity and understanding towards the rebellious yet powerful young wizard is born from experience.
The scene is the perfect example of Alex’s quick wit and sarcastic nature. These traits remain in her character when she is all grown up in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. Alex’s new teenage protégé, Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) bears her sarcastic and rebellious nature, providing a strong thread of continuity as to why Alex would want to mentor her and mold her power for good. Alex’s maturity and understanding towards the rebellious yet powerful young wizard is born from experience.
8 “You Let Her Have Your Dead Lizard But You Got All Worked Up When I Wanted To Turn It Into A Barette.”
Said By Harper Finkle
When Max is seen gifting his prize possession, his dead pet lizard, to his new girlfriend in season 3, episode 19, Alex and Harper observe in the school hallway. The gesture was a humorous little brother moment for Alex, who is happy to see her eccentric younger brother has found someone. Harper and Alex storm over to investigate the situation, when Harper reveals that Max didn’t even want to gift her the dead lizard. Harper says, “You let her have your dead lizard, but you got all worked up when I wanted to turn it into a barette.“
The scene is a great moment for one of Harper’s key characteristics – her elaborate and creative fashion design. Throughout Wizards of Waverly Place, Harper’s theatrical parents’ influence on her own costuming is illustrated through her clothing choices, most notably her iconic marker dress. This heartwarming and humorous moment illustrates that Max is growing up, and that Harper is so close to the Russo family that she has witnessed his evolution, growth, and maturity.
7 “Look, I’ll handle it like I handle all of life’s problems. Ignore it until it goes away.”
Said By Alex Russo
In season 4, episode 17 of Wizards of Waverly Place, the family plus Harper take a trip to the beach. Jerry Russo (David DeLuise) warns the Russo children to not visit the fortune-teller, as wizard fortunes are sometimes shockingly detailed and realistic. As teenagers do, the group goes anyway, and Justin and Max receive positive futures while Alex’s advises her to “say goodbye to her life.” The ominous fortune leads the young Alex to take drastic measures.
In exchange for undoing her fortune, Alex lets the fortune-teller loose, and he wreaks havoc. When Harper tells Alex that nothing about this situation will end well, Alex replies, “Look. I’ll handle it like I handle all of life’s problems. Ignore it until it goes away.” This scene is another illustration of the element of realism that Alex’s character adds to the Wizards of Waverly Place universe. While youthful and humorous, she deals with the same trials and tribulations as any other teenager, plus the weight of the wizarding world on her shoulders.
6 “I Don’t Like Moths. They Fly Like They’re Broken”
Said By Alex Russo
In season 3, episode 11 of Wizards of Waverly Place, Alex tries to change herself to get her crush’s attention. Her crush, George, is in the pep band, and when the sarcastic and pessimistic Alex unwittingly becomes a cheerleader, she attempts to dial up her positivity using magic. In this scene, George tells Alex’s parents he thought her cheers were annoying, and Alex chooses to ignore his comment, still wanting to win him over.
Alex tells Harper that George is “like an elf to her flame“, to which a confused Harper responds with “Don’t you mean moth to your flame?“ Alex then reveals that she is aware of the common saying, but replaced it with elf, since she is not a fan of moths, as they “fly like they’re broken.” Whimsical quips such as these are hallmarks of the strong writing on Wizards of Waverly Place. This scene is another pivotal moment where Alex is pushed to grow as a person and accept herself for who she is.
5 “Thank You So Much For This Duck, I Can’t Wait To Raise It And Sell Its Milk.”
Said By Max Russo
In season 4, episode 11 of Wizards of Waverly Place, Justin’s best friend Zeke Beakerman (Dan Lee Benson) finds out about the family’s magical secret. Things unravel when he attempts a magic trick and Alex secretly bewitches the situation, turning some feathers into a duckling. In typical Max Russo fashion, the youngest brother strolls in for some comic relief. Max’s lack of knowledge of the wizarding world sets him up well for his mortal fate, and in the sequel Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, it is revealed he is a billionaire restaurateur.
Thinking his magic actually worked and not knowing that it was actually Alex’s doing, a bewildered Zeke gifts Max the duckling, to which Max answers “thank you so much for this duck, I can’t wait to raise it and sell its milk.” Of course, ducks lay eggs and do not produce milk, and Max’s unphased delivery of these absurdist concepts is what makes his younger sibling humor so charming. While Max continues to grow and evolve throughout the show’s run, he often remains in his peculiar ways.
4 “I’m Sure She’s Just Brushing Off His Filthy Dandruff. He Doesn’t Look Clean.”
Said By Mason Greyback
In season 4, episode 4, Alex’s ex-boyfriend Dean Moriarty (Daniel Samonas) comes to town, and her more recent ex-boyfriend, werewolf Mason Greyback (Gregg Sulkin) becomes increasingly jealous. He talks to Max while watching the pair interact in the sub shop, analyzing the situation and sizing up his competition. He then says “I’m sure she’s just brushing off his filthy dandruff. He doesn’t look clean,” to which Max replies, “Bro, you rolled around in a dead squirrel the other day.”
Mason and Alex first meet in art class at school.
The scene is a shining example of Mason’s dry British humor and Max’s brotherly teasing. It additionally foreshadows Mason’s future commitment to Alex, as at this point in the show their story is far from over. Mason and Alex first meet in art class at school, and soon learn each other’s supernatural secrets. While the couple have their hiccups, it becomes clear how much Mason cares for Alex when he goes into werewolf mode and literally eats Dean. Fortunately, the Russo gang manages to save Dean after he is swallowed whole.
3 “I’ve Got Some Spanish For You. No Way Jose!”
Said By Jerry Russo
When Alex fails her Spanish test, Theresa vows to teach her Spanish. With only a few days before her retest, Alex attempts to learn the entire language by Friday so she is no longer grounded and can go on a date. In response, Jerry tells her, “Two days to learn a language? I got some Spanish for you: no way Jose!” The scene perfectly encapsulates Jerry’s punny dad jokes throughout the show. Jerry is a devoted husband and father to his family, and while often the voice of reason, also has plenty of comedy to go around.
This episode was also a rare moment of representation on an early Disney Channel show. The Russo family were the first mixed Latino-Italian family on the channel that depicted a well-rounded look at Mexican American culture that did not rely on stereotypes. Alex learning Spanish later in life is representative of many diaspora Latin Americans, and this episode offered a glimpse into the experience of countless American teenagers balancing their all-American surroundings with maintaining their cultural roots.
2 “I Once Used Magic To Impress A Girl. It Turned Into This Whole Disaster. I Married Her.”
By Jerry Russo
When Justin tries out for the school baseball team to impress his crush, he only succeeds after secretly using magic. This goes directly against Jerry’s advice about not interfering in mortals’ lives with magic, and not using his abilities to make his life easier than other people’s. The episode is the first of many that incorporate life lessons in the show’s fantasy setting, discussing the importance of honesty in relationships.
When Jerry asks Justin why he wanted to be on the team despite not liking baseball, Justin admits it was to impress a girl. Jerry then says, “I once used magic to impress a girl. It turned into this whole disaster. I married her.” Justin laughs at the joke, but Jerry then reinforces, “Don’t say I said that, even as a joke!” As per wizard law, there can only be one family wizard, and the wizard can only maintain their powers if they marry another wizard. Jerry relinquished his powers to marry Theresa, and is evidently content with his decision to pass his powers on to his children.
1 “Oh, I Know How Much It Hurts When Your Heart Gets Broken. But Time Will Heal it. On The Bright Side, We’re All Really Happy To See You Have Feelings.”
Said By Theresa Russo
In the “Wizards vs. Werewolves” episode, it is revealed in a shocking twist that Alex’s werewolf boyfriend, Mason was once in love with Justin’s vampire girlfriend, Juliet (Bridgit Mendler). The Russo siblings are heartbroken when they learn of their strange connection, and while Mason asserts that he is no longer in love with Juliet and only blurted out that he was in wolf form because of the moon, Alex is left feeling like a second choice.
The breakup marks Alex’s first real heartbreak in the show, and Theresa comforts her through grieving the relationship. This is Alex’s first moment of vulnerability and a crack in her sarcastic armor. As a result of seeing Alex so sad over the breakup, Theresa humorously attempts to find a silver lining in this scene, saying, “Oh, I know how much it hurts when your heart gets broken. But time will heal it. On the bright side, we’re all really happy to see you have feelings.“
This scene is a pivotal moment in the show that carries the torch well into Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. The notion that even magic can’t save a person from the ups and downs of life, heartbreak included, is what gives the Wizards of Waverly Place universe a timeless feel, and a much-needed reminder to keep an eye out for the magic of ordinary days.
Released in 2007, Wizards of Waverly Place is a comedy fantasy series created by Todd J. Greenwald for the Disney Channel. The series follows a trio of teenage siblings living in a magical portion of New York City as they train to harness their family’s magical legacy while trying to blend in with everyday people.
- Release Date
- October 12, 2007
- Seasons
- 4
- Writers
- Todd J. Greenwald
- Showrunner
- Todd J. Greenwald
