When it comes to Disney – anything Disney – you can always catch them paying homage to the things that came before. They tie worlds together or at least remind you of the other things that are from the Disney world. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place does just that – it manages this episode to remind us of Inside Out.
Even if the title, Potions Eleven, sounds like Oceans Eleven. That also fits, because it is kind of a heist of Justin’s memories.
There are a lot of things that The Wizards Beyond Waverly Place does right – one of those finding a way to join the old and the new, but also to make us appreciate the Disney universe as a whole.
And I can and do admire that.
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CHEATERS
Billie and Roman have really learned to be friends and at their age, that isn’t easy. It’s actually quite admirable that these two have each other’s backs, but they need to do that without magic. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place doesn’t feel as though it is trying to shame anyone for using magic but tries to make everyone involved see that they don’t need it.
But that doesn’t mean that Billie and Roman aren’t going to get in trouble for using magic inappropriately.
The two get grounded and both have their ways of approaching being in trouble for using magic. Roman knows that Justin isn’t going to back down and Billie believes that he’s used magic at times he shouldn’t.
Any show has a lesson to learn and these two are definitely going to learn something. These two are going to learn boundaries.
Being grounded is not fun, but that may be the least of their worries.
INSIDE OUT
Ever wonder what it is like inside someone’s brain? Me too. When it comes to television and movies, the interpretation of what it’s like is always interesting. This interpretation felt like Inside Out.
Billie and Roman go into Justin’s brain to try and find proof that in his life, Justin has misused magic.
While I do get the reasoning behind what Billie and Roman are doing – the boundaries they are crossing are cringy. As a kid, you may want to prove your parents wrong, but it’s part of their job to make sure that you do better than they did. Justin wants his kids – including Billie – to be better than he was.
The two are in his brain and are pressing buttons, turning nobs, and doing everything they can to find the memories. It definitely isn’t the right time for them to be doing this – as Justin is in a meeting.
But, to a certain point, I am glad that they did. We got to see that one of Justin’s core memories is a lie. The Unicorn incident at WizTech, which got him fired, was someone else’s fault.
I do believe that everything happens for a reason and whatever it is that Justin does with the information that he didn’t screw up at WizTech, we shall see. The two can’t tell him that they unlocked the memory – even if they want to.
Justin needed a win and they gave it to them.
CAKE BOSS
Giada is excited to have the day to herself. No one can blame her for that as it’s amazing to have your home to yourself and to do whatever you want to. It’s the dream.
With Billie and Roman grounded, Justin at work, and Milo at a friend’s – this is her chance.
She’s got the perfect day planned – junk food and watching television. She’s dressed up her Stanley and she’s ready and raring to rot on her couch. Though, life is weird because you can be prepared to do anything, and suddenly someone interrupts that.
Enter Winter.
She’s at the Russo’s because her Mom wants the day alone – you know, like Giada did. It’s cute to watch and makes you realize that Winter is really a part of the Russo family. It’s sweet to see that.
The two decide to try their hand at baking and see if they can make something that people wouldn’t know is a cake. This is everything because I love how great baking is that the trend is to see if it is real or a cake. I have failed that question many times on Instagram.
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LET HIM WIN
The end of the day – any day – I think is always interesting. Why? It’s the part of the day where you really reflect as you are winding down.
Justin has had a win – his STEM projects at school have not been defunded. The school board takes him as an example of why they are needed. He’s about to have another win when he catches Billie and Roman sneaking back inside from the lair. The two are grounded.
Grounded means they are supposed to be in their room, and they aren’t supposed to leave it. Roman is ready to rake his Dad over the coals because he used magic inappropriately as a kid. Roman is feeling a sense of power, wanting to call his father out.
But Billie stops him. She wants to give Justin this one. After all, everyone deserves a win.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Justin and Giada loving their life is too cute. That’s the kind of love everyone wants.
- Billie is growing and changing. Love that they show that.
