Peter Murrieta, the executive producer of the Disney Channel's new "Wizards of Waverly Place," graduated from Sabino High School in 1984, then went on to the University of Arizona.
The sitcom, which premiered last week, is about a girl, Alex, and her brothers, Justin and Max, who inherit magical powers from their father, a wizard who relinquished his powers to marry his mortal wife.
The show is one of many family-friendly projects that Murrieta, 41, has helped bring to the tube.
Murrieta was co-executive producer of ABC's "Hope & Faith," with stars Kelly Ripa and Faith Ford, and he wrote for the NBC comedy "Jesse," starring Christina Applegate.
You also might remember "Greetings From Tucson," a WB sitcom that premiered in 2002. Based partly on Murrieta's life, the show was about a half-Irish, half-Mexican family living in Tucson's Northeast Side. The show wasn't renewed for a second season after tepid ratings.
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We spoke with Murrieta via telephone from his L.A. home about his latest project.
There have been a lot of new TV shows this fall with fantasy and magical themes, including ABC's "Pushing Daisies" and "Wizards of Waverly Place." Why is fantasy a big theme in TV these days?
"I think in a dry, noncorporate kind of way, everyone's looking for some way to push their show out of the clutter. I've seen a few of the new shows; some are great and some haven't been so well done. . . .We live in interesting times and people want to escape from (reality). People want to believe in heroes and see them do the right thing, to see people with power who use it wisely. Those are things we're all yearning for."
"Wizards of Waverly Place," is about an all-American family and features an Italian father and Latino mother. I'm curious about the role of magical realism in Latino culture. How has that concept applied to the show?
"Magical realism is a theme we've always had in our culture, the Latino culture, that is. One of the first books I'd read at the UA was by a Chicano author (Juan Rulfo) who wrote 'Pedro Páramo', about the adventures of this guy who returns to his mother's hometown only to find it filled with ghosts.
"He talks to them; they're still walking the Earth, but there are few questions about how he can do this. People just believe it is.
"There's a big part of Latino culture that regards magic as a real thing, that it moves among us and that it's a fact."
Latinos are one of the nation's fastest-growing ethnic groups. Are networks starting to increase Latino representation in film and television?
"It's happening in fits and starts. There's never as much as you want, but it's happening. There's a wave that continues with the success of other shows. When you have 'Ugly Betty' on, which is doing really well, people pay attention. Dollars are what people chase in this town (Hollywood). It bodes well for us. That's the best thing possible, and hopefully that trend will continue."
What other projects are you working on?
"I'm working on all kinds. There are a couple of movie ideas and other comedies. Now I'm just finishing up with 'Wizards' and am watching the ratings and numbers and am hoping to get renewed for a second year. That's been the primary focus for the past eight months."
On TV "Wizards of Waverly Place"
Catch new episodes at 8:30 p.m. Fridays on the Disney Channel.
