Prime Video has become one of the most versatile streaming services in the television world with its wide range of original productions. Among the platform's biggest series, Invincible and The Boys sharply critique traditional themes of the superhero genre. While The Boys uses the superhero genre to comment on current events, Invincible explores how being a superhero can affect you mentally and physically. Although both series have received tremendous acclaim and attracted a large audience, there is another show that surpasses them: The Tick, which satirically addresses superheroes.

Created by Ben Edlund, The Tick is based on Edlund's original comic books. The series follows the encounters between Arthur Everest (Griffin Newman) and the mysterious, blue-costumed superhero, The Tick (Peter Serafinowicz). The Tick is a lively superhero who wants Arthur to be his sidekick. Arthur and Tick delve into a mysterious conspiracy involving the criminal mastermind The Terror (Jackie Earle Haley). Lasting only two seasons, The Tick is nearly a perfect satire series that has been lost in the sea of superhero adaptations, yet it deserves the attention it should receive.

A key factor that makes The Tick successful is its willingness to parody all types of superhero media. The Tick and Arthur live in a world filled with superheroes, including Superian (Brendan Hines) and the trigger-happy Overkill (Scott Speiser). Overkill is a clear nod to more lethal vigilantes like Punisher or Ghost Rider, while Superian's ultimate downfall comes before the darker turns of the Superman legacy brought by Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) and Homelander (Antony Starr) in Invincible and The Boys. Unlike these series, The Tick often plays its parodies for humor and frequently earns that humor.

What sets The Tick apart from other superhero parodies is its sincere approach to Arthur's mental health. It turns out that Arthur's mild personality stems from witnessing his father's death in the midst of a battle with The Terror. Although his sister Dot (Valorie Curry) wants him to lead a normal life, Arthur ultimately decides to embrace his role as The Tick's sidekick and confront The Terror. The Tick took steps to explore the balance between superheroism and mental health before Invincible and The Boys, and it did so without the need for bloodshed.

This series on Prime Video first premiered in 2016. It marked the beginning of an era when popular culture discussions emerged around Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. Subsequent episodes had to compete with other major blockbusters like Wonder Woman and Avengers: Infinity War, and the second season was overshadowed by the premieres of Avengers: Endgame and The Boys. Despite these challenging circumstances, The Tick still managed to build a loyal following, even the announcement by Ben Edlund that the series would not receive a third season did not change that.

The cancellation of The Tick occurred with unresolved plot threads left open. Actress Valorie Curry appeared in another series, playing the ultra-patriotic superhero Firecracker in the 4th and 5th seasons of Prime Video's other superhero satire series, The Boys. Her role in this series did not change the fate of The Tick.