TV Taste Test: I try 'Wizards of Waverly Place' and rank my summer faves

It's time to say goodbye to this summer's TV Taste Test.

Now that Mad Men is in full swing -- and since many more of our favorite shows return this month -- my DVR can no longer handle the pressure.

But, before we forge ahead, let's check out a handful of shows I tested last week. I end the feature by ranking my favorite Taste Test discoveries:

Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney Channel, Fridays, 8 p.m. ET and online)
Suggested by: Pop reader enemil, who says, "Something about the sibling rivalry harks back to my dysfunctional youth."
My reaction: I'm glad someone suggested this show, because suddenly I'm hearing about it all the time. Apparently, last weekends Wizards movie was the most-watched cable program all season (even beating football) -- but I wouldn't recognize these people if they tackled me on the street. It certainly wasn't hard to find the show, which seems to air about 20 times a day and, when it isn't on, is advertised nonstop. Selena Gomez plays a magic, fashionable teen who lives with her magical family and engages in magical shenanigans. The whole thing has a very feel-good, Disney, Saved by the Bell-ish vibe, though Jennifer Stone adds a dash of welcome weirdness as best friend Harper. (Another plus: One character is named Dean Moriarty. Ha.) Overall, though, this scene is way too sugary for me. I like at least one horny toad in my magic potion.
Will I watch again? Probably not -- and hey, it doesn't sound like they need me, anyway!

The Secret Saturdays (Cartoon Network, Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. and online)
Suggested by: McEvil One, who calls it "Jonny Quest meets The Herculoids with a touch of Scooby-Doo. While not groundbreaking in any way, the show brings me back to my '80s childhood where Saturday morning cartoons were larger than life. Crazy villains, cool gadgets, animals that understand human speech, etc."
My reaction: Two minutes into watching The Secret Saturdays, I was mad at myself for catching it after dark. This is a series that demands to be seen with cereal and, preferably, in pajamas. The animation and storylines are definitely inspired by the past, and for adults who lived on cartoons in the '70s and '80s, that can be a very good thing.
Will I watch again? I won't record every episode, but if my nephew is watching, I'll definitely sit down and watch with him. (And if I'm ever up at 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday, I'll tune in myself.)

The Inbetweeners (online only)
Suggested by: Pop reader T.J. says, "For the past year I've been living in Spain. I'm an American but most of my friends are English, and they turned me on to this
hilarious show. It's about four English high school students who are not cool enough to be popular, nor are they geeky enough to be nerds. Everything they try to do ends in complete disaster."
My reaction: Is it weird to end the TV Taste Test with a show that isn't even on TV? I think it makes sense -- The Inbetweeners hasn't aired in the U.S., but ABC has already asked the creators to develop a U.S. version. I found the first episode on YouTube and became instantly addicted. The series has some misfit humor with teen hijinks thrown in, sort of like Skins meets Freaks and Geeks. Catch it now, spread the word and hope the American version isn't terrible.
Will I watch again? What do you mean? I'm watching another episode right now.

My top five Taste Test discoveries (excluding this week):

1. Beautiful People

2. Make It Or Break It

3. That Metal Show

4. The IT Crowd

5. Z Rock

Thanks to everyone for participating in this summer's Taste Test!

Previous TV Taste Tests:

- 1000 Ways to Die, Amazing Wedding Cakes, Being Human, Bite Me with Dr. Mike, Dating in the Dark, Drop Dead Diva
- Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, DJ & The Fro, Hammertime, Leverage, Operation Repo
- Gangland, Make It or Break It, Property Virgins, Z Rock
- Cake Boss, Castle, Chopped, The Cleaner
-Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Life After People, On the Road in America, Royal Pains
- Housecat Housecall, The IT Crowd, Last Call with Carson Daly, The Locator
- Obsessed, Phineas and Ferb, Primeval, Southern Belles, That Metal Show
- Beautiful People, iCarly, MANswers, Pitchmen, Science of the Movies