Television series

Wizards of Waverly Place

Name: Wizards of Waverly Place
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Released: 2007
Cast: David DeLuise, Maria Canals-Barrera, Jake T. Austin, David Henrie, Selena Gomez

Urban fantasy
Comedy
Light-hearted

A wizard-in-training comedy about three siblings learning magic while their parents run a New York sub shop. Alex Russo steals the show with her deadpan rule-breaking, building a series that works as both goofy family fun and genuinely funny comedy. Warm, fast-paced, endlessly inventive with its magic conceits. For anyone who likes shows that don't talk down to their audience.

TVMaze rating

3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a bright, fast family sitcom where sibling squabbling and a magic-school-style premise sit comfortably together, and you don't mind a show built for a younger audience to be warm and silly.

Skip it if you need grown-up stakes or a show that trusts you with slow, complicated emotion; its jokes are broad and its episodes are short, sweet and busy.

What it asks of you: Little time and little patience for setup: half-hour episodes that move quickly, mostly light and cheerful, with the spells and sibling bickering doing most of the work.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Owl House2020

Shares the same DNA: a young protagonist with genuine magic powers, a show that's funny but never condescending, character arcs that earn real emotional weight by the end. The voice acting is superb and the mythology deepens beautifully across seasons.

But Darker and more serialized than Wizards—it's not episodic comfort food. Also takes itself seriously in ways that might feel at odds with the premise if you're looking for pure comedy.

Gravity Falls2012

Mystery-box storytelling wrapped around genuine supernatural comedy. Incredibly smart about structure and character; funny enough for adults, clever enough for kids. The voice cast is perfect and the ending actually lands.

But Only two seasons—you'll want more. Also deliberately builds toward darkness rather than staying light, which might feel like tonal whiplash if you want something consistently breezy.

Amphibia2019

Another Disney show that started as silly episodic adventures and revealed an enormous heart underneath. Anne Boonchuy is a fully realized character dealing with real stakes alongside genuinely hilarious bits. The animation is expressive and the comedy timing is excellent.

But The early episodes feel thinner than Wizards while it finds its feet. Commitment pays off but some viewers will check out before it clicks.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Wizards of Waverly Place

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

A Certain Magical Index2008

Both build magic systems where learning has costs, and both understand that teenage characters can be both funny and dealing with real consequences. Alex and Touma would probably get along.

Anime about students with supernatural powers navigating ordinary life and extraordinary conflicts. Shares Wizards' core appeal—magic as an intricate system with rules to learn and break, found family dynamics, characters you care about genuinely. Japanese version has real bite beneath the high school comedy.

But Anime aesthetics and pacing; if you've never watched anime, the visual shorthand might feel alien. Also gets genuinely violent in ways Wizards never does, which jars if you're expecting family-friendly throughout.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch1996

The obvious predecessor, but deserving of it. Caroline Rhea and Beth Broderick as the aunts are instant comedy, and the show mines its premise endlessly without running out of ideas. That 90s energy is pure comfort.

But Production values and comedy sensibilities feel dated now. The pacing is slower than Wizards and some plots are genuinely thin.

Kim Possible2002

Animated but operates on the same frequency: teen competence, witty banter, a cast you actually care about, and a show comfortable being funny without becoming silly. Ron Stoppable is a legitimately great character.

But Animation style is of its era. Also leans more action-adventure than magic-comedy, so the tone is different even if the warmth is the same.

Danny Phantom2004

Same era energy with a supernatural twist. Danny's double life is genuinely fun to watch unfold, the family dynamics are warm and funny, and the show finds clever ways to use its core conceit across four seasons.

But Monster-of-the-week episodes can feel repetitive. Also the animation is distinctly early-2000s in ways that haven't aged brilliantly.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel2017

Not a fantasy show, but operates on pure comedy energy and charm. Quick-witted dialogue, a charismatic lead learning new things about herself, supporting characters you fall in love with immediately, and a genuine warmth underneath the jokes.

But Very adult in sensibility and content—nothing like the family-friendly tone of Wizards. Also deliberately stylized in ways that might feel precious depending on your tolerance.

Stranger Things2016

Supernatural mystery with genuine affection for its ensemble cast. Season one especially captures that 'kids dealing with impossible situations' magic with humor, heart, and real stakes. The Duffer Brothers understand how to make you care.

But Gets significantly darker and grittier as it progresses. Also becomes more bloated and overstuffed as the seasons accumulate, losing some of the tight charm of the early episodes.

The Good Place2016

Witty ensemble comedy with genuine heart and a premise that keeps evolving. Each season takes the concept somewhere new. Kristen Bell and the cast have beautiful chemistry, and the show trusts its audience to follow complex ideas while staying funny.

But More philosophy than fantasy. Also the ending divides people—some find it perfect, others feel betrayed by where it goes emotionally.

Craig of the Creek2018

Both are shows about the private world siblings and friends share—the specific magic of adolescent friendships and inside jokes. Wizards has spells; Craig has the creek. Same enchantment, different map.

Animated series about kids having adventures and navigating friendships with genuine warmth and no condescension. The humor lands for adults, the worldbuilding is intricate, and it captures that magical feeling of childhood adventure without being about magic at all. Pure comfort and joy.

But Very gentle and low-stakes, which means no dramatic tension whatsoever. If you're looking for conflict or plot momentum, this dissolves into pure vibes.

The Magicians2015

Both center on young people learning magic while maintaining secret lives. But where Wizards is about the lightness of that duality, Magicians is about the weight—what it costs to live between worlds.

What if you aged up Wizards into adult territory? College-aged students learning actual magic in a secret institution, with genuine stakes, sexuality, moral ambiguity, and serialized storytelling. Captures the delight of hidden supernatural worlds but for grownups who want complexity alongside wonder.

But Frequently dark and sometimes genuinely bleak. Also the writing is uneven across its five seasons, and it gets increasingly convoluted in ways that frustrate some viewers.