With a trailer featuring big cats, a possible murder plot and a super cheesy, yet surprisingly catchy, Country & Western song, Netflix’s latest docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness seemed like a bit of a joke but it actually hooked us in and kept us gripped until the very end. If you think the world is a little crazy right now, this limited series takes that to a whole other level.
With only seven episodes coming in at just over a 5 hour total runtime, Tiger King is perfectly bingeable and a thoroughly entertaining, crazy way to pass the time, especially if you are self isolating in the uncertain times.
Put simply, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness tells of a rivalry between two big cat eccentrics that takes a surprisingly dark turn when one of them, the self proclaimed ‘Tiger King’, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot.
Even at its simplest, it is such an intriguing and unbelievable story but when you throw in a missing millionaire, a three-way gay marriage involving two straight men and a presidential campaign, mayhem and madness is what you get.
Whilst there are a fair few people that pop up throughout the series, each adding their own twists to an already twisted story, there are three central players with which the story revolves around…
Joe Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic aka The Tiger King, owns the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma and claims to be the most prolific big cat breeder in the United States. A classic narcissist, the only thing bigger than his personality is his ego.
Carole Baskin is an animal rights activist, the founder and operator of Big Cat Rescue and a thorn in Joe’s side. With flowers in her hair, she plays the self righteous card excellently however some shady question marks in her past put her in a rather different light.
When Joe’s war with Carole leaves him beaten, bruised and almost broke in swoops Jeff Lowe, a fellow zoo owner and the third star in this crazy story. However Joe’s guardian angel proves to be the catalyst for his downfall and one of the most controversial characters in the whole show.
Filmed over a number of years, the story is well told and brilliantly edited with enough intrigue and mystery to keep you on your toes, and long after the credits have rolled you will still question the motives and actions of the people involved. And, for me, that’s what makes this docuseries so compelling.
So if you’re looking for something a little different to help pass the time then I would wholeheartedly recommend that you give Tiger King a go. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
If you’ve already seen it, then be se sure to check out these other excellent Netflix documentaries; Tell Me Who I Am and Don’t F**k With Cats.
