Comedy
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’ is a fitting sequel series to Disney’s ‘Wizards of Waverly Place.’ And that can be a good or a bad thing.
It is a cloudy day as Gumball wakes up. Scraping the dust bunnies off his tongue and eyes, he sleepily asks Darwin, his adopted brother, the time. With a gasp, Darwin exclaims, “We overslept! We’re late for school!” How long? Only seven years.
When Gumball and his family first graced television sets in 2011, the blue, anthropomorphic cat ran around the cartoonish, Californian town of Elmore, exploring his animated reality and learning about the “Void.” The Void is a dimension where objects and even people from Gumball’s world are discarded if they are deemed redundant, out of style or a “mistake.” For instance, ‘80s hairspray has been sent to the Void, as well as jorts and the mullet.
But the Void didn’t stop Gumball from having some fun. Whether it be acting in a restaurant’s commercial, tagging along with his mom to work at the Rainbow Factory or joining a secret society within his school, Gumball always found a way to have a good time.
And now the whole family is back: Gumball is joined by his brother (Darwin), his sister (Anais) and their parents (Nicole and Richard). Together, they undertake more adventures in the weird city of Elmore. Only this time, their adventures are far crazier and zanier than before.
When the World of Gumball first began in 2011, it was known as The Amazing World of Gumball. The series concluded in 2019, after Gumball and Darwin saved their school from an evil Superintendent.
But the original creators weren’t done with Gumball just yet. According to Gumball, the show never ended: They’ve just been oversleeping these past few years. The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball continues the original show’s popular antics. Though, of course, Gumball’s world has changed from “amazing” to “wonderfully weird.” And this sequel series truly embodies the idea that Gumball’s world is, in fact, weird.
Whether it’s an AI robot falling in love or an all-out hunt for healthy food against a burger tycoon, Gumball’s world warps reality and imagination together.
However, there are some minor bathroom jokes, the occasional suggestive comment, a man dressed in woman’s clothing and reckless behaviors that parents might want their kids to avoid.
Gumball’s adventures are fun-filled and weird, though parents of younger kids may find it best to pack up and leave this weird world behind.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
After learning at school how bad a popular burger chain is for people’s hearts and overall health, Gumball’s brother, Darwin, takes it upon himself to change his family’s eating habits.
The Hindu greeting, “Namaste,” is said once. A character mimics the sound and gesture of choking someone. An earthquake occurs due to Gumball’s loud stomach. A piece of fruit gets stuck in someone’s nose. A character blows a kiss, and someone else eats it. Gumball shows off his rear end to his brother. Two characters rummage through a dumpster.
An established male character takes on a female name while wearing a dress and heels, though it’s unclear what his intention is.
Gumball’s mom, Nicole, is tired of her family not appreciating her—that, and the fact that her husband and kids just lay around and expect her to do all the housework. So, she gets help from an AI assistant named Ori.
The more Nicole hangs out with Ori, the more Ori wants to drive Nicole’s family out of the picture. Specifically, Ori wants to drive Nicole’s family into the bottom of a nearby lake. Soon, the whole family finds themselves in a fight against the AI robot.
We see rooms in the house littered with garbage and empty food containers. Nicole picks up dirty underwear off her desk. One character accidentally slaps herself. Some characters are seen in their underwear. Ori buys a bunch of gifts for Nicole’s family through “insider trading,” without Nicole’s knowledge. One character gets his tongue stuck in the freezer door often. A car is hijacked and driven into a lake with people stuck inside of it. (They’re ultimately rescued.) An AI makes a suggestive comment: “I’m an alpha software, but wouldn’t mind crashing at your place.”
Natalie Dean is Plugged In’s 2025 Summer Intern. A native from South Dakota, she recently graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in Journalism and in the fall will be pursuing a master’s at Liberty University. Growing up in the Black Hills, Natalie enjoys spending her time outside, whether that be riding bikes or kayaking with her sisters, walking the dogs or going on long hikes. Her love for movie soundtracks stems from her sister asking, “what movie is this from” and “name the movie scene.” She has a passion for writing and hopes to one day be a published author.
‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’ is a fitting sequel series to Disney’s ‘Wizards of Waverly Place.’ And that can be a good or a bad thing.
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