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The Tick

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Superhero spoof works for kids and adults.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The Tick is determined that superheroes should rely on themselves, not weapons or gimmicks, and he believes powerfully in himself and his far-more-dubious sidekick. But strength and shows of force do rule the day.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    This is an action cartoon, albeit a semi-spoof. There are many explosions and crashes, and one character frequently fires guns, although never at anyone or with successful results. It's usually pretty clear that no one was hurt.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Side characters may indulge in some mild innuendo.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Tick

Parents need to know that this silly (in a good way) spoof mocks villains, superheroes, and everything else it runs across. For example: Superwoman and man (in copyright-friendly disguise) argue over her girliness and his fear of commitment, and bad guys admit that they just wanted to make a lot of money so they wouldn't have to work. Most young kids won't get the satirical humor aimed at older audiences, but they can still enjoy the action and the ample physical comedy.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the perils of being a superhero -- or having one around the house -- as well as the moral quandaries that superhero-dom can raise. If you break a wall trying to save the day, do you have to rebuild it afterward? When is it OK to use your X-ray vision? Are there times when it would be nice just to be normal instead? Families can also discuss the normal superhero conventions that this show mocks and how those conventions have created a genre that the series can so easily subvert.

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