Amid the current global pandemic “Tiger King” has taken over the entertainment world. Main character Joe Exotic has people spinning with his intense personality and feud with long-term enemy Carole Baskin, the ongoing feud fueling a lot of excitement.

One of Netflix’s most recent docuseries, “Tiger King” was never had a dull moment, captivating the audience into a
thrilling, binge-worthy seven episodes.
The primary conflict throughout the entire series is the fight between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin over the posession of wild cats and tigers. Joe Exotic owned an exotic animal zoo with over 100 tigers and other animals, and
Carole Baskin is an animal rights activist who dedicated her life to stopping Joe Exotic and freeing the animals.

What made the docu-series so captivating was the differing motives from each character; there was no clear antagonist or protagonist, Joe seeming to have good intentions at some points and Baskin having greedy motives for Joe’s demise. The feud also portrayed the dangers of the politics behind animals and keeping them in captivity, completely shifting the focus from the animals’ safety to money and power.
Joe Exotic is an interesting person, to say the least. After putting his life into his zoo, Joe portrayed dedication to his personal mission of caring for wild cats. However, his priorities shifted as the zoo became more profitable and the multiple factors that went into the lucrative wild animal industry took hold. The show documents his multiple relationships, one of them in which he marries two men at the same time. He also runs for governor in Oklahoma, this kind of excitement and unpredictability making Exotic very appealing to viewers.

Beyond just his character, the show portrays different zoos and different activities in these zoos, some bordering
illegal cult activity. It also shows the difficulties of owning an exotic zoo. The most expensive thing about owning
the exotic animal zoo is the amount of food needed to feed those large animals. The show dives deep into the challenges of owning a zoo like that and how much time and effort is needed, like using the thrown away Walmart meat for the animals.
The main question that comes out of the show is if it is ethical to hold these exotic animals in captivity in any
scenario. Both people had good intentions to a certain extent, but for different reasons, and it is ultimately up to
the audience to judge on their own. Fans have loved the excitement and drama that comes with holding these animals, which has been a controversy in the animal rights world for a long time. Tigers and other exotic animals are things that we don’t get to see much and learn about, and it’s fascinating to see these animals
on TV.

After the airing of the first seven episodes, an eighth episode was released of the rest of the cast interviewed by Joel McHale, talking about their feelings towards Joe Exotic and his actions. The seven-episode series is definitely an entertaining watch, and you can watch it with your family or by yourself. Tiger King is a wonderful show for binging excitement during these times where there’s not much else available to do.

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