Mike Tyson Mysteries – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Mike Tyson Mysteries

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show2014

32%

WISE Score

Mike Tyson solves mysteries with a talking pigeon and a ghost. Yes, really. Adult Swim does Adult Swim things.

Mike Tyson Mysteries

show

TV-14, 2014

32%

WISE Score

Mike Tyson solves mysteries with a talking pigeon and a ghost. Yes, really. Adult Swim does Adult Swim things.

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is Adult Swim doing what Adult Swim does: taking a beloved kids' format (mystery-solving cartoons) and making it wildly inappropriate and absurd. Mike Tyson—yes, the actual boxer—solves mysteries with Norm Macdonald as a pigeon. It's bizarre, often funny, and absolutely not for kids.

The ratings suggest it's well-executed for what it is (8.2 IMDb, 75 Metacritic), and fans of absurdist comedy will probably enjoy it. But let's be clear: this has profanity, drug jokes, sexual references, and a general cynicism that makes it firmly adult territory.

If you have a 16-17 year old who loves Rick and Morty or BoJack Horseman, they might get a kick out of this. But it's not enriching, it's not wholesome, and it's definitely not family viewing. It's junk food comedy—sometimes tasty, zero nutritional value, and you probably shouldn't let your 10-year-old have it.

Age Fit

This is squarely for older teens (16+) and adults who appreciate absurdist humor and Adult Swim's particular brand of late-night animation. The 14+ rating is technically accurate but feels young—this works best for high schoolers and adults who get the parody and can handle mature content.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Adult animated comedy that parodies Scooby-Doo with crude humor, drug references, sexual innuendo, and frequent profanity. Features Mike Tyson as a washed-up celebrity solving mysteries with a ghost, pigeon, and adopted daughter. Tone is cynical and absurdist rather than emotionally healthy or modeling positive behaviors.

Imaginative

Clever premise that subverts the mystery-solving genre by pairing the real Mike Tyson with bizarre scenarios and surreal characters (including Norm Macdonald as a talking pigeon and the Marquess of queensberry as a ghost). The absurdist humor and genre parody show creativity, though it's derivative of Scooby-Doo's structure.

Safe

Adult Swim programming with mature content including drug use, sexual references, violence played for laughs, and frequent profanity. Common Sense Media rates it 14+. Not appropriate for younger viewers and contains content that would be shocking to children. While not graphic or traumatizing, it's designed for late-night adult audiences.

Enriching

Limited educational or developmental value. Primarily absurdist comedy that offers entertainment through parody and celebrity humor. IMDb rating of 8.2 and Metacritic 75 suggest it's well-executed for its genre, but it doesn't build skills, model empathy, or provide meaningful takeaways beyond laughs. Some clever writing and cultural references for adults.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely funny absurdist parody of Scooby-Doo with Mike Tyson as himself—the premise is bonkers and it commits fully
Norm Macdonald voices a pigeon named Pigeon, which is exactly as ridiculous and entertaining as it sounds
Strong ratings (8.2 IMDb, 75 Metacritic) suggest it's well-written adult comedy that knows what it's doing
Short 11-minute episodes make it easy to watch without commitment
Could spark conversations about celebrity culture, redemption arcs, and genre parody for older teens

⚠

What to Watch For

This is Adult Swim late-night programming—profanity, drug references, sexual innuendo throughout
Not remotely appropriate for kids under 14, and even then it's a stretch depending on maturity
The humor is crude and cynical, not wholesome family entertainment
Mike Tyson's real-life history (including a rape conviction) adds complexity that older teens should understand

Conversation Starters

"What do you think makes this funny? Is it just the absurdity or something more?"
"How does this show make fun of old mystery cartoons like Scooby-Doo?"
"Mike Tyson has a complicated real-life history. Does that change how you watch this?"
"What's the difference between adult animation and kids' cartoons beyond just the language?"

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