Plot: What’s it about?
The streets have become overrun with crime, as muggers, thieves, and even supervillains terrorize the citizens at will. The police force does what it can, but the volume of crime is too much and the officers can only do so much. What this city needs is someone who could take on crime head on and come out on top, a strong and intelligent hero. But instead, this city has The Tick (Patrick Warburton) and his band of merry do-gooders. The Tick is a massive bulk of muscle, with immense physical strength, but minimal brains. So while he can run fast and lift heavy objects, he has a lot of trouble with even the simplest of sentences. He might not know what is going on most of the time, but somehow, he usually manages to stop criminals in their tracks. But he is not alone in his heroic ways, as he is joined by Arthur (David Burke), a nervous neurotic, Bat Manuel (Nestor Carbonell), a crimefighter obsessed with sex, and the always stunning Captain Liberty (Liz Vassey). This foursome isn’t the best unit of superheroes ever put together, probably not even close, but when evil strikes, they respond. But can The Tick do more harm than good at times, and if so, can his friends keep him on track, while dealing with their own problems? And will this city ever embrace The Tick as the hero he wishes he could be?
The Tick first entered the scene in a comic book, which was a cult hit and contained tons of the off the wall adventures. This was not your normal superhero comic to say the least, but it found a sizable audience. Then came the animated series, which held much of the same charms as the comic, but was toned down for a younger audience. The series was still tons of fun and delighted fans of the comic book, not to mention new devotees of The Tick. And then, television unleashed The Tick once more only this time, the hijinks were live action. This series proved to be a short lived one, with only nine episodes in the can, but for fans of the characters, The Tick was a treasure trove of wild entertainment. While the cartoon aimed for younger viewers, this show cut loose and amped up the insanity a few notches. Perhaps still not as off the wall as the comic book, but a step up on the old crazy meter, to be sure. A manic sense of humor, insane situations, and some simply classic dialogue, The Tick had it all. But it was too bizarre for mainstream audiences and after only nine episodes, Fox pulled this one off the schedule. Have no fear though, as Columbia has rescued this abandon series to be showcased on DVD. All nine episodes are found here, as well as some cool supplements, such as audio commentary tracks. So if you’re a fan of The Tick or offbeat television in general, this release is more than recommended.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. I was pleased to see the series shown in widescreen, as I had only seen the broadcast versions, so this treatment scored points right from the start. The image is clean and crisp in all the episodes, yielding a much improved visual presentation, compared to the original broadcasts. The prints are in pristine condition, which means the visuals are never hindered in the least. The colors bound off the screen, with vivid hues and natural flesh tones throughout. No troubles with contrast either, as black levels are bold and consistent at all times. I have to commend Columbia for their work here, especially for the decision to present the episodes in widescreen.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a dialogue driven series, so the included 2.0 surround audio is more than up to the task. Some sequence make better use of the channels than others, but on the whole, this material uses a conservative presence. But when the tension mounts or the action picks up, this mix handles the bumps without much trouble, so no worries on that front. Most of the show is fueled by dialogue though, which is well replicated here and no problems arise in the least. The vocals sound very crisp and clean at all times, I found nothing to complain about with this mix. This release also includes English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A selection of episodes have audio commentary tracks, as Ben Edlund and Barry Sonnenfeld lend their thoughts. These prove to be decent tracks, as Edlund offers more technical comments, while Sonnenfeld is more about production stories. I didn’t expect any extras on this release, so I am pleased to have these sessions. I would have liked to see an interview with Patrick Warburton, but no such luck here.
