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The Tick

The Tick

2016–2019Ended2 seasons22 episodes~29 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

In a world where superheroes have been real for decades, an accountant with zero powers comes to realize his city is owned by a super villain. As he struggles to uncover this conspiracy, he falls in league with a strange blue superhero.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Tick?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Tick streaming on Netflix and Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

Subscription

Free

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about The Tick?

The Tick earns 6 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Over-30s.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Tick worth watching?

The Tick's Midcredits score is the 68th percentile of all shows, from 22K ratings across 2 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

68th percentile

Better received than 68% of shows

60th percentile among Action66th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)59th
Approval (how many liked it)74th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

73 /100

59th percentile of all shows

54th percentile among Action57th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

81% liked it

74th percentile of all shows

65th percentile among Action73rd percentile among 2010s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

93rd percentile

22K ratings across platforms

75th percentile among Action92nd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A darker, more serialized take on the classic superhero parody that prioritizes character development over nonstop gags.

Fans praised

  • Perfectly balanced satire of superhero tropes with genuine heart
  • Ben Edlund's writing delivers clever dialogue and quotable one-liners
  • Griffin Newman and Peter Serafinowicz have excellent comedic chemistry

Detractors panned

  • Tone confused between dark drama and absurd comedy, satisfying neither
  • Arthur's traumatic backstory feels heavy-handed and unfunny
  • Costume looks cheap and Peter Serafinowicz lacks Patrick Warburton's physical presence

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Serafinowicz nails Tick's voice and mannerisms; Newman's Arthur is endearing; Haley's Terror steals scenes

DialogueDivisive78

Tick's absurdist catchphrases like 'Destiny's on the line' hit or miss; wit praised by fans

CharactersDivisive75

Arthur's PTSD-driven origin divides fans; supporting cast like Ms. Lint and Overkill well-drawn

HumorDivisive72

Hit-or-miss: fans love Tick's puns and one-liners; detractors find humor sparse and forced

OriginalityDivisive70

Fresh satire in a crowded superhero landscape; detractors find it derivative of darker takes

AtmosphereDivisive70

Balances absurdity with genuine emotional stakes; darker tone praised and criticized

Plot and storyDivisive68

Slow-burn mystery of the Tick's origin and Terror conspiracy; season 1 praised, season 2 less focused

PacingDivisive62

First two episodes lag with Arthur's setup; picks up after; 30-minute episodes praised by fans

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 18 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 22 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 12 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 10 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2019 · 10 episodes · 7.5 average across 10 rated episodes

  • S2E1

    Lesson One: Think Quick!

    Apr 4, 201927 minTMDB rating 7.3
  • S2E2

    A.E.G.I.S and You

    Apr 4, 201932 minTMDB rating 7.4
  • S2E3

    Hot Beige!

    Apr 4, 201931 minTMDB rating 7.4
  • S2E4

    Blood and Cake

    Apr 4, 201928 minTMDB rating 7.8
  • S2E5

    Magic is Real

    Apr 4, 201924 minTMDB rating 7.2
  • S2E6

    Categorically Speaking

    Apr 4, 201929 minTMDB rating 7.6

Watch experience

What is The Tick like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Wry, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulThrilling
Heaviest: late
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Satirical · 5% of showsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe Tick plays its superhero satire completely straight while warmly investing in its characters, balancing irony with genuine heart.
The rideThe mood is predominantly light and comic, with action-packed moments and a growing emotional core that peaks in later episodes.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear chronological order across seasons, following Arthur's discovery and the growing threat.
Episode formatThe story is told as one continuous narrative across seasons, with each episode advancing the main conspiracy arc.
Season formatBoth seasons continue the same story with the same characters and central plot, ending with the conclusion of the series.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves you entertained and uplifted, having enjoyed the charming duo and the satire.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeArthur, an ordinary accountant, uncovers a conspiracy that a supervillain secretly runs the city, and teams up with the superhero Tick to expose and stop him. The series follows an overcoming_the_monster arc with The Terror as the tyrant.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% (this title) · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

FriendshipTruth · 6% of showsIdentity
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the unlikely friendship between a vulnerable man and a surreal superhero, exploring how they support each other while the plot also questions what is real and what it means to be a hero.
StanceThe series warmly celebrates friendship and the value of being true to oneself, even in a bizarre world.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Jeff Russo
SettingAn alternate contemporary New York where superheroes are a mundane reality
MusicThe score blends symphonic superhero motifs with quirky, humorous cues.

Content guide

Is The Tick okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Tick is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (71/100), sexual content at mild (29/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (58/100). Overall it is heavier than 32% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • Germany12
  • France18
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium18
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK18
  • MexicoC
  • RO18
  • SingaporeNC16
  • Spain16
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 60% of all showsHeavier than 32% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 60%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 14%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 47%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 12%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 47%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and language. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Tick have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Tick?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Peter Serafinowicz
as The Tick
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Griffin Newman
as Arthur Everest
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Valorie Curry
as Dot Everest
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Brendan Hines
as Superian
Yara Martinez
as Ms. Lint
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Scott Speiser
as Overkill
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Alan Tudyk
as Dangerboat
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Devin Ratray
as Tinfoil Kevin
Jackie Earle Haley
as The Terror
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Patricia Kalember
as Joan

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What are shows like The Tick?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Tick include Harley Quinn (2019), The Boys (2019) and Peacemaker (2022).

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What other shows share a tag with The Tick?

205 other shows share the rarest tag below, up against: supervillain. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.