I usually find a lot of these new Disney kids annoying but, I think the kids on this new reboot really capture the same essence of Alex, Justin, and Max. Yes, they still can be a bit frustrating to watch at times as they are kids making stupid decisions and we’re now adults but, thankfully their mistakes and choices come off as charming and fun. Billie, one of the main characters who feels like Alex’s replacement, has that same wit and tendency to cause mischief that the audience just cannot hate. Additionally, Justin’s kids, Roman and Milo, have the part of being an uptight know-it-all and goof-ball down pat. Furthermore, I did appreciate the addition of a couple of callbacks to the original through the characters, spells, and plot. I think this recognizes that this show is not only being watched by children but also by those who grew up with the original.
So… the special effects do not look amazing. Disney is surely making enough money to fund it but, I guess the money went somewhere else. One could argue that the more simple and practical effects were used to keep the nostalgia of the original but, it definitely threw me off. Additionally, there were a few cringe lines, likely due to Gen Alpha being a primary audience. I threw my hand over my mouth and had to pause and rewind at “Slay-us all-us” when Billie magically changed outfits.
Overall, I did enjoy this reboot and look forward to more episodes. I was skeptical going in after years of mediocre Disney Channel shows, remakes, and live actions, but this one passed the test in my opinion. While some inevitable, new, awkward Disney moments seeped through the cracks, it mainly felt like the good old days, and as Alex admits in episode one: “I missed this.”
