Tick

THE SHOW: The overwhelming success of television shows on the DVD format can be explained in part by the ability to cram countless episodes on one shiny plastic disc. But there’s also the added value of giving fans a chance to watch an entire series at their own pace – a weekend marathon or once every few days grazing. But a show like “The Tick,” whose unsuccessful run on the Fox network lasted only nine episodes, makes it even easier to take in the entire series in one hilarious viewing session. Created by Ben Edlund (who also wrote the comic book and the animated series), produced by Barry Sonnenfeld (“Men In Black”), and starring Patrick Warburton (Puddy of TV’s “Seinfeld”) as the big blue bug of justice, “The Tick” is a show for those with discriminating tastes in comedy. It’s almost too smart for its own good, even though its central character has the vocabulary of a PHD and common sense of an extra-wide toaster. Built around the idea that superheroes and their exploits are an everyday occurrence – so much so that they are mocked and discriminated against by the general public – the pilot introduces us to the Tick and his crimefighting partner, Aurthur (an ex-accountant who wears a moth suit that’s constantly mistaken for a bunny rabbit). The duo strike up a friendship with Batmanuel, an oversexed publicity hound who always refers to himself in the third-person, and Captain Liberty, a gorgeous but neurotic crimefighter employed by the CIA. What’s amazing about the Tick (besides Warburton’s dead-on performance of the child-like lead character) is how quickly the show’s relationships developed between this quirky group of characters. While it takes most sitcoms a season or two to hit its stride, “The Tick” really came together by episode 3, “Arthur Interrupted,” in which Arthur must come out of the closet to his family about his lifestyle choice as a superhero. Other highlights of the tragically shortened series include “Couples” in which Arthur is recruited by a group of angry sidekicks mistreated by their overbearing superheroes. And “The License,” where a woman claiming to be the Tick’s wife traps him in the crime-free life of the suburbs. As brilliantly clever as “The Tick” is, it’s not hard to see why it didn’t last more than nine episodes. There’s a hard-core and dedicated audience for this kind of humor, but it’s not on network TV. That’s what makes having it on DVD, in 16:9 enhanced widescreen Dolby Surround no less, such a sweet treat. THE FEATURES: Sonnenfeld and Ben Edlund provides separate commentaries on select episodes. Edlund,, the writer, is surprisingly bland. Sonnenfeld is a better listen, and his sales pitch of the show as “Seinfeld with superheroes” – made up of all the moments between the excitement – gives you an idea how the show got made in the first place. Both men talk at length about Warburton’s perfect performance and his expressive radio controlled antennas that stole the show. There’s also DVD-ROM features and trailers for upcoming releases on DVD and the new television season. FINAL SCORE: To even imagine adapting a character like the Tick into a live-action environment is risky. To come up with a show that’s almost better than the animated adventures that came before it, that frickin’ incredible! After the first three episodes you’ll be hooked. Unfortunately, you’ll only have six episodes left to go.