Mike episode 3 review: Hulu's miniseries on Mike Tyson follows the checklist approach

Hulu's miniseries on boxing champion Mike Tyson, titled Mike, dropped its third episode on Thursday, September 1, 2022. In line with its first two episodes, episode 3 seems like a leaflet through the rape convict's life.

Directed by Steven Rogers, Mike follows the life of Tyson from a social outcast as a child to a legendary boxing champion in 1980s America. Trevante Rhodes plays Tyson, as the miniseries documents events from the boxer's life, such as his controversial marriage with Robin Givens and the r*pe of 18-year-old Desiree Washington.

The third episode, titled Lover, is all about women. Read on for a detailed review of episode three of Mike.

---

Mike episode 3 review: The show checks all the points on the list but barely goes deep

There's a good reason why Tyson decided to distance himself from the Hulu show. While the first two episodes were oriented towards establishing Tyson as someone who rose from rags to riches, the third episode was about bogging down the women around him.

It began with the same stage show where Rhodes' Tyson decided to narrate his life story from. After his massive success in boxing, Tyson received an intense amount of attention from women, which he thought was due to his fame and money.

Having experienced both at such a tender age, Tyson believed that whatever he touched could be turned into gold. Similarly, whichever woman he wanted, for physical pleasure or marital bliss, could be his in a jiffy. That's what happened in the case of upcoming television star Robin Givens, whom Tyson had set his eyes on.

Laura Harrier and Trevante Rhodes in 'Mike' (Image via IMDb)

Before viewers could even process it, Tyson and Givens start dating in the episode. The aspiring actress had initially rejected the boxer after he asked her to be his girlfriend; however, Tyson stayed persistent. This was considered as an admirable quality in him, even though he continued to sleep with other women and hardly showcased any remorse for the same.

Laura Harrier, who essays Robin Givens, appeared in a prom queen avatar in her nightgown. She aspired to make it big in Hollywood and also wished to inspire people of color through her and Tyson's celebrity image, considering that very few black people could even make it to the television at that time.

However, none of Givens' aforementioned aspirations were taken forward, apart from the fact that she wanted to distance Tyson from everyone and use his money to fulfill her and her mother's (played by Leslie Silva) needs. Tyson and Givens' marriage was sensationalized in the media, with the latter branded as a gold-digger.

A scene from Mike (Image via IMDb)

It became a walk down the memory lane when the couple sat down for a joint interview with Barbara Walters. These instances of Rhodes' Tyson, who sat with the same calmness, reverberated with the real Tyson's disposition when Givens shared her experience of being with the boxer. The wife had also called him a manic depressive on national television, which was later corroborated by the doctors.

Events such as these and Givens' miscarriage, which Tyson claimed was a lie to get him to marry her, are documented as facts in the series. It seemed like the director made a list of all the qualities that Givens and her mother needed to have and checked them one by one with every scene that established them the same vibe.

A scene from Mike (Image via IMDb)

The only woman who is praise-worthy is Cus D'Amato's wife, who was also allegedly wronged by Robin. While Rhodes excelled as Tyson, Givens and Silva shone with their expressions of typical gold-diggers.

The episode jumped from one incident to another in a way that would unravel in Tyson's head. It does not give viewers enough time to ponder certain events and decide for themselves. It also marked the re-entry of Don King and his fight with Bill Cayton over managing Tyson.

The episode ended with Tyson's broken marriage and the television set calling out Givens as a gold-digger.

---

Mike is currently streaming on Hulu. Indian viewers can catch the first two episodes on Disney+.