La Garrapata

This was a great series cancelled before its time.

It did start a little slow but by the fourth episode it was picking up. I had only seen a couple of episodes of the cartoon so I'm not able to compare the two. But as a stand alone series this was very funny and if you are starting to get sick of the flood of superhero movies coming out at the moment watch this for a laugh it will allow you to look at superheros in a new light.

After seeing it here in oz on cable I just had to buy the DVD although it really has no extras for what was not a cheap DVD.

But all the same I would say it was worth its money for what is a very funny series.

I'm still partial to the cartoon, but this was a scream! Yes, American Maid and Die Fledermaus had to be changed to Captain Liberty and Batmanuel, but dammit if this show wasn't just as screwy. So, of course, Fox cancels it and gives us high quality programming like Joe Millionaire. Somebody take Rupert Murdoch out to the woodshed and bring along the Fox executives, please!

The cast was great and were obviously having fun. Although I prefer Townsend Coleman's more excitable Tick, Patrick Warburton conveyed that loopy perspective that has always been the hallmark of the Tick. David Burke gives Arthur that repressed, but eager quality he had in the comics. Liz Vassey is sexy and funny as Captain Liberty, but I really would have loved to see her in that American Maid costume. But, it is Nestor Carbonell who steals the series. His look, attitude and delivery are all classic.

If ever a show deserved time to find its audience, this was the one. Monty Python ad Fawlty Towers weren't immediate hits and the Tick carried those sensibilities. Given an entire season, I think this would have caught on. Lord knows, it was better than Smallville or that aborted Birds of Prey show. The Tick has been great in every medium he has invaded, but he never quite gets a fair shot at glory. The only thing missing from this show was the cast of evildoers that the cartoon had. Oh well, at least this version is available on dvd; wish the cartoon was. Anyway, SPOON!!!!!!!!!!!!

True, they should've played it more like the 60s Batman series with lots of goofy villains in every episode as opposed to superheroes-in-sitcom-situations, but this was show pretty darn funny. Hulking supporting player Patrick Warburton was an ideal Tick. Yeah as some others pointed he wasn't quite as excitable as the cartoon version (in fact, his Tick was like a mix of Tick and Puddy) but he still brought a lot of hearty energy to the part and managed to be endearingly goofy just like the Tick should be. David Burke was a good foil as Arthur, Liz Vassey was great eye candy and of course, Nestor Carbonell was hilarious as Batmanuel.

Another problem I think is that Fox just didn't have enough faith in this show so they didn't put a lot of effort into advertising it, which is why we're still stuck with a lot of bad new episodes of "The Simpsons" instead of getting new episodes of "The Tick". And maybe Patrick Warburton himself is just too closely identified with his Puddy character from "Seinfeld". It's a shame, really.

Long Live the Tick.

In closing, the pilot with the Soviet Robot, the second episode with the superhero funeral and the 8th episode where Tick got frustrated with the legal system were all great. Truly I shall miss this show.

Every aspect of this show shines - The writing, casting, directing and comic timing raise this series to a level of quality that few other TV shows have been able to achieve in recent years. Especially Patrick Warburton as the Tick is perfectly cast.

Unfortunately, it only ran for one season - A reflection of the dismal state of TV programming these days. Fortunately, all episodes have been released on a 2-DVD set!

Do not let this gem pass you by...

I don't think any other actor than the towering, deadpan Patrick Warburton could pull of the role of the blue-clad buffoon The Tick. The Tick may be dim-witted, prone to making long-winded, nonsensical soliloquies and may be the most unintentionally destructive hero since Sledge Hammer, but he also has a heart of gold and is willing to stand up to any challenge. Whether it's stopping petty crooks or throttling an uncooperative coffee machine, the Tick is just the hero The City needs... whether they like it or not! Joining the Tick in his quest for justice are loyal but nebbish moth man Arthur (David Burke), tough cookie Captain Liberty (Liz Vassey), and blasé ladies' man Bat Manuel.

Like many TV shows, the live action version of "The Tick" suffered an early death on the Fox network, but it has thankfully become a cult classic. I actually found this one to be funnier than the animated series. Not that I'm diminishing the legacy of the great cartoon, but to see flesh-and-blood adult actors dressed in these ridiculous costumes, uttering ludicrous lines ("Abso-doodle!") and fighting comical villains (Apocolypse Cow, Destroyo), makes "The Tick" so literal and so rewardingly hilarious.