Joe Exotic, star of the hit Netflix docuseries
Tiger King, is pictured above. Photo courtesy of Netflix
The first words of the world-famous Netflix docuseries
Tiger King
are “Where do you want to start?” And that is honestly how I feel writing this article, as there is just so much going on in
Tiger King
. At its base, it is a true crime story about a murder for hire within the world of big cat owners. That alone is enticing enough, but
Tiger King
is so much more than that. As each episode progresses, the show introduces a new larger than life character or an unbelievable plot twist. It is honestly hard to believe that events from the show actually happened and
Tiger King
is not some Coen Brothers-esque scenario brought to life. You even hear the shock of the interviewers as certain twists are uncovered, proving that at least most of the show was real and not staged. Although the filmmakers were not intending on spending five years of their lives on this topic, their work has made
Tiger King
incredibly entertaining to watch.
Not only is
Tiger King
entertaining, but I found it to be pretty well made and genuinely interesting. The way the show is structured adds significantly to the whole experience. Each episode deals with its own topics and themes. This framework makes each episode stand up on its own two feet while maintaining a connection to the overall story. An excellent example of this is
Episode 2: Cult of Personality
, which may be my personal favorite. On the surface, the episode may seem like a broad introduction to many of the supporting characters and the big cat world as a whole, but it also works as an intriguing study of the cult-like nature of each of the three major organizations in the series. Although Joe Exotic (self-proclaimed “Tiger King”), Carole Baskin (self-proclaimed “animal rights activist”), and Doc Antle (audience-proclaimed weirdo) all run different types of big cat sanctuaries, this episode highlights how similar and cult-like each of the organizations are. Joe Exotic employs ex-prisoners that end up living at the sanctuary. These workers stay committed to the organization, even after being mauled and losing limbs. Carole Baskin takes the unpaid intern route of cult-like leadership and gains a vast following via social media. In my opinion, Doc Antle’s sanctuary is the worst of all because he employs young women that he grooms and eventually takes as multiple wives. Each of the three tiger sanctuary owners are all portrayed as cult leaders, and I thought that angle was a fascinating one to focus on. I do wish that the producers focused more on Doc Antle’s operation because of how egregious and gross it was. To me, this episode successfully presented a fascinating comparison of the different types of big cat refuges and worked as both a standalone episode and a meaningful contribution to the whole
Tiger King
storyline.
Beyond that, the excellent pacing of this series cannot be understated. Each episode offers something new and shocking, whether its a murder coverup, a self imposed arson, tiger mauling, an accidental suicide caught on camera, a deadly discussion at Applebee’s, or a run for elected office. And somehow, this amalgamation of increasingly ridiculous scenarios meshes together with the cast of wack job characters to create something both cohesive and wildly entertaining. But at the heart of the story is the relationship between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, who have one of the most truly bonkers rivalries I have ever seen. The escalation of their attempts to end each other is both hilarious and wild to watch. While the last episode is probably the least zany of them all (in my opinion), I think that the critical and poignant note it ended on was much needed. The end of this documentary was surprisingly thought provoking and sad, and that may have been the biggest twist of all. It certainly defied my expectations, as I was ready for my main critique of the show to be that it lacked an overarching message. I think documentaries that explore the oddballs of society run the risk of feeling and being exploitative. While
Tiger King
got very close to the line at points, it never quite crossed it. In my opinion, it seemed that the directors actually cared about learning about their characters and what makes them tick instead of just presenting them as animals in cages for the viewers to gawk at and make fun of. Because of this approach, there have been fandoms generated around many of the characters. It has been a fascinating social phenomenon to watch the way people have formed a following around Joe Exotic, an abusive, neglectful, and egotistical psychopath.
The social media fervor that followed the release of
Tiger King
is almost as interesting as the documentary itself. Joe Exotic and pals have recently ruled the social media world and have probably received even more internet fame due to the social distancing and stay-at-home orders many viewers are currently under. They were even mentioned at one of President Trump’s briefings. Watching the internet reaction has been fascinating, as it has led to almost a faction war on various social platforms, like disputes between Carole fan clubs and Joe fan clubs. Some people (like myself) argue on social media that we should not create fandoms for these characters because of their problematic behaviors and attitudes on the show. People have generated character tier lists, dug into Joe’s backlog of music videos, and I myself have pledged to recreate a certain scene at Halloween time next year.
Tiger King
has caught fire like no other show that I have ever seen before, and man does it deserve to.
For me, the true appeal of this documentary comes in the minutia. Whether it’s Joe Exotic’s country music videos, Carole Baskin’s wedding photos, or a darkly hilarious funeral that I will not spoil, I took so much joy in being able to notice little character moments or story beats that are so minor, yet so hilarious. Whether the plotline is fiction or nonfiction, it is imperative to capture the minute characteristics of characters because these details make these characters meaningful and feel like real people. The directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin clearly put a lot of care into making all of their characters interesting, and I think that meticulous work is what truly makes
Tiger King
a success.
To be honest, I have barely scratched the surface of what makes this docuseries so great, but as Rick Kirkham says early in the series “You would have to write books, volumes, of the stuff that went wrong there.” There is a lot to unpack, and I hate to use this phrase, but it truly is something you have to experience yourself. I think that every single person will find something to enjoy out of this documentary, and if nothing else, at least you can escape the fear of missing out on the hilarious discourse that has ensued online prior to release.
Tiger King
offers a fascinating and entertaining look at the controversies and wild happenings of the big cat community and its staff while simultaneously telling an increasingly unbelievable story of the conflict between two different animal enthusiasts. The directors truly caught lightning in a bottle.