Adult Swim, basic cable’s #1 network in Total Day with adults 18-24, 18-34, and 18-49, announced today the return of the hit animated adult comedy series Mike Tyson Mysteries, which premieres on Sunday, November 1st at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT. This original series from Warner Bros. Animation was a hit in its first season, with 2015 premieres of Mike Tyson Mysteries regularly claiming their Sunday time slot versus all cable among key adults 18-24/34/49 and men 18-24.

A top destination for comedy programming, Adult Swim had a white-hot ratings summer with double-digit growth over last year led by animated originals Rick and Morty and Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever. These innovative original programs are continuing to lift the network’s ratings and in addition to being #1 in Total Day with key adult demos, the network was also #1 in Prime with adults 18-24, and 18-34. This summer, Adult Swim consistently beat competitive networks by double and triple digits.

In season two of Mike Tyson Mysteries, the Mike Tyson Mystery Team is back for another season of mystery solving. Mike Tyson, once the “baddest man on the planet,” remains hell-bent on becoming the “goodest man on the planet”…one mystery at a time! But he can’t do it alone. Well, he could, but then we wouldn’t have the best mystery-solving team in the business. First there’s Yung Hee, Mike’s adopted Korean daughter and all-around buzzkill; Pigeon, a filthy disgusting man trapped in the body of a filthy disgusting bird; and Marquess, the ghost whose sole mission is to keep Mike on the path to redemption. His other sole mission: finding a Pinot Grigio that’s bold, but has a crisp finish!

The season two mysteries are even more hilariously banal than season one, as the team tackles tough cases like these: “What really goes on inside a house when it’s being tented for termites?” “Who gave the team a bad review online?” And “Can Mike find a sleeveless/shorts version of tracksuit for the summer?”

Mike Tyson Mysteries stars Mike Tyson, Norm Macdonald (Saturday Night Live), Rachel Ramras (MAD) and Oscar® winner Jim Rash (The Way Way Back, Community), and is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!, The Looney Tunes Show) serves as executive producer with Hugh Davidson (MAD, The Looney Tunes Show) as producer.

The panels this year have been so good, and Saturday made sure the hits kept comin’. Cartoon Network showed off some upcoming Halloween themed episodes of Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Uncle Grandpa, plus, they premiered the second episode of the upcoming 10 part miniseries, Over The Garden Wall. Adult Swim followed that with a block of panels for Black Dynamite, The Heart, She Holler, and, the big, big one: Mike Tyson Mysteries. It was one hell of a day.

Cartoon Network’s Halloween screening and costume contest kicked off with the contest after a little delay because of some technical difficulties (an Uncle Grandpa cosplayer wound up winning the whole thing, beating out Ice King and Lemongrab). Once we began the shows, we saw Adventure Time‘s Halloween episode, in which Jake kills a fly that tries to eat some soup he made for himself to calm himself down. The fly then haunts Finn and Jake’s house in an attempt to finish the unfinished business he had.

Regular Show continues its tradition of Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror”-esque episodes with separate scary stories starring the cast. Everyone decides one Halloween that the scary stories are played out, and that they should do something else and land on making Muscle Man actually let everyone meet his mom for once. He concedes under the condition that they tell scary stories on the way. Pops tells a story of a hole with teeth in the park that every year, the group sacrifices someone to, because every year since a dense fog appeared, it has kept them alive. Benson tells a story that begins in the middle of Mordecai and Rigby’s funeral service, and continues when the duo haunt the house and the only way to stop it is to fire them once and for all. The episode ends sort of abruptly, so I think what we got to see was maybe not the entire episode– the Regular Show Halloween specials tend to be a half hour, and this was not.

Uncle Grandpa had an episode where some teens tell Uncle Grandpa that despite him being super weird, that he can’t scare them– they’ve seen all there is to see. So, he tries his best, and it’s a disaster that includes a giant brain that feeds on fear.

The Over The Garden Wall premiere was what really made me want to attend this panel. The 10-episode miniseries premieres on Cartoon Network November 3rd at 7PM and will run over five consecutive nights, and stars Elijah Wood. And, oh my god, is it gorgeous. I was stunned right away by how beautiful the show was. The backgrounds, the animation, character models, everything is visually amazing. The kicker there is: it isn’t just visually amazing, it’s just plain amazing. We saw an episode where the two main characters, Wirt and Greg, on their quest back home, stumbling upon a mysterious town in a search for civilization. The town is a dead zone. Nobody is around for miles, but they eventually stumble upon a barn where a group of beings with pumpkin heads and straw bodies are having a cult-like harvest ceremony. The two boys assume they’re all human, but they aren’t, and they refuse to let Wirt and Greg leave the town. This could be your new favorite show. It’s beautiful, it’s amazing musically, the story is great, the acting is brilliant. Over The Garden Wall is going to receive praise, and it deserves every ounce it gets and then some. This is a show you should absolutely not miss. Also, a comic is on its way from KaBOOM! on November 5th to coincide with the show. Watch out for that. We got a preview zine for the comic, and it looks to be as great as the show.

A couple of hours later, Black Dynamite kicked off the Adult Swim panel block. Comedian Hugh Moore moderated a panel of Carl Jones, Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Kym Whitley, Byron Minns, and producer Scott Fuseler. We were treated to an episode from the upcoming second season. In it, on the first-ever first day of Black History Month, everyone in town gathers in Roscoe’s to celebrate and watch the premiere of the old miniseries Roots and they’re all shocked to find out about black slavery somehow for the first time. In response, led by Al Sharpton, they decide to start enslaving white people and selling them like they did to black men and women during the days of slavery. Black Dynamite spends a lot of time figuring out whether or not it’s a good idea or a bad one.

Carl Jones talked about what the show has coming in the second season, including some guest stars that include Samuel L. Jackson, and Melvin Van Peebles. Scott and Carl talked about the writers’ room process, and included that someone had pitched simply “black Jaws” and it wound up in the second season. Michael Jai White said that the cast is currently in development for a new live-action film. He said that Black Dynamite, the film, was part one of what is supposed to be a three part series of blaxploitation films, and that the next will be more in the horror genre. So look for that.

The show returns October 18th at 10:30 PM.

The Heart, She Holler also gave us the gift of a full episode before the panel. In it, Hambrosia and Meemaw have a ton of bizarre interaction about realities, and Hambrosia has a child via surrogate mother Hurshe, but Hurshe decides to keep what ends up being a bizarre giant maggot baby. Meanwhile, Hurlan hunts down some bubbles of crack he made that got away so he can have some confidence. It gets weird, but that isn’t new for this show.

The amazing Jon Glaser moderated the panel, and ushered in the cast by playing the America’s Funniest Home Videos theme song through his phone into the podium microphone. PFFR’s John Lee and Alyson Levy, Amy Sedaris, Scott Adsit, and Judith Roberts were on the panel to discuss season two. Adsit has taken over the role of Sheriff this season from Joseph Sikora, making him the second original cast member to leave. It was a hilarious panel thanks in big part to Jon Glaser, who joked and poked fun at fans, and had the entire panel audience compete with cheers from other panels next door with bigger cheers of their own– one of the cheers was literally “bigger cheer!” (he also had everyone yell “rock hard sweat” at one point because of something that was said during the panel, and told everyone to “shhh” the next panel that cheered loud enough to hear). It was a lot of fun, though a bit sparse with  news, but the show will return December 1st through the 10th, with an episode each night at 12:30 AM.

Finally, Mike Tyson Mysteries took the room, and hoo boy, this panel was a madhouse. When Mike Tyson made it to the panel room, he made it with a massive entourage of security guards and more. When Q&A opened up, people literally sprinted to the microphones, doing a bit of shoving on the way. I’ve never seen anything like it at NYCC before. He was on the panel with Hugh Davidson, and Rachel Ramras, and he understandably stole the show. We saw a new trailer with new content, all of which just as amazing as the stuff in the first trailer Adult Swim released in August. Larry Whitmore of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart moderated the panel, and mentioned that it was an incredible experience for him (though he did have to tell the Q&A lines after three questions about photos with Mike that they couldn’t ask for that or an autograph).

Tyson did most of the talking during the panel, and he was hilarious and at sometimes a little serious. When asked if he liked Scooby-Doo as a younger person, he responded simply that he was “aware of Scooby,” and if you’ve seen the first trailer and remember the clip in which he talks about beating up a Chupacabra, please know: he can’t actually pronounce the word, just like in the clip. That’s all real. When asked to compare boxing to voice acting, he said he approaches it similarly, because with both, he has a fear of failing, and doesn’t want that to happen. A man that came from Palestine just for the opportunity to speak to Mike asked him what message he wanted to convey through entertainment, and it was simple: don’t give up, and find your purpose.

Hugh stated that Tyson is a great person to work with and direct, because in acting, he’s without ego and will pretty much do what he has to. How the show came about is apparently a mystery to everyone, as it was being worked on before it even existed, really. Mike did a record and then asked to redo it to add more enthusiasm.

The first season sounds like it’s going to be amazing. One episode finds Mike has become an accidental serial killer of astronauts. In another, Mike, Yung Hee, Pigeon, and the Marquess of Queensbury find a man murdered, and decide to solve it, bypassing the police. Hugh said it’s more than anything the mystery of why they haven’t just called the police. In some others, Mike helps a couple find their dream home (it’s a mystery!), and helps Cormac McCarthy finish a novel. The pilot episode will be the episode that has Mike fighting a Chupacabra.

Mike Tyson Mysteries will premiere October 27th at 10:30 PM and it will no doubt rule.

Saturday was a big day. The biggest, probably, and now that it’s over, we have one more day to go and our time at the Javits Center will be done with for 2014. It went quick! Cartoon Network will be holding a panel on Sunday about pretty much all of their shows, and then the entire convention will be over with by 5:00 PM. It’s sad, but it’ll be back in a year.

For now, if you’re there, savor that last day. Get those things from the floor and artist alley you said you’d come back to. Scavenge free stuff. See a panel. Take some photos of some cool cosplayers. Take it all in as best you possibly can. If you’re not, keep watching here for news and a wrap-up (and get yourself to the con next October, you’ll love it).

CURRENTLY AIRING

http://youtu.be/PhV7Zusnd0s

Black Jesus (11pm, Thursdays) – Boondocks creator Aaron MacGruder’s live-action comedy about the Messiah walking the Earth in Present Day Compton… Also, he’s African-American (in case you didn’t figure that out from the title). Out of the gate, the show had Christian groups in an uproar, until they actually watched the premiere and half of them realized it was actually funny. The series stars GTA V’s Gerald “Slink” Johnson as the titular character and co-stars Charlie Murphy and John Witherspoon, among others.

PREMIERING THIS WEEK

Tim and Eric’s Bedtime Stories (Premieres Tonight @ midnight) – The series is described as a take-off on the Twilight Zone, except with the Tim and Eric style you’ve come to loathe and despise (unless you’re NOT a T&E hater). If you had the chance to see the pilot last year with guest Zach Galifianakis, expect more of the same zany Tim and Eric fun.

Mr. Pickles (Premieres Sunday night @ 11:30pm) – The story is about a family with a Lassie-esque dog (who also turns out to be demonic). The pilot aired last year as part of Swim’s (sometimes) yearly pilot battle, sponsored by a random fast food company, placed second (next to Stoopid Buddy Stoodios’ Ubermansion, starring Bryan Cranston). As far as pilots go, it was pretty lackluster and I felt depended too much on shock value, reminiscent of Metalocalypse or Superjail. I’m hopeful that the series works out those kinks, however.

Squidbillies (New season premieres Sunday night @ 11:45pm) – The well-awaited return of “America’s Third Favorite Animated Family.”  Now in its eighth season on Swim, what more can you expect out of walking, talking, ass-kicking, anthropomorphic Squids? We’ll find out soon enough.

COMING SOON

Black Dynamite (New Season Premieres Saturday, October 18th @ 10:30 pm) – That isn’t a typo by the way, Season Two of the kung-fu badass will premiere on a Saturday night, prior to Toonami.

Mike Tyson Mysteries (Premieres Monday, October 27th at 10:30 pm) –  Speaking of badasses, the “Baddest Man on the Planet” gets his own animated series. “Iron” Mike is being placed in what looks to be a cross between the Mr. T cartoon from the 1980’s as well as Hanna-Barbera’s string of mystery shows (starting with Scooby Doo, of course). Tyson will be joined by a talking pigeon, as well as an adopted Korean daughter, and the ghost of the “Marquess of Queensbury.” Tyson voices himself and is joined by comedian Norm MacDonald, Community’s Jim Rash, among others. In the two years this has been featured at Swim’s Upfronts, I’ve named this as what I believe will be “Sleeper Hit of the Year.” Rick and Morty was another… let’s see if I can go for two.

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

Speaking of Tim and Eric, their full-blown tour with Dr. Steve Brule (John C. Reilly) is on now. Check TimandEric.com to see when they’ll be headed to your town.

AsSeenonAdultSwim.com was at it again recently. This time instead of toilet seat covers or shower curtains, they utilized the old “Jesus Candle” idea by creating their own Black Jesus version. Of course, it’s sold out on the site now, but you’ll more than likely be able to find one or two on eBay.

Season One of the fan-favorite Rick and Morty, will be available on DVD and BluRay on October 7^th. Check out Amazon for more info. Season Two is due out sometime next year.

The previously announced “Art of Venture Bros.” book appears to be delayed. During the Venture Bros., panel at Dragon Con 2014, moderator and “Chris Hardwick” of the convention, Ken Plume of Fred Entertainment mentioned that the book will be out in 2015, rather than the aforementioned October 2014 release date. So, no awesome Venture book for my birthday. Hopefully the book is released around the same time as the super-jam-packed VB special (also due out in the near future… possibly 2015).

There have been a number of CN/Swim Executive changes while we were away, and here is another: Harvey Birdman co-creator Michael Oweleen was just named CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and Boomerang. Hopefully this means more than just candles and toilet seat covers are in the future for Swim merch. Congrats!

Lastly, this is pretty much rumor mill at this point (until Swim officially announces it): It’s been close to a year since we last heard anything regarding Metalocalypse. The Doomstar Requiem special aired last October to mixed reactions and nothing (outside of a question answered by co-creator Tommy Blacha at Comikaze last November) has really been said. Recently, a Twitter account called @youarethegears surfaced, pushing fans to get behind a fifth and final season to wrap things up. Yesterday, they posted this image (which appears to be from a Wikipedia page):

⚙ why we’re doing this: “currently waiting on adult swim”… pic.twitter.com/3vbbAIe5j5

— ⚙ (@youarethegears) September 17, 2014

Again, take that with a grain of salt until you see Turner PR shoot a press release somewhere.

That’s all the news that’s fit to print at the moment, but of course we’ll have more news and info sooner than later.

Do you have anything Swim related we haven’t covered? Chat it up in the comments.