Television series

The Tick

Name: The Tick
Genre: Comedy, Action, Science Fiction
Released: 1994
Cast: Townsend Coleman, Micky Dolenz, Rob Paulsen, Kay Lenz, Cam Clarke

Other titles called The Tick: the 2016 series (Prime Video).

Parody
Vigilante
Superhero
Light-hearted

A relentlessly silly superhero cartoon where an indestructible, dim-witted blue strongman and his anxious moth-suited sidekick fight absurd villains across a heightened city. It's comedy first, action second—fast, cheerful, anarchic, populated by characters who exist purely to be weird. For anyone who thinks superheroes are funnier when nobody's taking them seriously.

TVMaze rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love superhero parody that plays its own absurdity completely straight, where the gags land through deadpan earnestness and a hero who believes every word of his own speeches.

Skip it if you want a fast, plot-driven show; episodes are short, loose and episodic, and the jokes lean on repetition and odd, sometimes goofy, voices more than on any sustained story.

What it asks of you: Each episode is about half an hour and mostly self-contained, so you can drop in anywhere; it rewards a relaxed, half-attentive viewing where the strangeness can wash over you.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Batman: The Animated Series1992

The gold standard of superhero cartoons, with sharp writing, genuine pathos, and villains you actually care about. It proves animation can deliver real stakes alongside humor and style.

But It's considerably darker and more serious than The Tick—if you want unrelenting goofiness, this will feel restrained and occasionally heavy.

Animaniacs1993

Same era, same comedic velocity, same willingness to reference stuff kids won't get and not explain the jokes. It's absurdist, it's kind, it never condescends. Pure joy in cartoon form.

But No real plot or character arcs to speak of—each episode is just gags and songs. If you want narrative momentum, you won't find it.

Darkwing Duck1991

A superhero parody that actually builds a world. The gadgets, the rogues gallery, the self-aggrandizing hero—it's clever and affectionate without feeling mean. Great entry point for people who loved The Tick's tone.

But More adventure-driven than pure comedy, and some episodes lean harder into action than laughs. The animation is dated in a particular way that doesn't age as well.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Tick

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Mega Man: Fully Charged2018

A love letter to the same tradition of silly superhero cartoons, but born from what The Tick helped establish rather than running parallel to it.

A recent cartoon that learned directly from The Tick's playbook: a hero who's sweet and dumb, sidekicks with weird dynamics, a city full of one-joke villains. It's faster-paced than anything from the 90s and genuinely charming.

But Much more recent, so the animation is smoother and cleaner—some people find that less appealing than hand-drawn 90s cartooning. Also considerably lighter and less weird than The Tick itself.

The Venture Bros.2003

Takes the superhero parody template and spins it into something with actual character development, running jokes that pay off over seasons, and genuine warmth beneath the weirdness. Every episode rewards close attention.

But Starts slow and doesn't hit its stride until season two. Also considerably cruder and more adult—it's not for kids, and the tone is more melancholic than The Tick's brightness.

Futurama1999

The same comedic sensibility applied to sci-fi instead of superheroes. Sharp writing, heart, strange characters you grow to love, and it respects your intelligence while making you laugh out loud.

But The early seasons are stronger than later ones, and it got cancelled and revived so many times that the viewing order is messy. Some jokes land better if you're into sci-fi references.

Tiny Toon Adventures1990

Relentless energy, a massive cast of characters, and comedy that works on multiple levels. It's silly without being stupid, and the affection for its source material is genuine and infectious.

But The animation is intentionally crude and jerky in places. If you need smoothness and polish, this will feel deliberately cheap—because it was.

Superman: The Animated Series1996

Proves you can do earnest superheroics and still be entertaining. The Lex Luthor episodes in particular are phenomenal. It takes the genre seriously without being po-faced about it.

But Less comedic than The Tick and more interested in genuine drama. Some episodes are quite sad. If you're here purely for laughs, you might find it slow.

Gargoyles1994

Sophisticated storytelling in a superhero framework. Gothic, genuinely suspenseful, with complex characters and a mythology that unfolds beautifully. It's proof animation could do serious drama for older kids.

But Completely different tone from The Tick—it's dark and sometimes genuinely unsettling. The first season's animation is notably cheaper than later ones.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers1990

Earnestly ridiculous. A superhero show that's played straight but exists in such an absurd universe that the comedy emerges naturally. Campy, vibrant, and surprisingly fun to revisit.

But It was a toy commercial, and it shows. The message-heavy episodes can feel preachy, and the animation quality varies wildly from episode to episode.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers poster

Little Murders1971

Both use absurdity as a tool to talk about cities and violence, but this one weaponizes the absurdity—The Tick is optimistic, Little Murders is caustic and bitter about the same topics.

A Jules Feiffer satire about violence, apathy, and urban decay, played completely straight by brilliant actors. It's darkly funny in a way that proves superhero absurdism has roots in real social comedy, not just kiddie fun.

But A 1971 satire will feel slow and talky to modern viewers. It's not a cartoon, it's not an action show, and the humor is deadpan rather than physical. The tone is bleaker than anything in The Tick.