Eric Goode has been praised recently for single-handedly entertaining the nation during pandemic-induced isolation with his documentary series ‘Tiger King: Muder, Mayhem and Madness’ – and for good reason. The seven-part series (and follow-up discussion), available on Netflix, is a rollercoaster.

Filmed over the course of several years, the series documents the breeding and exhibiting of big cats, commonly tigers, in the USA. Although we meet several zoo owners and spokespeople, the main focus is on Joe Exotic, an eccentric and troubled big cat obsessive with aspirations of fame and, bizarrely, presidency. Besides Joe, there are rival zoo owners, animal rights protesters, zoo staff and ex-lovers who all share their perspectives on the unfolding life-changing events that happen within this (very odd) community. The documentary does a fantastic job at implicitly suggesting flaws and blame, while allowing the cast to talk themselves into trouble. This creates a fascinating dynamic wherein the show is convoluted and messy (in a good way) without the need to force plot twists and fights. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: it feels at times that the organic drama is too much for the show, with each episode teasing a new dynamic by the end. Yet, Goode and his team handle the amount of characters and information with a firm hand, continuing a strong narrative with well-explained tangents throughout.

Of course, it’s not all perfect and I have a couple of gripes. For one, I think the treatment of the tigers should have been discussed more. As the documentary mentioned, more than half of the world’s tigers are in captivity in America. Characters like Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin have become household names from the series, but unfortunately it seems like the animals have been forgotten.

The second disappointment is their finale round-up. The final episode was released mid-April following the tremendous viral response to the series. Unfortunately, it was a big let down. Joel McHale hosts a digital recap with some of the most loved and hated people from ‘Tiger King’, but fails to ask any difficult or interesting questions. The interviews are unexciting, uninformative and don’t offer any new insight. Honestly, give this final episode a miss and end on a high.

Besides a very disappointing follow-up episode – which, in all fairness, may have been hindered by filming restrictions – ‘Tiger King’ is a great success. It’s dynamic, shocking, and just the right amount of confusing. It’s destined to become a concrete reference in pop culture, and hopefully it sparks some awareness that helps captive big cats, too.

Stars: John Reinke, Kelci Saffery, John Finlay
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