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'Hannah Montana's' Magic Touch Leads To New Show

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By JENNIFER FREY, The Washington Post

Published: October 22, 2007

Apparently 'Hannah Montana' is so hot these days, even her nemesis is getting her own show.

To be specific, actress Selena Gomez - who once again guest-starred as pop-star rival Mikayla on an episode of the television series - received a big Disney Channel reward: She's starring in a new sitcom, 'Wizards of Waverly Place,' which has settled into its cozy post-'Hannah' slot at 8:30 p.m. Fridays.

'It's almost like being asked to follow 'Friends,'' says 'Wizards' executive producer Peter Murrieta, referring to NBC's retired hit. 'Having written on one show that followed 'Friends,' I can say I'm ... hopeful we're going to get a lot of people looking at what we've got - who end up liking the show for different reasons than 'Hannah Montana.''

But, he adds, 'If I went to sleep and thought we'd build on that audience, I think I'd be crazy.'

'Hannah Montana' is cable's No. 1 series for kids, averaging 2.6 million total viewers. The show's pop-culture reach continues to skyrocket, with teen singing star Miley Cyrus now the hottest concert ticket on the planet. 'Hannah' is so beloved that when Gomez appeared before a live audience after her guest-starring performance, the fans booed her (because her character is so mean to Hannah) until Cyrus stepped in.

But Gomez has a new character to play: Alex Russo, one of three siblings who learn they have magical powers. The Russo family is half Italian (Dad, played by David DeLuise) and half Mexican (Mom, played by Maria Canals Barrera) and runs a sandwich shop; Gomez - who got her acting start as one of the kids on 'Barney' at age 6 - is the mischievous one - and clearly the show's star.

Dad once had the wizardly powers (it runs in his family) but surrendered them upon marrying a mere mortal. Now he's trying to teach his kids - Alex and sons Justin (David Henrie) and Max (Jake T. Austin) - how to use them properly.

'Wizards' doesn't have the musical aspect that propels the success of 'Hannah' and that other massive Disney phenomenon, the 'High School Musical' franchise. But it does capitalize on what has suddenly become a hot television genre for adults: the supernatural.

'It seems like entertainment always moves toward more of a fantastic realm when the world is dealing with a lot of stuff - it would be great if we had a bionic person who could fix everything,' Murrieta says, referring to the remake of 'The Bionic Woman' in prime time.

Although the glut of prime time supernatural shows is a recent trend, the appeal of magic and wizardry has always been popular as TV fare for kids. The Russo siblings can do everything from rewind time to fly magic carpets to create love potions that entice the interest of the boy or girl they like in school. They even have 'pocket elves,' who can help them on tests. (What child wouldn't like that?)

'The reason why it's so successful, and especially for young kids, is because kids wish they could be invisible and kids wish they could rewind time,' says Gomez, 15. 'And we bring that on screen. I know I wished that when I was younger.'

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