PhantomStranger

This pilot was very surprising to me as a long-time Tick fan. It was much darker in tone than I was expecting and felt like Edlund's attempt to give the property a more serious attitude. Is he angling the character toward Tick's version of The Dark Knight Returns?

I like the cast but the guy playing Tick feels nothing like any prior live version of the character. Something seemed off in his line delivery.

Eric F

I still think in the end The Tick will be explained as some sort of mass delusion, hypnosis, whatever. Arthur will be the only one who sees him as real.

Still, I thought it wasn't bad- this is all but confirmed for a series, it is the most easily accessible of Amazon's new shows. It even plays like a TV show.

Jackskeleton

I dunno, I thought it was a completely different feel than any Tick in the past and it really did seem like it was leading to The Tick just being something out of Arthur's mind.

Eric F

It's apparent that other "Supers" exist in this universe. I guess an ongoing theme of the show will surround The Tick's origins.

Thrush

As someone who never really watched the Tick, animated or live action. I thought this was OK when the Tick wasnt on screen. But when he shows up its like hes from a different show. And not a good one.

fujishig

I don't think even the comic addressed his true origins, other than where he escaped from. But this seems like a different beast entirely.

They certainly were laying it on thick, with the speech about him being what Arthur always wanted to be, Arthur having a "tick" himself, him finding Arthur's apartment, the dream sequence with the night light, etc. But I still can't see it as mass hypnosis since the villains were still beat up by a big blue guy, and they aren't the same person as Arthur was in jail/being questioned/with his sister at least part of the time. Besides he already has his moth costume. So if anything some kind of super power to reshape reality or something.

Jason

Or maybe Arthur IS the Tick.

This show is too serious for the subject matter. Bring on Batmanuel.

Eric F

If Arthur does have some sort of mental power (maybe tied into his mental illness) maybe the bad guys just believed they were beat up.

rduncan

Sorry to ask this but I didn;t see the answer. Has this been made into an Amazon series yet or only the Pilot? In other words will additional episodes be shown say weekly or is this episode it unless something happens??

Thanks,

Rick

PhantomStranger

It's a pilot at this point. If Amazon doesn't like the reception or numbers are off, no more episodes.

Geddlo

Surprisingly enjoyed the episode but didn't care for the Tick's costume

fujishig

Has anything been picked up by Amazon in this fashion before? I'm mainly wondering how long it takes if it gets picked up. That survey they use is brutal to fill out as well.

joltman

The Man in the High Castle was picked up this way, the pilot premiered in January 2015, the series was picked up in February and season 1 debuted in November 2015.
EDIT: And Mad Dogs, with a pilot in January 2015, and season 1 debuting in January 2016

mphtrilogy

This is Amazon's thing, they Pilot a few shows every 6 mos or so, then determine what to pick up.

Mozart in the Jungle has won a Golden Globe and now has 2 seasons in.
Same with Transparent.

Thrush

Just got greenlit to series by Amazon.

fumanstan

<iframe src='https://players.brightcove.net/219646971/default_default/index.html?videoId=5503213553001&for=embed' allowfullscreen frameborder=0></iframe>

Well that embed didn't work well. Anyway, trailer here - https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/12/1...r-serafinowicz

Jason

This should work better too

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AadpMQsYvCQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

dex14

Additional character posters (spoilered for size):

rduncan

Sorry but based on those pics "Dot" Valorie Curry isn't Liz Vassey to me.

whotony

I watched ep 2.

Still HATE the costume.
Still don't like the actor who is the Tick.
Don't like the dark tone.
It still isn't funny or satire.
The original comic was brilliant aatire and comedy.

And I think the Tick is impersonating Adam West as Batman more than
Warburton as his Tick.

Geddlo

Really ended up enjoying this series although felt it was to short at only 6 half hour episodes.

As for your last part, it sounded like Tick was impersonating Bryan Cranston impersonating Adam West as Batman

Orbi-Wan Techno

From my review page Orbi-Wan Goes To The Movies:

In Mid-Stream (TV-MA) - “Destiny is on the line, Arthur, and she’s calling collect. Accept the charges!”

Last year, Amazon made the pilot of Ben Edlund’s The Tick available through their Prime streaming video service, as part of their original programming initiative. The pilot, which introduced Peter Serifinowicz as the big blue harbinger of justice, was well-received by critics and viewers alike and this week, Amazon has posted the rest of the the first half of season one.

This isn’t the first time The Tick has graced the various media screens of public consciousness. A popular animated version appeared on the Fox network in the 90’s, followed by an equally revered live-action show in 2001, starring Patrick Warburton. Fortunately for all of us, Edlund, The Tick’s creator, has carefully crafted and overseen each iteration of the bombastically good-natured superhero.

Like the previous versions, this series centers around the relationship between The Tick and Arthur (Griffin Newman), who is portrayed as a young man on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. In fact, the first couple of episodes allude the the idea that The Tick is all in Arthur’s mind, until Arthur’s sister Dot (Valorie Curry) confirms that, in fact, there’s a big guy in a blue suit standing RIGHT THERE. Arthur suffered a tragic childhood trauma, in that his father and the superhero team Flag 5 were killed in front of him by aging supervillain The Terror (played with creepy glee by Jackie Earle Haley), and the visage of The Terror continues to haunt Arthur to this day.

During the pilot episode, Arthur came into possession of a moth-like supersuit, and the series picks up from there, as various nefarious folk try to take it from him. The most noted pursuer is a hench lady with the power of static electricity, amplified through specially designed bracelets, and with whom Arthur has several encounters. Her nickname, Ms. Lint, is illustrated perfectly in a scene involving an exploding vacuum cleaner.

The Tick, however, sees the suit as Arthur’s destiny as a superhero, and becomes the mentor and cheerleader that Arthur never really wanted, but apparently really needs.

Like the first two versions of The Tick, the new series is loaded with goofy super-powered fun, and set in a world where the public in general has become blase about the existence of super-folk in their midst. Unlike previous versions, there is a darker and more vicious edge to some of the characters, and some of the language and violence is a bit more graphic than in the past.

Given all that, The Tick remains true to its spoofy, goofy, comedic heart, with tons of fun quotables, fun oddball characters, and actors who are fully committed to the ridiculousness of the story. I’m giving The Tick a solid 4 out of 5 lightsabers, and am ready for the next six episodes coming in a few months.

NOTES FOR PARENTS: Although the pilot was TV-14, this version of The Tick is clearly rated TV-MA for language and violence. The F-bomb is heard occasionally (at least once or twice each episode), as well as s*** and similar profanities. There is super-hero mayhem and general criminal violence. Things can get a bit stabby and bloody around the anti-hero Overkill (similar to The Punisher, but with more tech). Although very spoofy, some characters are downright cruel to their peers and underlings.

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bryce0lynch

I'm loving The Terror flashbacks. The magic trick. The ice cream. "It's true, we don't put out best people on the flamethrower squad, but we don't kill people because they call us names. We kill them because its fun."

Troy Stiffler

I like this show a lot. A little disappointed that they only released half the season.

Eric F

Thought it was pretty good.

Really liked the Overkill character- sort of a Batman/Punisher mix.