DISNEY?S ?Wizards of Waverly Place? is a wholesome sitcom aimed at tweens and teens, a half-hour show about three young magicians? misadventures. This recent Emmy winner for Outstanding Children?s Program centers on the Russo siblings, who keep their magical abilities a secret from friends and customers of their New York-based sandwich place.
The mythology is simple: Former wizard Jerry Russo (David DeLuise) gives up his powers to marry a mortal woman, Theresa (Maria Canals Barrera), but their three kids develop magical gifts. The wizards-in-training are teens Justin (David Henrie) and Alex (Selena Gomez), and their younger brother Max (Jake T. Austin).
Justin is the responsible, geeky child; he does well in school and is often instrumental in undoing mystic mishaps caused by his sister Alex.
Alex easily gets bored with magic training and often chooses the easy way out, so her spells usually backfire. Max, meanwhile, shows promise, an imaginative kid who sometimes helps out his older siblings in their magic-aided pranks.
However, only one of them can keep the powers and become a full-fledged wizard.
The effects-enhanced situations talk about family bonds without being cheesy. The sometimes shaky father-child rapport, for example, is tackled in an episode where Jerry hesitatingly teaches his daughter flying carpet ?driving? lessons.
In other episodes, selflessness is subtly discussed: Alex temporarily switches bodies with her mother to let Theresa experience a traditional ?Quinceanera? party that she missed when she was a teenager.
The show?s fantasy-based trappings allow for a variety of situations. In a story that parodies Harry Potter, for instance, Justin is potentially the mightiest of the young sorcerer pupils in summer wizardry school. Also, the Russo kids get to teleport to Mars for a research assignment, and even become part of a horror movie.
The Russo family?s ventures are told in mostly self-contained episodes. It?s mirthful and silly about rivalry and revelry, a show that can be appreciated by kids and grownups alike.
?Wizards of Waverly Place? airs on Disney Channel every Saturday at 9 p.m.
?Amazing Race? last leg
It?s a showdown among married couple Brian and Ericka, gay brothers Sam and Dan and dating couple Megan and Cheyne tomorrow in the 12th and last leg of ?The Amazing Race 15? airing live at 9 a.m. on Studio 23.
From the Czech Republic, the final three teams must compete all the way to the final pit stop? Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
The first team to arrive will win the race and take home $1 million.
A prime time telecast will be on Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. on Studio 23.
Cleveland in town
Jack TV features the only African-American cartoon family on television.
?The Cleveland Show? features soft-spoken neighbor Cleveland Brown. This time, he decides it?s time for him and his son Cleveland Jr. to leave Peter Griffin?s turf and star in his own spin-off series.
While on a road trip to California, the father-son duo makes a stop in Cleveland?s hometown of Stoolbend, Virginia where he reunites with his high school crush Donna.
?The Cleveland Show? airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.
Alien invasion
Cartoon Network presents a sneak peek on the animated special ?Ben 10 Alien Force? Vengeance of Vilgax? tonight at 9 and tomorrow at 5 p.m.
In the series, Ben, Gwen, Kevin and Grandpa Max join forces to conquer the super-powered alien villain Vilgax.
Log on to www.cartoonnetwork.com.ph.
Hollywood conquest
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott are back?and with another baby in the way?in ?Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood? on 2nd Avenue?s Ladies Night every Monday at 9 p.m.
The celebrity couple first entered the reality scene in 2007 with ?Tori and Dean: Inn Love.? For two seasons, the show gave viewers a glimpse into the couple?s daily struggles, both as newlyweds and as proprietors of the bed-and-breakfast inn, Chateau la Rue.
The series followed Tori through her pregnancy and the eventual birth of her first child, Liam Aaron.
