Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is back on the case along with Pigeon (Norm MacDonald), Yung (Rachel Ramras), and Marquess (Jim Rash)!
Not much can be said about the parodic Hanna-Barbera-esque mystery team other than they’re here to dole out a few laughs and raise a few eyebrows. It’s not a show that explores cosmic existentialism or sci-fi tropes like Rick and Morty, but it isn’t quite the random (and I say this with love) stupidity of Squidbillies or Aqua Teen Hunger Force. For the most part, Mike Tyson Mysteries is capable of some hilarious and balanced writing when it wants.
“Help a Brother Out” opens up with the Tyson residence burned to a crisp, which apparently happened in last season? If you’ve never watched Mike Tyson Mysteries before, it doesn’t matter, it’s a pretty episodic show and can be picked up whenever. This leads to a great fourth wall breaking bit where the Mystery Team all acknowledge they can’t remember which exact episode their home went ablaze, let alone the fact they’re on a TV show. Of course, a questioning firefighter has to then ask if any of them have been drinking or taking drugs. Surprise, surprise, Pigeon did some coke just off screen.
The rest of the episode follows the super sleuths as they try to find a temporary place to live as Mike’s wallet and cash went up in flames. They go to Mike’s on again, off again agent Deezy (Chuck Deezy), who’s been living in depressing squalor with his cat, Furly. So the team have no choice but to go to Mike’s brother (and running gag throughout the remaining 11 minutes).
Mike’s estranged brother who he describes to be an embarrassing Star Trek-loving nerd is none other than world famous astrophysicist and cosmologist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Which begs the question: Is every celebrity with the surname Tyson related to Mike Tyson? Yes. Yes it does. Everybody from award-winning actress Cicely Tyson to the Tyson chicken tycoon.
After Neil deGrasse refuses, Mike and the gang take up refuge in his garage…with the door closed, and the engine running. No worries, this wouldn’t be the first time the world champ almost poisoned himself and his friends. Luckily, after confusing Neil Degrasse Tyson and Neil Patrick Harris, Deezy unknowingly comes to the rescue.
Admittedly, this isn’t the funniest episode of the series, as the show truly shines in the vulgar chemistry and dialogue between Norm MacDonald and the rest of the cast. To make room for the Neil deGrasse and Mike Tyson joke, most of the dialogue is between the physicist and boxer. As absurd as it is, the season premiere of Mike Tyson Mysteries does show us the series is capable of linear thinking and can follow through with a joke even up to the post-credit scene.
