Since 2001, Adult Swim has consistently slated some of the weirdest and most surreal programming ever known to television. This trend has included crime fighting snack foods, hillbilly squids, and a disembodied, human butt becoming a cop. And while the modern age certainly hasn't disappointed in continuing that legacy, few series within their lineup, let alone television as a whole, can match the weirdness and uneven tone of the Mike Tyson Mysteries.
While animation has never been a stranger to mystery solving teams, things have never gotten quite as strange as Mike Tyson's little rendition which is saying something given that the genre includes anthropomorphic cars and a superhero caveman. There's a lot to unpack out of this show, but here are a few things about the show that just make no sense.
Mike Tyson Starting A Mystery Team
To get the obvious out of the way, one of the first things that a stray viewer may ask is why did Mike Tyson even start a mystery team. They'll probably keep on asking considering that long time fans are still asking the same thing. In Jackie Chan Adventures, Jackie Chan used his martial arts experience and Chinese heritage to craft an engaging kung fu adventure that's in line with Jackie Chan's actual persona and fame.
By extension, Mike Tyson, with his eclectic boxing history, decided to use that experience to... solve mysteries ala Scooby-Doo. The leap between heavy weight champion and international sleuth is a steep one, but Adult Swim still dared to jump it. Godspeed, you mad geniuses.
The Mystery Team As a Business
To make the ordeal even stranger, Mike Tyson's Mystery Team is apparently also a business venture. Every now and then, the cast references making some money off of mysteries or counting their various, mystery solving exploits as a business expense, meaning that there is some intent to get some cash out of helping kittens out of trees or solving a local murder.
However, few of these adventures actually seem to be profitable and the team rarely even receives anything in return. In fact, between the collateral damage, luxurious hotel visits, and the likeliness that Mike Tyson is getting sued for assault, the Mystery Team has to be hemorrhaging money.
People Asking The Mystery Team For Help
With that being said, why do people even asking the team for help in the first place? When one thinks of asking for help, whether it be for a mystery or even just some general advice, how many people are actually thinking of Mike Tyson as a bottomless wealth of wisdom?
Not to take anything away from Mike Tyson's expertise, but he's not exactly the ideal person to solve any kind of mystery, and his adopted daughter, the Marquess of Queensbury, and a talking pigeon aren't exactly carrying credibility. Yet, somehow, they're trusted with homicide cases and the economic crisis within Cuba.
The Carrier Pigeons
Now that the "Why" is out of the way, let's dig into an even stranger question: "How?" Mike Tyson is famous for raising his own pigeon coop, and it's fun to see that therapeutic aspect of his life become part of the show. However, they're not really the most efficient method that the team could use to secure mysteries.
First off, someone has to locate a pigeon that A) is somehow Mike Tyson's or B) will somehow find its way to Mike Tyson's pigeon coop. Secondly, having to secure a message on pigeon's foot is no easy task, and there's no guarantee that the message will even arrive at Mike Tyson's place on time, let alone arrive intact. The show has pulled a few jokes out of this, but it would still be really interesting to see how exactly are people doing this in the first place.
Marquess' Ghost Rules
One of the most distinct characters in the entire series is the literal ghost of the Marquess of Queensberry. While the mystery solving format does include a few ghosts, this series' historical spin and personality still manage to keep the trope fresh. What's not as refreshing is the whole part about being a ghost.
Aside from saving the animators coloring time, the pale white Marquess doesn't really do much as a ghost and the exact magic systems that he brings are far from consistent. Whether this involves contacting the dead, summoning spirits, or even just flying, the show really is just making stuff up on the spot for Marquess. The man has literally been shown to phase through walls, yet he still manages to get trapped in the series.
Pigeon's Drug Abuse
How can one talk about Mike Tyson Mysteries without mentioning the show's best character? It's not the heavy-weight boxer, the snarky, ghost from the past, or even Yung Hee (though she does have some personality). It's the voice and spirit of Norm MacDonald speaking through a drunken, promiscuous pigeon named (wait for it) Pigeon.
As fascinating and hilarious as this character is, one of the most stunning features about him is his constant drug abuse. While this certainly helps characterize the bird as being troubled, the series rarely touches on how a tiny pigeon can handle an exorbitant amount of alcohol and narcotics for even a healthy human being. Seriously, shouldn't this pigeon be dead at this point?
Pigeon's Romantic History
In addition to being a bit of a drug user, Pigeon also manages to get around in the series. He's mostly a creep that harasses every female character, particularly Yung Hee. But every now and then, he still manages to find a lady that doesn't mind sleeping with him. Again, this adds to his overall juvenile attitude, but the exact science behind still isn't there.
Is sleeping with him any fun? Is no one scared about pigeon related diseases? Why is no one creeped out that he's a pigeon? Norm MacDonald does have sultry voice, but that shouldn't be enough for Pigeon to have his romantic history.
The Team Keeping Pigeon
On the note of Pigeon's history with women, he seems oddly comfortable making several passes at Mike Tyson's daughter, especially given that Mike Tyson is, well, MIKE TYSON. Mike Tyson, in real life and the series, has taken down several men with just his bare hands, so how has he not done anything to or about pigeon?
The bird is constantly making sly remarks at other members of the team, makes a mess of his house and van, and offers next to no help during mysteries. As a liability and an entire expense within his own right, Pigeon should've flown the coop long ago.
Deezy As An Agent
On the subject of people that should've been fired within Mike Tyson's inner circle, Deezy is another prime example of someone eating more funds than he makes. In the series, Deezy is Mike Tyson's agent and prime business partner. While Deezy certainly has the jib of a hustling businessman, he's constantly proven throughout the show that he actually has zero business, entertainment, or even mystery solving expertise.
Aside from his inability to get Mike any business opportunities, he actually begins to mooch off of the team later in the series, going as far as to live off their property. There are bad agents and then there's Deezy.
Mike Tyson Himself
Last but not least, this list reaches the strangest character of them all. While this show features a ghost with inconsistent spiritual logic and a talking pigeon on a downward spiral, neither have reached the same, surreal tone as Mike Tyson himself. Mike isn't a parody of the retired boxer; he's the real deal.
He's the faithful, optimistic leader of the group whose eccentric ideas and personality never fail to spark some interesting plots. The premise wouldn't even exist if Mike Tyson weren't the type of guy who could easily accept a ghost and pigeon into his family and would say "No" to some ridiculous jobs. Combined with his constant mood swings and the wealth and power of his celebrity, Mike can lead any story into sheer madness.