Mike Tyson Mysteries is dumb. Really dumb. Yes, that’s a compliment. The Cartoon Network Adult Swim show will only appeal to you if you have an affinity for the extremely stupid.
‘Mike Tyson Mysteries’ is wonderfully dumb
It’s good, but only because of Tyson.
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
The plot of the first episode “The End” says it all: Tyson, his adopted daughter, the ghost of the Marques of Queensbury and an anthropomorphized pigeon are tasked with helping Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy pen the ending to his newest book, before coming under attack from a Chupacabra.
Still on the wagon? Let’s take Tyson’s face-tattooed “Mystery Machine” down the rabbit hole.
Everything about Mike Tyson Mysteries is utterly forgettable when Tyson isn’t on the screen. There’s a pronounced lack of polish in every line from the boxer, juxtaposed against the clearly seasoned cast around him. The end result is stilted language, weird pauses -- it’s almost like he rolled out of bed and recorded the lines cold. Which is probably very close to the truth.
Unsurprisingly Tyson can’t say “Cormac McCarthy”:
Or “Chupacabra”:
Is this going to be the next Robot Chicken or Aqua Teen Hunger Force? No. The characters aren’t well drawn enough and the entire cast desperately relies on Tyson being himself. If he becomes good at his job or too self-aware, it’s over.
Wisely the show is only 10 minutes long. Even that short time leads to Tyson almost overstaying his welcome. The entire thing is a one-note joke, but transposing Mike Tyson into Scooby Doo is a heck of a joke.
We wont spoil the ending for you if you want to watch it yourself, but let’s just say there’s a Pegasus, more ghosts and Iron Mike punching a mythical creature in the groin.
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