Prime Video has become one of the most versatile streaming services in the television world, thanks to its wide variety of original shows. Two of its biggest shows are ***Invincible ***and The Boys, which often skewer superhero conventions. In the case of The Boys, it uses the superhero genre to offer commentary on current events — even if that commentary often veers into extremely crude territory. Invincible, on the other hand, explores how being a superhero can take a toll on you mentally and physically (especially physically). While both shows have received immense praise and drawn big audiences, they were beaten to the punch by another series that satirized superheroes.
That series is The Tick, created by Ben Edlund. Based on Edlund’s original comics, *The Tick *follows Arthur Everest (Griffin Newman) and his encounters with The Tick (Peter Serafinowicz), a boisterous, blue-clad superhero who wants Arthur to be his sidekick. Arthur and Tick begin investigating a mysterious conspiracy involving the criminal mastermind known as The Terror (Jackie Earle Haley). While it lasted only two seasons, *The Tick ***was a near-perfect satire series **that got lost in a sea of superhero adaptations, but it still deserves its due.
A large part of what makes *The Tick *work is its willingness to spoof every form of superhero media. The Tick and Arthur live in a world populated by superheroes that include the mighty Superian (Brendan Hines) and the trigger-happy Overkill (Scott Speiser). Overkill is obviously a dig at more lethal vigilantes in comic books like the Punisher or Ghost Rider, while Superian’s eventual fall from grace predates the darker turns on Superman’s legacy that *Invincible *and *The Boys *brought to the table with Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) and Homelander (Antony Starr). Unlike those shows, *The Tick *mostly plays its parodies for laughs, and more often than not, it earns those laughs.
What helps *The Tick *stand out from other superhero parodies is its earnest approach to Arthur’s mental health. It turns out that Arthur’s mild-mannered personality is the result of a deep-seated trauma, as he watched his father die in the middle of a battle that involved the Terror. Despite his sister, Dot (Valorie Curry), wanting him to live a normal life, Arthur eventually comes to embrace his role as the Tick’s sidekick and faces off against the Terror. *The Tick *beat *Invincible *and *The Boys *to the punch in exploring the balance between superheroism and mental health, and it didn’t have to shed any blood in the process.
The sci-fi thriller on Prime Video is the perfect cozy-night binge — and its A.I. story feels eerier than ever.
While The Tick might have been Prime Video’s first foray into superhero satire, it had to contend with a plethora of superhero shows and movies in the marketplace. Season 1 premiered in 2016, during which pop culture debates were sparked over Batman v* Superman: Dawn of Justice ***and Suicide Squad. Future episodes would have to contend with the release of other big blockbusters like ***Wonder Woman ***and Avengers: Infinity War, and Season 2 would be overshadowed by the premieres of ***Avengers: Endgame ***and The Boys. Despite this uphill battle, *The Tick *still managed to cultivate a loyal following, even when Ben Edlund revealed that the series wouldn’t receive a third season.
“I’m sorry we could not reward your glorious support with better news. I am so proud of the show, of the cast and crew and writers, and so warmed by the fans.”
The cancellation couldn’t have been worse, as *The Tick *ends with a collection of unresolved subplots. One of its cast members would go on to star in another Prime Video superhero satire, as Valorie Curry recently played the ultra-patriotic superheroine Firecracker in Seasons 4 and 5 of The Boys. Her appearance serves as a bittersweet reminder that Prime Video had true gold on its hands with The Tick, and that the seriesstill deserves to be watched. *Invincible *and *The Boys *might be popular picks now, but *The Tick *helped pave the way for their success.
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2016 - 2019-00-00
Amazon Prime Video