"Wizards of Waverly Place" has received positive reviews for its humor and use of an ensemble cast. Eakin analyzed that "Wizards of Waverly Place" is a departure from Disney's typical series; while the cast demonstrates exaggerated acting, there is minimal slapstick humor. Gomez was praised for her comic timing and sarcastic delivery; her portrayal of Alex was described as "sweet and sassy". McNamara analyzed that Justin and Max didn't serve as comic relief, but appear as equally as Alex does; Jake T. Austin was called "asbsurdly hilarious". Reviewers such as Barry Garron from "The Hollywood Reporter" described the central characters as "cute, precocious but far from angelic", and said that children would want to watch more. During the airing of the fourth season, Eakin said that the quality of the series hadn't diminished. She said that it has a lot of heart, depth and "actual feeling". The "Los Angeles Times"s Mary McNamara stated that the show didn't rely on shtick. Critics expressed that the series capitalized on the success of the "Harry Potter" franchise; while reviewing the video game, Jack DeVries said that the series wasn't as much of a rip-off as people might expect. The show was also compared to "Bewitched". Blogger Mark Robinson wrote that the series combined fantasy and comedy seamlessly, and listed it one of Disney's best sitcoms.