TV Recap: Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - Spells, S’mores, and Secrets: The Russos Face "Cruel Detentions"

After a Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Halloween packed with ghosts and prank wars, the Russos are back to their usual chaos in “Cruel Detentions." When Billie accidentally mouths off to the wrong teacher, she winds up in Saturday detention under Justin’s watchful eye — just as he’s called away for urgent Tribunal business. Meanwhile, Giada and Milo get in over their heads with spell tutorials gone wrong, and Roman finally surpasses Billie on the Bibbidi Bobbidi Board. But the biggest surprise comes from the unassuming Quentin, whose secret alliance hints that the Russos’ real trouble is only just beginning.

Season 2, Episode 6: “Cruel Detentions" - Written by Sandra Oyeneyin

At school, Milo (Max Matenko) notices that Roman (Alkaio Thiele) is dressed almost identically to their teacher, Mr. Simms. He and Billie (Janice LeeAnn Brown) laugh about it, though Roman is oblivious. He brushes off their teasing because he’s about to surpass Billie on the Bibbidi Bobbidi Board — the leaderboard for spell progress. When Billie checks, she sees that he’s only ten points away. She can’t understand how he’s outpacing her since they share the same classes, until Milo points out that while Roman studies, Billie tends to lounge. Determined to catch up, she storms off to confront him, only to accidentally yell at Mr. Simms and land herself Saturday detention.

On Saturday morning, Billie comes downstairs to find Roman already studying with his spellbook, gloating about how today’s the day he’ll overtake her. Justin (David Henrie) joins them, only to learn he’s stuck covering detention after the regular monitor calls out sick. Roman mocks them both with a “sad trombone" spell as Billie sulks.

Meanwhile, Giada (Mimi Gianopulos) discovers the garbage disposal is broken. Milo volunteers to help, but his spell only produces bubbles. Justin explains that he put parental controls on Milo’s wand so that advanced spells just fizzle out. Frustrated, Milo complains to Billie, who offers to trade wands for the day. While she’s stuck in detention, he can rack up points for her.

Billie arrives in detention where a boy named Quentin (Recker Eans) is hogging the last free chair. Justin, trying to be professional, announces new “rules" (complete with detention as an acronym) before his wand buzzes like a phone. Stepping into the hall, Minister Bigalow McFigglehorn (Kirsten Vangsness) appears, dark streaks still in her hair, summoning Justin to audit the Crypt of Cursed Curiosities. If he fails, he’ll be kicked off the tribunal. Forced to juggle both, Justin sets a timer to alternate between detention and the crypt.

Billie checks her phone only to find Milo isn’t gaining her points — he’s losing them! As she fumes, Quentin reveals a secret vent that he sometimes uses to sneak out.

In the crypt, Justin realizes the Eye of Evelini is missing. While searching, he accidentally unleashes a swarm of banshee balls. Back at detention, Billie escapes through the vent and hides in a trash can outside. Justin eventually corrals the banshee balls, though one escapes after him into the school. Billie stays hidden, narrowly avoiding being caught.

At home, Giada successfully fixes the garbage disposal thanks to a video tutorial from “The Handsome Handyman," whom she finds very attractive. Milo, having failed to enlarge a marshmallow with Billie’s wand, comes into the kitchen disappointed. Giada offers to help him with his spell, even though she’s a mortal, thinking they can find a similar video tutorial for him.

Still on the run from the banshee ball, Justin answers a call from Roman, bragging about surpassing Billie on the board. He mistakes Justin’s weary “Finally" as a disappointed acknowledgement of his victory. In reality, he was glad to have finally caught the banshee ball.

Billie hides again as Justin traps the rogue banshee ball and returns to detention. Quentin tumbles out of the vent, taking the fall for Billie. Justin piles on more detentions for him, while Billie slips back to her seat unnoticed. Billie finally gets out of the trash can when Justin returns to the wizard world to put the ball back in the crypt.

Giada and Milo watch a tutorial from the Handsome Hexman — another Justin doppelgänger — and they try the marshmallow-expanding spell together. It works a little too well. When Billie sneaks back in, she discovers Milo left her wand inside the growing marshmallow, which has almost taken over the entire living room. Thinking quickly, she uses Milo’s wand to attempt a s’mores spell. Suddenly, the table is covered in s’mores, earning Milo unexpected points. Giada doesn’t want Justin to know she helped Milo with a spell, and Billie agrees to keep her secret as long as Giada doesn’t tell Justin that she snuck home during detention. Giada agrees with one additional term - Billie is on dish duty for a week.

Slipping into the hallway, Billie ducks behind a column just as a portal opens and Justin steps out. She overhears him calling Minister McFigglehorn, who warns him not to tell the other Tribunal members about their crypt situation. Quentin then tumbles dramatically out of the vent, stopping Justin from returning to detention to give Billie time to sneak back in unnoticed. Quentin accepts his punishment of two more Saturdays of detention.

Back at the house, Giada keeps streaming Handsome Hexman videos and teases Justin when he returns, asking if he’s ever considered a mustache or beard. In the living room, Roman gloats over surpassing Billie on the Bibbidi Bobbidi Board. To his surprise, Billie admits, “You deserve it — you’ve been working really hard," and apologizes for trying to stop him. Roman, however, is dissatisfied with her concession.

Elsewhere in the school, Quentin walks the halls when a portal opens. Minister McFigglehorn appears again, this time with a message from Lord Morsus. She asks Quentin if he did what they asked. Quentin confirms: “Yeah, Billie trusts me." McFigglehorn orders him to use that trust to tear the Russos apart.

Two new episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will air next Friday, October 10th, at 7/6c on Disney Channel.

Episodes from Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will be available to stream on Disney+ beginning Wednesday, October 8th.