Taking on Tyson is only a six-part series, but, in that limited time, this heartwarming, gorgeously filmed show reveals a terrifying man who has not just grown up, but grown into someone you now might want to know.

It's a feel-good story, and what makes it more satisfying is that in contrast to so many reality shows, the people here feel genuine, with no sense they're performing for the camera. This one's a contender.

The process of self-discovery is right upfront in Taking on Tyson, and it's fascinating.

If the concept of Taking on Tyson seems odd, the execution is more predictable, framing Mr. Tyson's pigeon racing, his first competitive endeavor in several years, as a kind of therapy. Still, the show benefits from some surprisingly strong visuals of the birds in flight--at least for viewers who do not see pigeons as rodents with wings.

Serenity arrives in surprising ways. Whether Mike makes it in this arena or not, Taking on Tyson suggests he's already won his toughest battle.

There's not a current star among them, but this wacky lineup could provide the biggest and brightest series of Celeb Appren train wrecks ever. Alas, as usual, the episodes of the show, are flabbier than Meat Loaf ever was, two long hours long.

Tyson is joined by a colorful group of guys who easily could have been extras on "The Sopranos," but his quest to become a champion in this new arena simply doesn't hold enough interest to stay airborne.