Whenever the topic of favorite television shows comes up there is one television show that I talk about that most people don’t recognize. The Tick was a Saturday morning cartoon that came on in the 90’s and is quite possibly the funniest show of all time.
The Tick was about a superhero (named the Tick) who fought crime in his home town, the City. The Tick was a really a parody on the superhero genre and had some hilarious moments. In honor of the Tick I thought I would count down my top ten favorite episodes of The Tick.
10. The Tick vs. El Seed
El Seed was a super villain that was part human and part plant and was Spanish (his name is a play on El Cid). El Seed made a chemical that allows plants to come to life and when the Tick is hit with the chemicals he starts to grow vegetables all over him. In this episode we also meet the super hero team called the Civic Minded Five which includes the Four Legged Man, Jungle Janet, Feral Boy, Captain Mucilage and my favorite, the Carpeted Man, who attacks people by dragging his feet on the ground then shocking them with static electricity.
9. The Tick vs. Brainchild
Brainchild was a young boy who is only around middle school age but had super intelligence. In order to show off his massive brain the Brainchild made a glass skull so people could see it. Brainchild still lives at home with his parents and they don’t seem to be too concerned that their son is an evil genius; they simply say “boys will be boys.”
8. The Tick vs. Arthur
Arthur is the Tick’s loyal sidekick but even loyal sidekicks get out of control sometimes. A villain by the name of Baron Violent has a belt that makes him increase in size. The Tick and Arthur defeat him and Arthur gets a hold of the belt. The temptation becomes too great for Arthur and puts the belt on. As he increases his size he becomes more and more volatile until the Tick eventually has to defeat Arthur and take the belt from him.
7. Ants in Pants!
In the episode Ants in Pants The City has experienced a series of crime sprees. These mysterious women dressed in trench coats only seem to be stealing glass though, even if jewelry stores the glass casing is stolen while the jewels are left behind. The Tick, Arthur and some of his other friends go searching for the problem. They find one the mysterious women and grab her only to find she’s not a woman at all but is actually a ton of ants that have joined together to make the shape of a body. The Tick and his friends follow the ants to find what they are up to. The Tick and company get captured and the ants reveal to them that they stole all the glass so they could make a giant magnifying glass to fry The City like children like to do to ants.
6. The Tick vs. Science
The Tick and Arthur go to a Mad Scientist exposition to see an experiment by J. J. Vatos. Vatos has created a machine that will make two people switch bodies ala Freaky Friday. A villain by the name of Professor Chromedome steals the device and Arthur and the Tick give chase. Chromedome eventually leads them to his boss Chairface Chippendale but Chromedome then uses the device to switch around all the bodies in the vicinity. Chairface Chippendale is now in control of the Tick’s body and the Tick must now fight Chairface Chippendale in his new body, a zebra.
5. The Tick vs. The Uncommon Cold
The Tick has come down with a cold and decided to take a break from crime fighting. Unfortunately just next door there is an alien named Thrakkorozg. Thrakkorozg has a device that will clone people but before he can get a clone of the Tick he must get some kind of DNA of the Tick’s. Thrakkorozg’s crony goes next door to get a DNA sample and decides to use one of the Tick’s used tissues. Since the DNA came from The Tick’s tissue the Tick clone is made completely of mucus, which makes him a very slippery villain for The Tick to defeat.
4. The Tick vs. Chairface Chippendale
Chairface Chippendale is a master criminal who has a chair as a head. In this episode Chairface Chippendale is having a birthday party and all the top villains in town are invited. Each of them has brought Chairface Chippendale powerful toys including a ray that will allow Chairface Chippendale to right his name on the surface of the moon. The Tick, Arthur, and American Maid must infiltrate the party as caterers to try and stop Chairface Chippendale.
3. The Tick vs. The Idea Men
The Tick vs. The Idea Men is mostly good because it is the first episode of the Tick. It is the episode where we are introduced to The Tick and many of the other heroes in The City. The Idea Men part of the episode isn’t bad either. The Idea Men are a group of guys who wear metal helmets so nobody can ever understand what they are saying which makes the Tick ask the question, “Hey, Idea Men, what’s the big idea?” The Tick is also very fascinated by the fact that they travel via blimp.
2. The Tick vs. The Tick
In The Tick vs. The Tick, The Tick and his male friends go to a club for superheroes called the Comet Club. Unfortunately Arthur is stopped by the Doorman who senses that Arthur is a sidekick and Arthur is sent to the sidekick lounge outside. Inside The Tick meets another superhero with the same name and they fight over the name. While everybody is distracted by the argument the Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight sneaks in and plants bombs everywhere hoping to take out all the super heroes at once.
1. The Tick vs. The Breadmaster
The Breadmaster episode is just a work of comedy genius. The Breadmaster is a guy who went to Baking College but was kicked out, now he wants to get revenge on all the bakeries and The City as a whole. The Breadmaster then creates bread bombs but instead of blowing up the bombs just grow and grown until eventually the piece of bread destroys an entire building. The Breadmaster’s final plan though is to make a giant soufflé that will engulf the entire city.
