Category Archives: Television

Peter Serafinowicz and Griffin Newman in The Tick. IMDb.com

The Tick – Second Half of Season 1 Review

Amazon released the second half of the first season of The Tick a couple months ago, but I just got around to watching it. All my criticisms from the pilot and season 0.5 continue to hold true, only much more so. The writers seem to be attempting to solve the jarring juxtaposition of camp and depressing bleakness by throwing the camp out the window and going full dark. The lighthearted fun of the pilot and first half of the season is mostly gone, and all we’re left with is yet another grim, supposedly edgy superhero show. Continue reading

The Tick – Season 0.5 Review

After a year-long wait, the first half-season of The Tick was finally released on Amazon. We got 6 episodes, but that included the original pilot, so, really, we only got 5 new episodes. And as a Tick fan, I was bitterly disappointed.

The show did get a couple things right. Peter Serafinowicz nails the Tick. His speech patterns, voice, and mannerisms are spot on. If you’re a fan of the animated series from the 1990s, Serafinowicz is a perfect live action version of the titular hero. The second major protagonist of the series, Arthur (Griffin Newman), doesn’t come off nearly as well, but more about him in a moment. Arthur’s sister, Dot (Valorie Curry), mentioned but not often seen in the animated series, plays a much bigger role in this incarnation, and that is arguably the only other good thing about the show. Dot is an active and ongoing participant in the action and in Arthur’s life, with some interesting subplots of her own. Expanding her role was a major plus.

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The Tick coming soon

The Tick Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video August 25

Last year, Amazon’s original pilot gave us our first look at a new, live action incarnation of The Tick. (See my review here.) Since then, Tick fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of the first season. Well, the wait will soon be over. The Tick, Season 1 will be available on Amazon Prime Video this Friday, August 25.

Will it live up to hopes and expectations? We’ll all find out very soon.

Check it out on Amazon Video.

The Tick is back. Spoon!

Fans of The Tick fondly remember the animated series from the mid-90’s, and now a live-action version is among the Amazon pilots being considered for production.

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Peter Serafinowicz stars as the titular Tick – nigh invulnerable and immensely strong, but delusionally idealistic and dumb as a post. Serafinowicz does an amazing job of capturing the spirit of the Tick and bringing him to life. The Tick’s mannerisms, speech patterns, and near-manic demeanor will be immediately recognizable to fans of the animated series. There was another attempt at a live-action Tick in 2001 with Patrick Warburton which lasted only 1 season. While a very funny guy, Warburton portrayed a much more low-key, almost sedated, Tick. Opinions vary among Tick fans, but for me, his portrayal just never quite worked. Serafinowicz, on the other hand, hit it out of the park. Every moment he was on screen was pure delight. Continue reading