Quarantine Binge: Why "Tiger King" Succeeds as Viral Entertainment, But Fails as Documentary

Editor’s Note: With no new theatrical releases for the foreseeable future, we will be reviewing a variety of old and new films that are available to stream on popular services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. For a full ranking of films in this series and to find our other reviews, please follow this link.

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Plot synopsis courtesy of IMDb.com: “A rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot.”

Despite its instant popularity, I resisted the multitude of recommendations from friends and family members to watch Tiger King. It seems as if every few months, Netflix releases another true-crime docuseries, filled with wild accusations, rampant speculation, and often a lack of definitive evidence. That is not to say that they are not wholly entertaining pieces of long-form story-telling — as most of them are. 

My reticence to return to this medium likely stems from these stories being billed as journalistic, expositive and justice-seeking ventures when it seems they lean more towards viral sensationalism and destructive group-think. If this sounds like an unnecessarily high-brow approach, you are absolutely right, which is why I decided to give Tiger King an honest and open chance — and I was not disappointed.

If you have seen or read anything about Tiger King, you have probably witnessed a taste of the eccentricities of Joe Exotic, but I don’t think anything could have prepared me for the insanity captured in this docu-series. The series depicts a secret underworld of exotic animal zoos across the United States, many of which specialize in offering patrons the chance to pet or hold tiger or lion cubs. The community of big cat zoos is a strange fraternity of zealots who seem to cater to those seeking an increased dose of adrenaline, sex appeal, and masculinity.

The appeal of Tiger King comes in part from individuals such as Mr. Exotic, who seem to exist in an entirely different universe than the rest of society. On the other hand, I was drawn in by just how closely connected the exotic zoo industry is to the rest of popular culture. One of Mr. Exotic’s customers was former professional basketball player Shaquille O’Neal. An exotic zoo in Florida was run by Mario Tabraue, a former drug kingpin who was allegedly the model for Tony Montana, a fictional cocaine dealer played by Al Pacino in the 1983 film, Scarface.

The murder-for-hire plot in Tiger King is compelling but, in my opinion, the series is more about the personalities and beliefs of the people involved. When one of Mr. Exotic’s business partners posits that everybody associates tigers with sex, I realized that I probably have nothing in common with any of these people — and to be honest, that thought was pretty reassuring. While I can’t speak for everyone, I would guess that a lot of viewers have had a similar reaction to this series. Tiger King is almost a voyeuristic glimpse into a criminal underworld that makes the average American feel a confirmation of their own morality. It’s hard not to be amused by the “completely insane, gay, gun-toting, drug addict, fanatic,” as an associate described Mr. Exotic — and therein lies the problem.

Tiger King plays up the story of Mr. Exotic for entertainment value, while frequently glossing over the real issues of a community defined by animal abuse, misogyny, slave labor and, allegedly, murder. The primary conflict in the series revolves around a feud between Mr. Exotic and animal rights activist, Carole Baskin. Ms. Baskin emerges as Mr. Exotic’s sole source of ire after her efforts to close down his exotic zoo. In a series of web videos, Mr. Exotic accuses Ms. Baskin of being involved in the disappearance of her husband in 1997, prompting a lawsuit from Ms. Baskin. Mr. Exotic also repeatedly threatens Ms. Baskin with sexual assault and murder, sometimes simulating acts on a doll dressed in her likeness.

Bhagavan Antle, a zoo owner in South Carolina, has a cultish operation, run by various young women who allegedly are paid very little and exchange sexual intimacy with Mr. Antle for advanced positions at the zoo. Jeff Lowe, a business partner of Mr. Exotic’s, was known for bringing tiger cubs to Las Vegas hotel rooms, derogatorily equating the exotic animals to the women he seduced by using them. It appears that countless young men and women (many seemingly in vulnerable social or financial situations) are lured into working under dangerous conditions at exotic zoos by charismatic leaders who promise companionship, purpose, and community.

Not only does the docu-series fail to significantly address the systemic issues inherent in the business, but it also presents the primary characters’ previous trauma as little more than trivia. I felt a surprising twinge of empathy for Mr. Exotic when he described his father rejecting him after he came out as homosexual. This was short-lived though, as the show quickly pivoted back to the insanity that fills most of its runtime. It’s hard to say that anyone in Tiger King is truly worthy of empathy but it feels disingenuous nonetheless.

The vast majority of Tiger King is narrated by Mr. Exotic, Ms. Baskin and their associates, which is why the series is a great source of entertainment but not information. In journalism, the term “false balance” refers to the perception that two sides of a debate are equally credible due to an equal amount of media coverage given to each. This is often seen in the scientific community when conspiracy theorists such as “flat-earthers” or climate change deniers are given similar coverage to the scientific consensus. This phenomenon is a result of attempted fairness but can skew the public perception away from the truth.

With such a platform given to those intimately involved in the murder-for-hire plot that put Mr. Exotic behind bars, I had to take the series with more than a grain of salt. It is hard to say how much truth exists in what we see in Tiger King, but it is clear to me that the series should be taken as a starting point rather than the definitive source of what transpired.

As unique of a spectacle as Tiger King is, the series is put together in a way that makes the story itself difficult to follow. The structure of each episode is somewhat nebulous and the series itself doesn’t have an accessible timeline. Still, Tiger King was engrossing and hard to look away from, if not always in the best way.

Reel Rating: 7/10

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Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is now available to stream on Netflix and is rated TV-MA.

Directed by: Rebecca Chaiklin (Lockdown, USA) and Eric Goode (Racing Extinction)

Featuring: Carole Baskin, Joe Exotic and Bhagavan Antle

A music video performed by Mr. Exotic