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Reviews
The Tick (2001)
Surprisingly Funny and Creative Show!
I'm a big fan of the Tick 1994 Animated Series, so I was a little skeptical about this show. I wasn't sure how the goofy and cartoony elements from the Tick Animated Series would translate into live action. However, after watching the pilot, I was pleasantly surprised. Much of the same talent that worked on the animated series (writers, producers, etc.) returned to work on this live action show. It certainly shows, as there are many similarities to the cartoon here, however it also stands alone and is unique in its own right. If you like the animated series, or even if you didn't or never watched it, give this series a try. It seems like it was really ahead of its time, and it's too bad it was cut so short. The actors here are fantastic, starting with Patrick Warburton of course, but I love Nestor Carbonell as Batmanuel also. He's absolutely hilarious!
The Tick (1994)
An Incredibly Well Written, Hilarious Series!
I'm 24 years old and I just recently finished watching the entire Tick Animated Series for the first time. I remember vaguely being intrigued by the Tick show when it was airing on Fox Kids (I was about 5), but for some reason my mom didn't think it was appropriate and I wasn't really allowed to watch it. That was probably for the best, because I really do think this show is wasted on children. So many of the references and jokes would go over their heads.
Anyway, about the show. It is absolutely hilarious! All 36 episodes are great, even the couple of mediocre ones still have some really funny parts that make them worth watching. If you like superheroes at all, or even if you don't, you need to check this out. This show really spoofs so many popular superheroes, as well as the whole genre in general, and it is done in a very witty and intelligent way. The episodes are really well written, with extremely creative dialogue, especially from the Tick that will have you rolling (or at least, grinning from ear to ear)!
If you didn't watch this show when it originally aired, check it out! If you did watch it when it first aired, but you were under the age of 18, check it out again! I guarantee you will find it even funnier than you remember.
Note: The show has been released on DVD, however the releases available are poor quality and are not complete with every episode. I was able to find the complete series on Blu-ray disc from eBay and the quality is fantastic!
Spider-Man (1994)
Greatest Animated Spider-Man Series!
This is the best Spider-Man animated series ever made. It is also one of the best superhero animated series ever. The story arcs were epic and unpredictable, Spider-Man had the perfect personality and voice in Christopher Daniel Barnes, and nearly every major character in the Spider- Man mythos made an appearance. Also, the majority of the character designs were great to look at and had a very realistic look to them.
It is not a perfect show. There was a lot of reused animation (scene cuts from previous episodes reused in later episodes). Sometimes it would fit and look alright, and other times it was pretty obvious. Also, even though some things were toned down for being a children's show, I never got the feeling or impression that anything was lacking (even in later viewings as an adult). Anyway, I seriously doubt there will ever be another Spider-Man show that comes close to the quality of this one. This IS Spider-Man.
X-Men (1992)
Overrated and Childish
I'm sorry but this show is rated way too high. I think most people are blinded by their nostalgia.
I didn't watch this show as a child. I grew up watching Batman: TAS and Spider-Man TAS which I absolutely loved and still love to this day. I re-watch those shows pretty regularly even as an adult.
I tried to watch a couple episodes of X-Men TAS since it was rated so highly on here. I found it pretty unwatchable. It's pretty obvious to me that this show was made strictly for children, without any concern for making it interesting to adults too.
It is really preachy to kids about accepting and tolerating people who are different from you. This is a good message, but they hammer it in literally every episode. Also, the dialogue is really bad at times and Wolverine is almost useless since he can't use his claws on anyone except robots. There are countless nonsensical moments where the plot or the premise just doesn't add up. It's not a bad show for children, but I can't watch it as an adult.
The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)
Too Cartoony!
I'm sorry but I just can't get into this show. After seeing all the positive reviews about it, I decided to give it a try. I barely got through an episode! I know it sounds kind of silly but I just can't get past the character designs and the overall look of the show. To me everything and everyone just look silly, childish and so cartoony. I just can't take it seriously. I know it probably has good writing and voice actors and all that, but to me it just looks too childish. Also, why is Spider-Man so skinny. He's seriously the same size as Gwen and MJ! And Venom has tiny legs and Doctor Octopus just looks weird. And what's up with the Green Goblin's chin?
I grew up on the 90s Spider-Man: TAS and to me it just doesn't get any better than that. I know the animation isn't great compared to modern stuff, but I can easily look past that due to the great writing, voice acting and character designs. Anyway, I gave it a shot, but the Spectacular Spider-Man just isn't for me.
Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2011)
A Truly Epic and Underrated Masterpiece!
First, let me say that I am not at all a Green Lantern fan. I've never read the comics, and the character has never appealed to me before. I am, however, a huge fan of Bruce Timm and the DCAU (DC Animated Universe). Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, and Justice League/Unlimited are my favorite animated shows of all time. BTAS, in particular, had a huge influence on me as I started watching it at a very early age as a child in the 90s.
When I first heard about Green Lantern: The Animated Series, I wasn't interested at all. Then when I heard that Bruce Timm was the executive producer, I thought it might be worth a try. I forgot about the series for a time, until I stumbled upon it again on Amazon. They had the complete series on Blu-ray. I read a couple reviews, and on a whim I decided to purchase it. The price was excellent for getting the complete series on Blu-ray, but I was really just taking a chance because I had never viewed an episode or talked to anyone who had. That was possibly the best Blu-ray purchase I have ever made!
This series is fantastic. I went into it pretty skeptical and not at all a Green Lantern fan. All I really knew about GL was from what I'd seen on JL/JLU. The writing and dialogue is very sharp, the plot is solid, the characters are fleshed out and well developed, the music is epic, the voice cast is incredible, and everything is really top notch! The cg animation and the designs are beautiful! I wasn't sure if I would really like the cg, but it really grows on you and I have really come to appreciate it.
All this to say, if you haven't seen this yet, please give it a shot. I'm not certain but it seems like this show is under-appreciated and I have no idea why. Maybe people simply don't know about it. If you like any of Bruce Timm's previous work, you will LOVE this show. Its maturity level and overall tone is right up there with the greats like BTAS, BB, and JL/JLU. This is seriously, one of the best animated series of all time!
Young Justice (2010)
Overrated and Uninteresting
This is not a horrible show, however I can't understand why everyone is praising it so highly. To me, it is a slightly better version of Teen Titans. For the record, I am not a fan of that show either.
For one, the main characters hold no appeal to me whatsoever. I have no interest in watching a show about obscure teenage sidekicks such as Aqualad, Superboy, Kid Flash, etc. Give me Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern any day over their teen-aged counterparts who I'd rather forget even exist.
Also, I don't view this as a very mature show. Everyone seems to be going on and on about how mature this show is, but if you're watching a show comprised of a bunch of 13-year olds dealing with things like crushes and other adolescent type problems, how is that very mature? It's absolutely ridiculous to suggest that this show is more mature than say Batman: TAS or Justice League/JLU. Granted, the writing is decent and more complex than most kids shows so in that regard it is a little more mature. BUT, let's keep this in perspective people!
The character designs and overall style of the show are just "okay" to me. I'm not at all a fan of anime and while this show isn't really anime, it definitely draws some inspiration from it. It certainly is an improvement over Teen Titans, which is much more clearly anime to me. However, I would prefer if the show bared no resemblance to anime at all.
Overall, this show is not bad. I just think it is overrated and more of a kids show. Nothing wrong with that at all, and as far as kids shows go it is pretty well done. But as an adult, I couldn't get into it and can't understand the high praise specifically for maturity that it has received.