Note: Major spoilers for the pilot episode of The Tick. You have been warned.
When I was young, I remember discovering The Tick through the cartoon version of the comic book. It was only on for a few seasons, but to this day there are still some of the one-liners and catchphrases that still stick with me. I also watched the live action version of the show, which was on even less time, and remember being disappointed when the show was canceled and didn't come back on. And so, when I heard that Amazon was making another live action version of The Tick, I was instantly excited and waited around for my opportunity to see if they would be able to recapture the joys I had when I was young, or if it would turn out to be a disappointment. Well, the time has finally come, as I watched the pilot episode over the weekend and having now seen it, I am optimistic for what the future holds.
The episode mainly follows Arthur, a clearly troubled young man, whom is trying to prove that an evil supervillain, The Terror, was not really killed as the world thinks. Soon into the episode, we find out that Arthur truly is a bit crazy, and is on medication for his illness, but he has stopped taking his meds. He tracks a group of bad guys to an abandoned factory by the bay, where he sees some sort of weapons being transported in. He then encounters a large man in a blue suit, who calls himself The Tick. They talk for just a minute or two before the cops show up and Arthur is arrested.
At the station, as they are questioning Arthur, we find out a little more of his backstory. It turns out that when he was young, The Terror killed his father, which explains why he is still trying to track him down if he is still alive. The cops offer him a deal, but they will have to call his sister, which is his guardian. He reluctantly agrees, and she picks him up and lectures him on getting back on his medication and letting The Terror stuff go. He says he will, and she leaves him alone at his apartment.
Meanwhile, The Tick attacks the men at the factory and blows the whole place up. This scene was fantastic, as we get to see The Tick in all his glory, which is to say his over the top bravado, and also we get to see that he is basically indestructible and really strong. I really felt like they captured a lot of my old memories of The Tick in this scene, which is what really gives me hope for the future of the series.
The next day, The Tick goes to visit Arthur and tells him that destiny brought them together, and that he wants Arthur to be his sidekick. Arthur says he is basically nobody, but The Tick is relentless and tells him about the night before. He also gives Arthur a briefcase, which he says is the only thing remaining from the explosion. The Tick tells him that he will be waiting on the rooftop for Arthur when he decides to join him. Arthur puts on the suit as the remaining henchmen from the night before show up to kill Arthur. They bust through the door as Arthur is figuring out the suit, and The Tick is on the rooftop giving a monologue. Arthur hits a button and his wings pop out, making him fully into The Moth, as he will become when he becomes The Tick's sidekick, and the episode goes off there.
The episode was not as big on humor as I thought it would be, and was a lot of setup for Arthur. It really set the table for things to come, and for that, I thought it did well. I would like to have seen more of The Tick in the episode, but we get a nice taste of the character with the promise of way more on the horizon, assuming the show gets picked up for a full season. I truly hope it does, as I think the show has a ton of potential, and would like to see where they are heading. In the meantime, I guess I had better work on my catchphrase...
My rating for the episode is 7.5/10
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