Ben Edlund’s The Tick was canceled by Amazon a few weeks after the second season was released, but why? The Tick is a monster superhero created by cartoonist Ben Edlund in 1986, which started as a newsletter mascot and became so popular that it was turned into an independent comic book series in 1988. It was adapted into an animated TV series in 1994 and got its first live-action version in 2001, with Patrick Warburton as the titular character, before Amazon rebooted it in 2016 with Peter Serafinowicz in the lead role.

The Tick follows an almost invulnerable superhero in a blue tick suit who fights crime. He also has no memory of his life before being a superhero, and each version of the character has given it a different origin: the original comic series says he’s apparently legally insane and escaped from a mental institution, while the latest series chose to leave it a mystery. The Tick is a parody of superheroes, which drew the attention of many viewers who were not acquainted with the source material or the previous versions. Sadly, The Tick was canceled after just two seasons.

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The first season of The Tick was split into three parts: the pilot premiered on August 18, 2016, a “half-season” of five episodes was released on August 25, 2017, and the final six episodes of the season saw the light on February 23, 2018. Amazon ordered a second season, which premiered on April 5, 2019. Six weeks later, Amazon decided to cancel the series. A reason for it was never revealed, but it most likely had to do with viewership. Like many other streaming services, Amazon Video doesn’t make ratings public, but given the positive reception it had, everything points at viewing figures being the reason for The Tick’s cancelation.

Although the series built a loyal fanbase, it probably wasn’t as big as Amazon needed it to be. If ratings don’t meet a certain number, a series will most likely get the ax. The Tick was praised by critics for its humor and likable characters, as it’s a refreshing take on superheroes after universes like Marvel and DC tend to take them more seriously. Edlund did his best to try to find a new home for The Tick, but in June 2019 he revealed on his Twitter account that the search was unsuccessful, and with the actors’ contracts expiring soon, the series was officially over.

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Edlund also shared they will continue looking for other opportunities for the Tick and company, but the series as it was had met its end. The Tick hasn’t had good luck with its adaptations, as they have all been short-lived, but hopefully it will find a good home in the near future and will get more than just a couple of episodes.

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About The Author


Adrienne Tyler
(3269 Articles Published)

Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided’s BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. It was great.

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