"And that's how we vanquished our first super villain, and how Arthur learned to fly, and how we gave Jimmy Carter a mild concussion." - Patrick Warburton as the Tick
The Tick: The Entire Series DVD Review
By Jonathan Boudreaux
Chances are you missed The Tick when it first premiered on Fox in November of 2001. You weren't alone. Although the series got glowing reviews from critics, it had the misfortune of running against Survivor: Africa and NBC's Must-See line up. The Tick, which started its life as a comic book and as a Saturday morning cartoon, did attract a cult following, but the series was quickly cancelled. Now Columbia/TriStar has released all nine episodes in a two DVD set, allowing those of us who are not indoctrinated into the cult of The Tick to see what we've been missing.
Seinfeld's Patrick Warburton stars as the Tick, a lunk-headed superhero in a bright blue rubber suit. When we first meet him, the Tick is busy protecting customers at a remote bus station from the evil, uncooperative coffee machine that often steals quarters without giving up its precious liquid. The manager of the bus station tricks him into moving to the City, a large burg already filled to the brim with superheroes and superhero wannabes.
One of those wannabes is Arthur (David Burke), a meek accountant who one day shows up to work dressed as a moth. His costume is so inept that people confuse him for a rabbit, and Arthur is so wishy-washy that he can't even think of a true superhero moniker. Soon the nebbishy underachiever is reluctantly teamed up with the Tick, adding brains to Tick's brawn. Also along for the ride are Captain Liberty (Liz Vassey), a sexy yet insecure government agent, and Batmanuel (Nestor Carbonell), a preening lothario whose super powers mostly lie in his codpiece.
Unlike TV's Batman and other similar parodies, The Tick is less concerned with fighting the latest supervillian than with delving into the mundane aspects of superhero life. The series examines their love lives, the trauma of "coming out" as a superhero to one's parents, and even the red tape involved in becoming an officially licensed do-gooder.
One standout episode is "Couples." In it, the Tick and Arthur are aided in stopping a bad guy by Fiery Blaze (Beauty and the Beast's Ron Perlman) and his trusty sidekick Friendly Fire (Patrick Breen). The four become friends, but it is soon apparent that Fiery Blaze is a drunken bully who does not appreciate his flaming sidekick. This deft parody of the hero/sidekick dynamic, semi-abusive relationships, and relationships in general is cleverly written and produces many laughs. The subplot involving Captain Liberty's desperate attempt to differentiate between being a "lone superhero" and simply being alone only adds to the fun.
The Tick is not instantly likeable. At times, it threatens to become a more sophisticated version of Power Rangers. Plus it is often simply diverting when it should be funny. A few outrageous, belly laugh inducing moments only serve as a reminder that the series isn't always as funny as it should be. Ultimately, its charms become more apparent, and the show is revealed to be genial and fun.
This is partially due to the talented cast. Warburton is pitch-perfect as the Tick. Vocally, he successfully parodies Adam West's sedate, mock-important Batman style. As written, the Tick is the least interesting character here, but Warburton's performance goes a long way toward helping to sell the character to the audience. With a lesser actor in the role, The Tick would surely have failed. Burke's Arthur is the true center of the show. As the character that viewers can most easily relate to - his is the most grounded of the show's characters - he helps us to accept the craziness of those around him. Carbonell and Vassey are also fun, adding layers of depth to what could have been one-note characters.
The series' production values are also amazing, especially for a half hour sitcom. Shot on film with one camera and no laugh track, the series manages to look like a movie rather than a television show. It is impeccably designed and shot. The costumes are visually interesting, and their cartoonish looks stand in perfect contrast to the more realistic (yet stylized) sets.
The series includes several guest stars of note. Christopher Lloyd appears in what is essentially an extended cameo as Arthur's boss in the pilot. "Arthur, Interrupted" features Dave Foley as a superhero "deprogrammer" hired to cure Arthur. In that same episode, Alice's Beth Howland appears as Arthur's mother. For those of us who grew up watching her play Vera on that earlier show, it is fun to see her again.
