The Tick (2016–2019) User Reviews (216)

I'll take good writing over a high budget any day

[aidanalderdice · 8/10 · 25 August 2017]

This is only my second review on this site, and I hesitated to even write it. But the more I watched of this show, the more I felt an obligation to. The title really says it all, the special effects are lacking at times (pretty obvious green screen in one scene, cheap- ish looking costume in the next), and it doesn't matter in the slightest. I haven't read the comics, at least not yet, so I can't speak to whether or not this is a faithful adaptation. But it's more than just entertaining. In every moment of it, you can see and feel that someone put their heart and soul into this show. It's leagues ahead of any Marvel/Netflix series, solely because it's not just about superheroes running around being invincible and fighting evil. It refuses to take itself too seriously, while still somehow being an effective human drama, and a good comedy to boot.

There are no huge action setpieces, though you do get to see people deflecting bullets and punching henchmen through walls. However, that's not what you should watch this for regardless. You should watch it for the story, because as short as this season is, it's expertly crafted. If you're looking for Luke Cage or Iron Fist, look elsewhere. In my humble opinion, this is better than both of them combined.

HULU bring it back

[zombie84-1 · 8/10 · 26 March 2020]

I wished Hulu or somebody else can bring this back. This show was so damn funny

A nice attempt to bring back a cult classic

[james_scott_mcs · 8/10 · 22 August 2016]

First let me give a disclaimer, I have been a HUGE Tick fan since they day I saw the first cartoon back in the 90s. People have to remember that the Tick has always a mixed bag, you either love him or hate him. It's a parody of all things super hero, even though this time there is a bit a seriousness. When there is a serious explosion, afterwards you look for the bad guy dangling from rooftop begging for help.

I think the last live action attempt was better in some ways, in other ways I think this one will be better. I won't deny that Patrick Warburton was perfect in the last one. But Peter Serafinowicz is also pretty good. He really doesn't have a lot of screen time to judge by. But when he does he does a good job. His monologue at the end was great and I could really see him as the Tick. As for Arthur, Griffin Newman does a perfect job. The writing is of course spot on, because it's written by the original writer and creator. This new darker story line was a nice twist. And doing an origin story on Arthur was a bold choice for a pilot episode, because it doesn't give much screen time to the Tick.

The jokes are there, but only really when the Tick is around. So I think some people will miss what I think is the writer's intention. Where as before it was non-stop jokes and puns. This show is serious, then bam a joke/pun. I think over all it makes for a better ride.

Renew it for third season please!

[shadmanavro · 10/10 · 23 June 2019]

I've been waiting for Television adaption of The Tick for years! And the show blew my mind! It's so fresh and so different than the rest superhero shows and it actually contains great message. The show should not end so soon! Please renew it for several more seasons!

The single greatest thing Amazon has ever done.

[PJK · 10/10 · 23 February 2018]

My new favorite show.

Parody of super heroes Satire of Super heroes While also, still, somehow, a superhero show in it's own right. Filled with complex characters, heart string plucking hero's journey...

While also being the funniest thing on tv.

I'd say this is something new, except Edlund has being doing this for almost 30 years. He just keeps getting better and better at it.

Can't recommend any higher.

Amazing.

Please please please Amazon, keep on making this.

after watching a coupel of episodes of this its pretty great

[chrisman-42887 · 7/10 · 25 August 2017]

OK I was a 90s kid but never was really interested in the tick growing up however when I saw the trailer for this I had to give it a chance and I am rather happy I did this was exciting hilarious and action filled you really cant go to wrong here the tick himself is hilarious and is like the poster boy for dorky sidekicks however it works they are both great together I say give the tick a chance he may save your day from bordom if nothing else lol

Worth watching, really good.

[adard · 10/10 · 23 September 2018]

I've heard of The Tick and I know it was on TV years ago, but never really watched it. Also I get the fact that he is a comic character, but haven't read any comic books for years. The thing is, I have Amazon Prime and keep seeing the ads, so I decided to break down and watch it. I do not watch much of any episodic TV nowadays, but it looked sort of interesting. I am blown away and it is only episode 4. This is one of the best superhero type shows, I've seen in many a year. The actor who plays The Tick is fantastic, he could be just an annoying jerk, but he comes off so naive that he is extremely likeable instead. It is such a fine line, but he does it exceptionally well. I also love the fact that he isn't one of these angst ridden superheroes whose life is like a soap opera. It is an interesting take for about 10 minutes and then it just gets old. In any case Arthur has enough angst for the both of them and he does it well too. This has turned out to be a real find for me and I'm glad I decided to watch. Give it a try, you'll be hooked.

Loved this show

[wenalexander · 3 September 2017]

Never had heard of The Tick. Kept seeing the silly big blue guy as I scrolled through Prime. Passed it over for about 5 months. Decided to try it and loved it so much called my husband down to watch it again. Then we called our son down and watched AGAIN. He knew this character. It's done so well, the blend of realism and the comic book world. Have recommended it to many others. So love the alternative to Hollywood drivel. Go Amazon. Enjoy Bosch as well though of course the books are best.

Well, at least it's a return of The Tick

[Tyypo · 6/10 · 23 August 2016]

I was very much looking forward to this, but rather disappointed of it being limited exposure on amazon. I have only a basic account, so will end up paying for future episodes if any. While not perfect, it shows promise. I did like the delivery of lines by Peter Serafinowicz as the title character, but he lacks the threatening presence of Patrick Warburton. I was OK with the Arthur backstory, but don't think it really added anything. Griffin Newman very nearly nailed Arthur, I think.

I did not like The Tick's costume. It looked cheap and cheesy. Was this intentional or were there budget constraints? Significant muscle padding may have been an improvement, since Serafinowicz's frame is not particularly imposing as I note previously. Another criticism I had was that the show is not over-the-top enough. It's like an awkward merging of life as we know it with the absurd, and they just don't "fit". I cannot imagine the plethora of ridiculous Tick characters in this universe, and I would miss that. I don't expect Chairface Chippendale or even The Human Ton & Handy to make appearances due to the apparent effort to make this series more "realistic."

That said, I think the program has considerable potential. I laughed many times, and that's what counts when you're watching a show called The Tick. If there were more episodes available at time of this review, I would have watched them. Perhaps they'll find their balance between playing it straight and embracing ludicrous.

I loved it

[calabiyau-95108 · 10/10 · 21 March 2018]

Ok maybe the storyline isn't quite the same as the comics/animated series but that's a good thing actually. It adds a lot more fun by not being too predictable! Griffin Newman is a great Arthur and Serafinowicz had done a great job, he's a warm, funny big ol' Tick! But my favorite character is the Terror; goddamn Jackie Earle Haley NAILED IT

Light fun

[amarshoaib · 7/10 · 12 August 2020]

Light super hero fun .The show pokes fun at the absurdity of super heroes and super villains. Peter Serafinowicz is superb as the Tick

Amazon don't be like the rest

[ocnu-87277 · 10/10 · 2 March 2020]

Too many shows get cancelled before they get to all the people we need more shows like this

Less funny, less Tick-ish

[cherold · 6/10 · 12 September 2016]

Having been a huge fan of the animated series and the tragically short-lived live-action one, I was excited to see that Ben Edlund was returning to The Tick well for another drink. Alas, this series shows little of what made the previous two series so enthralling.

This version of The Tick has a lot less Tick in it. This time, the series follows his sidekick Arthur, who has been given mental problems and a traumatic backstory.

This helps tone down the humor, for those who want a less funny The Tick. The show seems to want to be more of a superhero show with some humor rather than a comedy series with a superhero theme.

The Tick himself is still funny, spouting off a continuous series of nutty lines like "evil wears every mitten." He's responsible for most of the laughs, but here he is very much a secondary character.

He's also not very impressive. Patrick Warburton was a perfect Tick, big, macho, and dumb, but Peter Serafinowicz comes across as a rather ordinary oddball in a cheap suit that looks like something from a 1950s sci-fi movie (basically a leotard with a little muscling and antennas added). The effect is wildly unimpressive.

Now, the bad costumes (there's also a jumpsuit with feathers on it) may be the result of a low budget, and there aren't that many Patrick Warburton's out there, but that still doesn't explain the change of focus from hilarious superhero parody to angsty superhero series with a little comedy.

This is a pilot for a series I certainly hope won't occur. I suggest Edlund rethink things and make a different pilot with a different cast. I know it's annoying to be expected to do the same thing you did before, but when what you did before was great and your attempt to change things up falls flat, you should consider just doing the same old thing.

Novelty

[bgar-80932 · 5/10 · 21 September 2019]

The first season I enjoyed very much and watched pretty quick. It's over the top 80s super hero type show and it's been made a few times. I've never seen any other version of it but I tried this anyways. It was kind of funny at first but the shtick wore off. I was pretty much ready for it to be over after the first episode of season 2 but I gave it a go anyways. I think it got cancelled at the right time even though they were trying to have something else happen with Superion.

Absolutely hilarious

[muamba_eats_toast · 10/10 · 12 August 2019]

Best superhero tv show to happen since Adam West's batman the world has been crying for a return of this style of satire for years sensational.

Dam you Amazon for cancelling this awesome show

[cts-inc-ebay · 10/10 · 26 June 2019]

This show is awesome! Bringing comic book stories to life has proven difficult for many directors, but this show is definitely on target. I loved it. How in the heck did Amazon make the decision to cancel this show?? I'm pretty annoyed about it. I wish there was more we could do to bring it back.

This is not the Tick I know and love.

[Animus · 6/10 · 25 August 2016]

I feel like DC comics made this version of The Tick. Amazon strayed too far from the origin material for fans. The humor is mostly gone from this COMEDIC setting.

Arthur - Instead of a chubby accountant who dreams of being a superhero this Arthur is portrayed as a borderline mental patient who spends his days and nights obsessing over the death of his father and trying to prove that the super-villain known as the Terror is alive... The Terror, for the small amount of time we see him, is actually well portrayed. The Tick is well he's bad. The costume is crappy looking, no where near the right look, and the character seems far less dense than he should be. One of the endearing things about the Tick was his childlike innocence and constant confusion. His lines aren't bad but there is something out of place about his speech patterns. He looks and sounds less like a hero and more like a guy who talks to streetlamps while wearing tinfoil on his head. Then there is Arthur's suit. Gone is the white spandex and wings that barely let him fly, the new version is a high tech, bullet-proof gizmo suit.

I cringed when I saw that Ben Edlund's name appeared under the writing credits.

I'm only a few episodes in

[jasonlittle-82667 · 8/10 · 15 July 2019]

It's an 8 for me so far. I am not familiar with The Tick Comic. The show is quirky, but it's very well done with the priviledges of good writing, and an adequate budget.

Great writing and voice casting, Tick Costume has significant issues

[chk-74-397396 · 7/10 · 11 September 2016]

Just watched Amazon's new The Tick. They nailed the casting for Arthur, both voice and looks, and Ben Edlund's writing is of course amazing. The guy they cast as The Tick (Peter Serafinowicz) has the perfect voice for the The Tick, and delivers Edlund's bizarre dialogue perfectly. But Serafinowicz's face...well, he looks like an old man according to Susan. It's partially the fault of the Tick Suit, which is pretty sad. It's strangely textured in a horrible way, the less said about the codpiece the better, and the antennae in the previous live-action Tick were significantly better. I'll continue to watch for the hysterical writing of Edlund and the excellent casting otherwise...I'm hoping that if the series is picked up they'll make some "updates" to The Tick costume to make it match Serafinowicz's excellent voice work.

A worthy remake of a cult classic

[tacanderson · 8/10 · 20 August 2016]

I've watched this episode 3 times now. I really like it. I liked the comics and the animated series, but I didn't love the last live action version. This is by far, the best character development of any iteration of The Tick. Arthur's back store is excellent, and Griffin Newman plays it brilliantly. Peter Serafinowicz's acting as The Tick is a little rough, but he's a good actor and I have no doubt he'll pull it off. Plus with Patrick Warburton as a producer (as opposed to playing The Tick like he did the last time) I'm sure he'll coach Peter along.

To me, this is more representative of the comics, which could be darker than the animated series. Arthur's back story is definitely darker and it seems that Arthur's story line is going to carry the series forward while The Tick may be "the sidekick" to the story. I really hope Amazon picks this up, I can't wait to see where Ben Edlund takes it from here.

Mehhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[TheOneThatYouWanted · 6/10 · 14 October 2017]

Just meh. I don't know, this series isn't good enough to make you want to watch another season. The biggest problem is the dialogue, the writing. The Tick says his random catch phrases over and over again and you're ready to be done with the entire series by the end of episode three. Whereas the 2001 live action Tick series, which I watch right after watching this one, I swear the Tick has a bigger vocabulary or something because he is an idiot but the 2017 Tick makes him seem like a genius. Whatever, I am getting off topic. The writing killed this series for me. I have zero interest in watching the second season. Amazon has better get their stuff together. This is like the second or third amazon studios thing that has left me saying meh.

Definitely a fun binge watch

[toofancorp · 9/10 · 16 September 2017]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this "reboot" if you will of The Tick. I can see how if you are not familiar with the source material you might find it a bit campy and cheesy at parts, BUT THAT IS THE POINT. This show hits on the spirit and essence of the Tick pretty well with modern era special effects, costume design, and budgets. The writing is way better than I expected for this type of a romp. I can't wait for Season 2.

could have been much better

[ali-najafyi · 7/10 · 1 February 2018]

Its a dark comedy, and not a great one at that. The characters are not so shallow as usual, in fact they are quite fun, considering it's a superhero show(I mostly find super hero characters to be the most shallow types). The story telling however, tries too hard, to be a hybrid of dark comedy and super hero genre. It doesn't move forward and it doesn't explain much(I wonder if the writers thought everyone has watched the original cartoon). The main character's initial pivotal decision making takes 6 episodes! juts for the sake of adding up the number of episodes, which is incredibly torturous. Acting from Peter Serafinovicz who plays the Tick and Jakie Haley's who plays the Terror is superb, and production values are nice. If the writers didn't take themselves so seriously and the story had moved forward more fluidly, this could have been a superb show. Still, enjoyable to watch.

Arthur ruins this series

[rickstockton-05055 · 4/10 · 21 January 2020]

Great premise for a series and Tick is a great character. However, Arthur is so irritating that he ruins everything. He is a very whiny and has no backbone. I wish the show only focused on the Tick.

Why didn't I watch this sooner?

[beverleyhunniford · 9/10 · 15 January 2021]

Amazon spent ages with this on it's top banner. Maybe it was them pushing it, or have I been "Marveled" out (not a huge fan of the superhero genre) whatever was putting me off I had avoided this for years.

As like many I have been COVID binge watching. I do have the capacity to re-watch series and movies. My binges started with streaming many things where I already had them on DVD (can't be bothered to take them out of the cupboard or change disks if the streaming option is there), I knew they were things I loved.

Well kicking myself for having given The Tick the cold shoulder. One of those where I didn't to miss a moment. It has a good story, a well communicated back story for Arthur and the intriguing device that the Tick couldn't really remember anything when not with Arthur. Initially you are made to think that the Tick is in Arthur's mind - so does Arthur. It remains a question even though others can see him and interact with him. It's funny, well cast. Loved it!