The Tick returns to television thanks to Amazon! This new iteration on the character –the third on television– is a much different show than any that has come before, yet familiar in several ways. British comedian Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) takes a stab at the character and adds a fresh feel to everyone’s favorite blue hero.
The most obvious thing about The Tick is that Amazon and team have moved away from the outright spoof that was the last two iterations. Where there was once a lot of life and color all around, this new Tick falls more in line with the gloomy and Zack Snyder-ie style of modern DC films. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot of humor –Tick himself is as weird and exposition-ie as ever– it’s just that this overhaul takes a more modern stab at the hero genre.
It really does work as The Tick has always been a play of the world of modern comic books, and with the darker and more serious nature of modern comics and their movies, this new iteration hits closer to home. Watching much of the pilot you would be forgiven in thinking that this is your bog standard superhero show, even though it isn’t. The spoof nature simply is not as overt as it was in the past.
The Tick walks a fine line and so far it works really well, but it can still go either way. This is the traditional dark reboot that so many superheros have gotten of the past few years, but the exactly the point. Every version of The Tick is like a time capsule for the pop-culture of the time. That being said, if you really liked the classic Tick simply because it was a funny silly show (it was far deeper than that) this new take may scare you off.
Griffin Newman (Vinyl) takes on the role of Arthur that keeps the heat of the original, but gives him a deeper purpose for him doing what he does. His entire life is tainted with the death of his father at the hands of The Terror and this helps the audience connect with him. Tossed in between some pretty serious dramatic acting Tick jumps in to offer up that classic weirdness. Tick is everything that Arthur wants to be and comes to him just when he needs him.
The Tick is a great pilot thanks to the amazing acting from the well-rounded cast and a legitimately scary villain. Seriously, The Terror would fit right at home in the ‘Snyderverse’. All that being said it’s not a perfect product; at least not yet. We have to remember that is this a pilot and all the bits have yet to click together.
Tick’s suit is pretty wonky at times, with several scenes clearly showing it to be a rubber suit that bunches up like an unfitted cosplay. The entire thing looks like it was done on a budget and looks awkward. During night scenes it’s fine, but during the day you can really see a lot of things you probably shouldn’t. Still, at least they nailed his antenna.
The Tick still needs to find it’s own voice as it will come off as confusing to many people, especially those that didn’t watch the original. Of note is that Wally Pfister served as director on the pilot. For those that don’t know the name, Pfister served as cinematographer on The Dark Knight. This makes a lot of sense, but it also makes The Tick himself often feel out-of-place in this universe, but then again that may be the entire point.
This version of The Tick isn’t as wacky as previous incarnations, but it’s still pretty darn interesting and deserves to be checked out. As with these sorts of shows we are left on a cliffhanger just as Arthur earns his superhero gear. I don’t know what’s next, but The Tick has the potential of being something really special.
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