Nothing will change.
Justin Russo, those are dangerous words to say, because the moment you say them, you should know that everything is about to change. Hasn’t enough of it changed in the past three days since Alex brought Billie to your doorstep?
MORE: If you missed the first episode review, read it here
It’s Billies first day of school and well, that’s going to be interesting. Middle school? Would not redo that to save my life. It was a nightmare the first time and I am thinking that it will continue to be something that haunts me. After all, kids are vicious and no one knows that more than kids.
Roman is excited about school. I want to call him Justin Jr. because he’s so much like his father that it’s a little bit freaky. Roman hasn’t found a place to fit in – except with his best friend Winter. Which, BTW, Winter may be the most adorable middle schooler ever. She’s optimistic, filled with joy, and wants nothing more than to be kind.
MORE: Disney Releases First Look At ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’
Justin instructs Billie that there is no magic allowed at school. We all know that he’s given her the same instructions a few times over and hey, it’s cute that he thinks that she’ll listen. Billie is an insecure preteen who is struggling to find her place and doesn’t know how to be anything but a wizard. Telling her that she can’t be one is counterproductive. It’s just going to make her do the things she’s told not to do.
Sitting here watching the show, I have to admit that I actually felt bad for middle schoolers and high schoolers alike. Kids are looking down at you, trying to tell you that you’re not as good as they are, and so on. Everything is a struggle. Billie wants to make friends, but how do you do that when you can’t relate to anyone around you? In the wizarding world, Billie may be completely normal, but in the human world, she’s different.
But the thing about this episode that got me was that it really was about friendship and being yourself. You don’t have to trick people into being your friend, all you have to do is be yourself. If they like you, great. If they don’t, well that’s okay too. Finding your place in the world isn’t going to be easy.
What fun would it be if it was easy?
I think that the joy of shows like Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is that you do get a lesson, but it’s always a lesson that you can relate to. It doesn’t matter how old you are, finding your tribe – your place – is always going to be a struggle. Even more than that it is going to be a learning experience.
MORE: ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’ Trailer & Two Pieces Of Key Art
Yet everything is a learning experience – no matter how old you are. Giada, for instance, gets a frog at her door telling her that a Phantomus is on Staten Island and no one can do magic. The thing feeds off of magic and can sense when people are doing magic.
Now, if a frog shows up at my door and I am talking to it, personally, I would think I lost my mind. I wouldn’t drive the frog to my husband’s work. Nope. I would drive myself straight to the hospital and check myself in. Giada though, she’s a VIP and she’s going through all the motions. She’s not questioning it, instead, she’s going to be doing whatever it takes to protect her family.
Now this phantom thinks that the wizard is Roman and possesses him. Billie has told Winter that she’s a wizard and Winter hasn’t believed her, until now. What I did love about Winter was that the fact that Billie was a Wizard wasn’t what impressed her. What impressed her was that she was willing to do whatever it took to save Roman.
MORE: Read the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Episode 2 Review here!
Justin manages to turn this into a lesson for Billie and the two of them together manage to banish the Phantomous. Granted Giadas purse is sacrificed, but hey, she needed a cuter one anyway.
Middle school is hard, we learned that. Being yourself is even harder. But when you are yourself, things have a tendency to work out… eventually. Just a little life lesson.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Justin and Billie working together is my favorite thing. She really does learn from him and that’s a good thing
- Giada is worried about Justin and Billie being safe. I love how this family has grown in three days
- Milo and his tough day at school – don’t miss spelling tests at all
- Can’t blame Giada, I wouldn’t want to go to school on a day off either
MORE: Remember the first look at Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
