{"id":437666,"date":"2026-05-12T09:50:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T09:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/437666\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T09:50:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T09:50:11","slug":"25-years-later-this-mcu-meets-seinfeld-sitcom-doesnt-have-a-single-bad-episode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/437666\/","title":{"rendered":"25 Years Later, This MCU Meets ‘Seinfeld’ Sitcom Doesn’t Have a Single Bad Episode"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few genres are as tailor-made for parody than the superhero genre<\/a>. Sure, we love it. It’s pure, escapist spectacle that can stir a passionate debate over the most minute of details. But let’s be honest: the concept of adults, fighting crime in tights and capes, is inherently ridiculous. Yet “tailor-made” can’t be mistaken for lazy: it’s the difference between clever superhero parodies that work, like Mystery Men<\/a> or The Boys<\/a>, and those that don’t, \u00e0 la Superhero Movie. And well before The Boys, 25 years ago, Fox took a shot at the burgeoning genre with The Tick<\/a>… and it is perfection.<\/p>\n

‘The Tick’ Brings Together Four Eccentric Heroes In a Fight Against Injustice in “The City”<\/p>\n

The Tick premiered in 2001, a live-action adaptation of Ben Edlund’s comic book, following a successful animated series that also ran on Fox from 1994-1996. It centers around a dim-witted and oblivious 7-foot, 400-pound, practically invulnerable superhero called the Tick (Patrick Warburton<\/a>), clad in a blue suit with perpetually-moving antennae. He protects a small-town bus station, performing such heroic acts as confronting a coffee vending machine that takes a passenger’s change (“Java devil, you are now my bitch”). He’s fooled \u2013 easily \u2013 into believing he bought a bus ticket to “The City” in order to fight crime there.<\/p>\n

Collider Exclusive \u00b7 Marvel Personality Quiz
\n Which MCU Hero Are You?
\n Spider-Man \u00b7 Daredevil \u00b7 Iron Man \u00b7 Punisher \u00b7 Thor \u00b7 Cap<\/p>\n

Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd77\ufe0fSpider-Man<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude08Daredevil<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd16Iron Man<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc80Punisher<\/p>\n

\u26a1Thor<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udee1\ufe0fCap<\/p>\n

\n FIND YOUR HERO \u2192\n <\/p>\n

01<\/p>\n

What drives you to do what’s right?
\n Choose the answer that feels most like you.<\/p>\n

\n AWith great power comes great responsibility \u2014 I protect those who can’t protect themselves.
\n BMy faith and my conscience \u2014 I believe justice must be served, even in the dark.
\n CLegacy and ego, honestly \u2014 but I’ve learned that others depend on me now.
\n DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay.
\n EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name \u2014 I was born to protect realms.
\n FThe values I was raised with \u2014 freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

02<\/p>\n

It’s 2 AM. Where are you?
\n Your answer says more about you than you’d think.<\/p>\n

\n ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood.
\n BRunning rooftops in Hell’s Kitchen, listening for trouble.
\n CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby.
\n DStaking out a target I’ve been tracking for three weeks.
\n ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand.
\n FOn a morning run \u2014 I was up at 4, actually. Couldn’t sleep.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

03<\/p>\n

How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice?
\n Every hero has a method. What’s yours?<\/p>\n

\n AWeb them up and leave them for the police \u2014 again.
\n BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside.
\n CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins.
\n DMake sure they don’t escape a third time. Permanently.
\n EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end.
\n FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in \u2014 by the book, even if it’s hard.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

04<\/p>\n

How do you feel about keeping a secret identity?
\n The mask \u2014 or the lack of one \u2014 says everything.<\/p>\n

\n AEssential \u2014 my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am.
\n BCritical \u2014 the mask protects my mission as much as my face.
\n COverrated \u2014 I announced myself to the world and I’d do it again.
\n DI’m a ghost. The less people know about me, the better.
\n EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There’s no hiding it.
\n FI don’t hide \u2014 but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

05<\/p>\n

You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that?
\n Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.<\/p>\n

\n AWith guilt that never fully goes away \u2014 it pushes me to do better, every single day.
\n BI channel it into purpose \u2014 their memory is the reason I keep fighting.
\n CI buried myself in work for years. I’m only recently learning to face it.
\n DIt transformed me completely. I’m not the same person I was before.
\n EWith warrior’s grief \u2014 I honour them by fighting with everything I have.
\n FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

06<\/p>\n

What’s your role when working with a team?
\n Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.<\/p>\n

\n AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work \u2014 and keeps the mood up.
\n BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most.
\n CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation.
\n DI don’t do teams. I’m more effective operating solo, on my terms.
\n EThe heavy hitter \u2014 I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle.
\n FThe leader \u2014 I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

07<\/p>\n

Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge?
\n The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.<\/p>\n

\n AClearly \u2014 I don’t kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly.
\n BI try to hold the line, but I’ve come terrifyingly close to crossing it.
\n CPractically \u2014 I do what’s necessary to protect people, including hard calls.
\n DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice \u2014 the system just won’t admit it.
\n EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned \u2014 not automatic.
\n FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

08<\/p>\n

When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like?
\n The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.<\/p>\n

\n ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends.
\n BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets.
\n CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I’m sleeping enough.
\n DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions.
\n ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world \u2014 coffee is extraordinary.
\n FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

09<\/p>\n

What keeps you up at night?
\n Fear is useful data \u2014 if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.<\/p>\n

\n AThe people I couldn’t save \u2014 and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow.
\n BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too.
\n CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough.
\n DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I’ve made my choices.
\n EWhether I’m truly worthy \u2014 of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect.
\n FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing.\n <\/p>\n

NEXT QUESTION \u2192<\/p>\n

10<\/p>\n

The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do?
\n This is your tiebreaker \u2014 choose carefully.<\/p>\n

\n ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything.
\n BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat \u2014 and keep going.
\n CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan.
\n DI don’t accept that it’s lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore.
\n ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me.
\n FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it’s not over.\n <\/p>\n

REVEAL MY HERO \u2192<\/p>\n

Your Hero Has Been Identified
\n Your MCU Hero Is\u2026<\/p>\n

Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.<\/p>\n

Queens, New York\n <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd77\ufe0f Spider-Man<\/p>\n

You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be \u2014 funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.<\/p>\n

You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
\n You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose \u2014 it’s one that finds you.
\n Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
\n Peter Parker’s lesson \u2014 that great power demands great responsibility \u2014 isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.<\/p>\n

Hell’s Kitchen, New York\n <\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude08 Daredevil<\/p>\n

You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.<\/p>\n

You use every tool available \u2014 your mind, your body, your faith \u2014 to protect those the system overlooks.
\n You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
\n Matt Murdock’s duality \u2014 champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley \u2014 mirrors your own.
\n Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.<\/p>\n

Stark Industries, Malibu\n <\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd16 Iron Man<\/p>\n

Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable \u2014 but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.<\/p>\n

You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
\n You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
\n Tony Stark’s arc \u2014 from ego to sacrifice \u2014 is your arc too.
\n You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.<\/p>\n

New York City\n <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc80 The Punisher<\/p>\n

You’ve been through fire that would break most people \u2014 and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.<\/p>\n

You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
\n You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
\n Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss \u2014 and so is yours.
\n Uncompromising and unflinching \u2014 the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.<\/p>\n

Asgard \u00b7 Protector of the Nine Realms\n <\/p>\n

\u26a1 Thor<\/p>\n

Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.<\/p>\n

You lead with strength but have learned \u2014 sometimes painfully \u2014 that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
\n You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
\n Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
\n You bring the storm when it’s needed \u2014 and the warmth when it matters just as much.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn, New York \u00b7 The Avengers\n <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udee1\ufe0f Captain America<\/p>\n

You believe in something bigger than yourself \u2014 and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.<\/p>\n

You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
\n Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum \u2014 he was always one. So were you.
\n Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
\n In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up \u2014 every single time.<\/p>\n

\n \u21bb RETAKE THE QUIZ\n <\/p>\n

It’s there that he meets Arthur (David Burke), a meek man who leaves his job as an accountant (fired by Christopher Lloyd<\/a>, no less) to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a superhero, moth suit and all. The Tick worms his way into Arthur’s life, and the pair become a highly unconventional, but complementary, crime-fighting duo: Arthur serves as the Tick’s voice of reason, and the Tick as the muscle, the mouth, and Arthur’s cheerleader.<\/p>\n

They are aided by Captain Liberty (Liz Vassey), a sarcastic, super-powered heroine, a hybrid of Wonder Woman and Captain America (with a hint of Power Girl) who works for the CIA; and by Batmanuel (Nestor Carbonell<\/a>), a Latino Batman-type who, like the hero he’s patterned after, has no special powers, but lacks the bravery and moral code of the Dark Knight. He does have the Manuel Mobile, a gold Buick convertible, so that’s something. Together, they fight injustice and engage in spectacular battles against supervillains like Apocalypse Cow and the Gru-like Destroyo (Kurt Fuller). More accurately, they talk about it over coffee at the local diner, along with the mundane aspects of life.<\/p>\n

‘The Tick’ Chooses Character and Coffee Over Chaos<\/p>\n

That choice to focus more on the characters and their banal interactions as opposed to the action of superhero fare is purposeful. It’s fashioned as a “Seinfeld<\/a> with superheroes,” a fitting description, especially given that Seinfeld writer Larry Charles is one of the executive producers, and it works brilliantly. Captain Liberty goes to the dry cleaner to pick up her suit, only it’s lost. Batmanuel has multiple parking infractions. Arthur doesn’t know if a former high-school crush, played by Missi Pyle, wants to go out with him only because of the suit or not. The Tick gives a rambling, nonsensical eulogy at the funeral of The Immortal (Sam McMurray), who died during a tryst with Captain Liberty.<\/p>\n

In essence, the superhero is secondary to the character, and the pitch-perfect casting is essential to its success. Warburton, for one, has the big build of the character, but also a cadence that gives the character’s long, absurd speeches that go nowhere a deft comic touch that he excels at. Burke is a perfect straight-man. Vassey nails the indignation of a powerful woman in a field dominated by men. Carbonell does a balancing act between being lecherous and disarmingly charming, with a knowing glint in his eye that acknowledges he’s utterly harmless.<\/p>\n


\n \"The-Tick-Scott-Speiser\"<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tPrime Video’s 2-Part Superhero Thriller Is a Better Watch Than ‘Invincible’ or ‘The Boys’
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

The streamer’s had practice with poking fun at the capes & cowl crowd.<\/p>\n

The parody in The Tick tackles not only well-worn superhero tropes (the Tick’s confusion about the Champion and his alter-ego, a transformation done with a pair of glasses, pokes fun at the Clark Kent\/Superman trope), but tropes in the genre that wouldn’t be established until much later, i.e. Arthur choosing to be a superhero with no prior training foreshadows the Arrowverse, which became populated with people who become seasoned crime-fighters overnight. And in one of its best episodes, “The Tick vs. Justice,” the parody looks outside the superhero genre to The Silence of the Lambs<\/a>, a hilarious setup where Destroyo, in a cell almost identical to Lecter’s, plays the same type of psychological game, but instead of unnerving Captain Liberty, she goes on to lay out all her psychological needs, causing Destroyo to rue ever having started.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, The Tick was cancelled after only nine episodes, with only eight of those aired, which is less a critique of the series and more a damnation of Fox, who mishandled it<\/a>. Prime did release an adaptation of its own in 2016, but that version takes a significantly different approach, a darker serialized dramedy that is more in line with the nature of the comics, but lacks the character personalities that fueled the 2001 iteration. But for a parody that is as straightforward and as funny as they come, 2001’s The Tick is the way to go. As the Tick says: “Life is your chance! Grab it! Squeeze the milk of life into your dirty glass and drink it warm.” Inspiring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Few genres are as tailor-made for parody than the superhero genre. Sure, we love it. It’s pure, escapist…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":437667,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[146,85,46,411],"class_list":["post-437666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-entertainment","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=437666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437666\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/437667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=437666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=437666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=437666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}