Summary
Tyson’s first marriage takes the spotlight in another entertaining offering. The lines between fact and fiction blur as Tyson recounts his early twenties in a drugged-up haze. “Lover” is glossy and fast-moving, perfectly depicting Tyson’s mental anguish.
This recap of the Hulu series Mike season 1, episode 3, “Lover,” contains spoilers.
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It becomes hard to tell the difference between fact and fiction in episode three of Mike as there is inevitably two sides to every story. “Lover” focuses on Tyson’s first true romance and his troubled marriage to celebrity Robin Givens (Laura Harrier). This controversial relationship is explored from Tyson’s point-of-view, but always with a sarcastic nod to Robin’s perspective of the events. It’s another packed instalment that details Tyson’s drug-addled mental state in the late eighties.
Mike season 1, episode 3 recap
The episode starts with Tyson narrating to his audience at his one-man show. The conversation has moved onto the sore subject of relationships. He admits that he was a pig and worried that women only wanted him for his money. Tyson reflects that he had no respect for women because he couldn’t love himself. So of course he was prone to cheating and we catch up with Tyson as he is having sex, whilst wearing his winning belt. Robin Givens appears on his bedroom TV screen and he endeavors to win over this beauty, saying as much out loud while his current lover is present.
The signs were there from the very first date. Robin’s mother and publicist tag along for the meal. Her mother is rightfully overprotective, but looks down upon Tyson. The happy couple aren’t deterred by this affront though and date in secret for two whole weeks. Tyson asks to make it official, but she refuses to be his girlfriend. Robin is a driven individual, who doesn’t want to live in Tyson’s shadow. But the boxing champion is enamored by her and showers her with riches anyway.
There’s a hilarious montage as Tyson goes flower shopping for Robin, but then sleeps with the florist. He then goes shopping for a pearl necklace for Robin and you guessed it, he sleeps with this sales assistant too. Tyson is in love with Robin, but he can’t help himself. After a super fight in 87, Robin and Tyson chat over the phone and she accepts his offer. The paparazzi hound the couple wherever they go and Tyson continues to buy her extravagant, expensive gifts.
The ending
Robin tells Tyson that she is pregnant and he does the honorable thing, the couple are swiftly wedded. This series of events brings about the start of all those rumors and this blurring of fact and fiction. Robin states that she fell pregnant after the wedding, but Tyson is adamant she used the pregnancy as a ploy to marry him. Either way Robin miscarries and the couple’s relationship only worsens from then on. Robin fears Tyson’s manager Bill Cayton is conning them out of money and she eventually sues the man. Don King enters the sorry tale around this time as well, warning Tyson against these vultures circling the wealthy athlete, although ironically he is probably just as hungry for Tyson’s money as the others.
Tyson starts to distance himself from Robin, fearing that he can’t trust her anymore, because she appears to be just after him for his money. He relies on Don King for advice, but starts to sleep around again. These serious trust issues result in Tyson’s anger problems, with the couple always fighting. Robin’s theory is to medicate the poor guy, who is suffering from manic depression. Yet the pills turn Tyson into a zombie, who cannot fulfil his work duties. He adds that the coke and the weed probably didn’t help either and most of this time period is a complete blur. There’s an infamous encounter in Russia, where Tyson hurls a TV at Robin and her mother. As well as a car crash, which Robin believed was actually a cry for help, a plausible suicide attempt.
On live TV, Robin and Tyson are interviewed by Barbara Walters. Robin confesses to being domestically abused, that Tyson has a volatile temper and she fears for her safety. Tyson was high at the time and just silently sits there, unable to respond. His marriage ends and Robin sues Tyson for 125 million. Surprisingly though, the world still seems to adore Tyson and Robin comes across as the villain of the story. In the present, Tyson contemplates whether the marriage was a con and implies that there is more madness to come.
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