Wizards Make Magic for Disney Channel
Wizards of Waverly Place Gains High Ratings, Emmy Award
Sep 1, 2009
The Disney Channel's Aug. 28, 2009 premiere of the Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie averaged 11.43 million viewers, according Nielsen Media Research, making it the most-watched television cable show of 2009.
The telefilm was a bonus climax to the second season of the Wizards of Waverly Place series, which has been a steady draw for Disney. The success of the movie suggests that the franchise has reached new heights in popularity.
Hannah Montana, which debuted in 2006, has been Disney's iconic live-action comedy, but that show's run will end after its fourth and final season.
Yet indications are that Wizards, which has made a major star of young actress/singer Selena Gomez, is more than capable of carrying the Disney standard.
After all, Wizards can now call itself an Emmy Award-winning show. It was announced Sept. 12 that Wizards won the Emmy for Outstanding Children's Show.
Wizards Movie Draws 26.2 Million Over 3 Days
The 11.43 million viewers surpassed even the 10.65 million who tuned in to watch the June 25 BET Awards Show, which featured a tribute to pop star Michael Jackson three days after his death.
The movie also attracted more viewers than TLC's June 22 episode of reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8, in which Jon and Kate Gosselin announced their breakup. That show was watched by 10.6 million.
A Saturday rebroadcast of the Wizards movie drew an additional 5.78 million viewers, ranking fifth for the week among cable shows. The movie also aired twice Sunday, drawing 4.74 and 4.27 to rate 16th and 20th, respectively. So in three days, it was viewed by more than 26 million.
In addition, two half-four Wizards episodes rated fifth and 25th for the week, bringing in a 5.27 and 4.09 million, respectively.
Disney Dominates With TV Movies
It was another coup for Disney, which claims the four most-viewed scripted cable telecasts since 2007. The Wizards movie ranks behind only the premiere of High School Musical 2 (17.2 million on Aug. 17, 2007).
A Hannah Montana episode that aired on the same night as the High School Musical 2 telecast rates third with 10.7 million viewers, Disney said, and a three-part combination special called Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana is fourth with 9.3 million. The latter program, which aired July 17, 2009, combined episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place, Suite Life on Deck, and Hannah Montana.
The High School Musical 2 premiere, The Associated Press reported, is the only cable program ever to beat out all network shows. But the Wizards movie came close. Only NBC's America's Got Talent, which attracted 11.46 viewers, was watched by more during the week ending Aug. 31.
What The Wizards of Waverly Place Is About
Wizards centers on the Russo family, which runs a New York City sandwich shop. The catch is that the three teenage siblings have magical powers.
Alex, played by Gomez, is the wise-cracking, underachieving middle child. Justin (David Henrie) is her perfectionist older brother, and slow-witted Max (Jake T. Austin) is the youngest.
Their father Jerry (David DeLuise) lost his wizard powers because he married a mortal -- Theresa, played by Maria Canals-Barrera. Jerry tries to instruct his kids about magic and the proper way to use it, but it frequently gets them into trouble.
The squeaky-clean show focuses heavily on teen and family issues, with the kids constantly finding mischief but always learning their lessons. There are plenty of zany moments, an extra dose of it being provided by Alex's eccentric best friend Harper (Jennifer Stone).
Gears were shifted for the movie, which kicked up the special effects for what was more of an adventure than a comedy. There were even some touching moments, as the sibling rivalry between Alex and Justin was more deeply explored. Much of the usual craziness (and the laugh track) were gone.
Sources
Wizards' Emmy Victory
Wizards was one of three nominees for Outstanding Children's Show, and beat out Hannah Montana and Nickelodeon's iCarly to capture its first Emmy.
Executive producers Todd J. Greenwald, Peter Murrieta, Vince Cheung, Ben Montanio, co-executive producer Matt Goldman and producer Greg A. Hampson were the award recipients.
Winners were announced in Los Angeles at the Creative Arts portion of the Emmy presentations. The ceremony is scheduled to be telecast on Sept. 18 on the E! network.
Sources
Nielsen Media Research
TV by the numbers.com
Wizards of Waverly Place Hit Big for Disney, The Associated Press, Sept, 1, 2009
