TV Show review
August 19, 2016 · 30 min · TV-MA
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Tick is a 2016-2019 Amazon Prime comedy series about anxious accountant Arthur Everest who teams up with the absurdly cheerful, nigh-invulnerable blue superhero The Tick to uncover a citywide conspiracy run by the villain known as The Terror. The show mixes silly superhero parody, action, and Arthur’s personal struggles with trauma, OCD, and anxiety in a grounded yet comedic way. No identity-driven themes, political lectures, or representation-focused messaging stand out as central or audience-visible elements.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Tick.
Woke representation / casting
Supporting cast shows natural urban diversity that fits the city setting and source material; main leads align with the comic’s original characters with no visible forced emphasis or mismatches.
Woke political dialogue
Light satirical background jab at one right-wing conspiracy theorist using modern terms; otherwise standard good-versus-evil comedy without ideological speeches.
Identity-driven story themes
No central or noticeable identity politics, gender, race, or queer elements drive character arcs or plot; personal trauma remains individual.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Comedic conspiracy against a hidden villain controlling the city; presented as absurd adventure without modern activist framing of institutions, capitalism, patriarchy, or social norms.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Almost no public debate or complaints treating the show as woke; critical and audience focus stayed on humor and entertainment.
Creator track record context
Ben Edlund’s long career in satirical comedy since the 1980s shows no pattern of activist or social-justice projects.
Production
