Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
TIGER KING - NETFLIX
In these unprecedented times of a global pandemic, many have done their part to quarantine themselves and stop the spread of COVID-19 by keeping themselves entertained with the latest in film and television in the comforts of their home. However, even with the plethora of options out there, nothing has swept up public interest and social media quite like NETFLIX’s latest hit docuseries; Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.
Directed by conservationist Eric Goode and social documentary producer Rebecca Chaiklin Tiger King chronicles the zoo operating career of Joe Exotic and his feuds with figures inside and outside of the world of animal conservation such as Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin, businessman Jeff Lowe, and reality television producer Rick Kirkham. From legal battles in the courtroom to involvement in a plot to murder Baskin, Joe Exotic has been the centre of controversy after controversy and the docuseries attempts to chronicle it all in the span of seven episodes.
From the very first episode the widespread appeal is evident with the docuseries’ wild cast of characters and range of documentary genres covered. It does not matter if one is interested in the expose style of Blackfish, the true-crime style of Making a Murderer, the personal case study a la Grizzly Man, investigations into cults like Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, or just poor music video production, Tiger King has so much content that any viewer can find some aspect to enjoy. However, with the amount of content the docuseries can feel unfocused, especially in the third episode that deals with the conspiracies around the disappearance of Carole Baskin’s second husband. An entire episode does not need to be devoted to what — in the big picture — is just a minor piece of the feud between Exotic and Baskin. There is a definite taste of sensationalism in the docuseries much more so than most other documentaries on NETFLIX, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the less streamlined storytelling of the series turns off some viewers.
The docuseries does its job of being engaging and wild and no amount of hyperbole can do justice to just how strange and turbulent Tiger King gets. Joe Exotic is a tiger trainer, a magician, a gay polygamist, a country music singer, a wannabe reality TV star, a political candidate that ran for both president and governor, and the host of an online webcast. This is just the tip of the iceberg of all the wild deeds Exotic has done during his tenure as the owner of the G.W. Zoo. It is impossible to tell when he is acting and when he is being genuine. The same goes for other players in the war for big cats in America such as Baskin and Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, another problematic exotic animal enthusiast who is accused of operating his tiger trainer program as his own personal harem.
The docuseries makes the discussion about whether or not big cats should be regulated in the United States so much more complicated, especially when everyone who has a stake in it seems to have ulterior motives. Both sides demonstrate just how nasty this “war” for big cats in America has gotten, from Exotic possibly burning down his own studio/alligator enclosure to Baskin’s legal team relentlessly targeting anyone associated with Joe. The docuseries ultimately ends with Exotic being convicted of animal abuse and being involved in a murder plot targeting Baskin.
It is impossible to watch or even discuss Tiger King without having a pounding headache over the overwhelming amount of information thrown at the viewer. This is easily one of NETFLIX’s most ambitious docuseries with the weaving web of lies and conspiracies that complicates Exotic’s story. After spending so much time trying to figure out whom to believe or trust in the series the viewer is left with a pounding final question from the filmmakers: who is going to benefit from this war? Tiger King ends by arguing that the focus of this saga has been more about who will be “King” rather than what will happen to the tigers and big cats that all these parties claim to have in their best interest. The viewer is left wondering why the docuseries barely covered anything about the tiger trades and questionable practices because the actual campaign that is supposed to deal with these issues has gone entirely off the rails.
Fans of the docuseries have declared interviewees such as Erik, John, Saff, and Mario as the “heroes” of the piece because they were the only people who seemed to care more about the animals than the money involved. Hopefully, when the cries to pardon Joe Exotic or the memes asking Baskin about what happened to Don die down, the public interest will focus on what Americans are supposed to do about the shockingly large population of tigers and big cats in their backyards. Tiger King is already being hailed as the most popular and eye-opening docuseries in the history of NETFLIX and the ramifications the series will have on wildlife conservation & zookeeping practices may eclipse those brought on by Blackfish.
TIGER KING is streaming exclusively on NETFLIX
