All Hail the Tiger King

Netflix's newest docuseries is an insanely lurid and truly bizarre saga of cinematic proportions with a cast of eccentric characters that has to be seen to be believed

The appeal of true crime stories is innately macabre. While the average person may be hesitant to break the law, there's something captivating about watching tales of drugs, murder and sex play out involving individuals who don't share the same compunctions. It's fascinating and when these events become sensationalized through mass media, that's when they can cross the line from morbid curiosity into sleazy entertainment. The ballad of Joe Exotic and his fellow big cat enthusiasts is undoubtedly both, as audiences may find themselves easily entranced by its outright absurdity. It's almost hard to believe it's true, if not for the fact there are tons of articles and news clips proving its validity.

The episodes mostly center on the aforementioned Joe Exotic (real name Joe Maldonado-Passage, born Joseph Schreibvogel), the flamboyant, polygamous, gun-totting former owner of Oklahoma's controversial Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. His highly contentious legal and personal battles with Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin (a woman with her own troubled past) are chronicled, as he struggles to keep his business afloat. The documentary also takes a peak at some of the cult-like culture surrounding the exotic animal trade with other colorful personalities like Bhagavan "Doc" Antle, Tim Stark and former drug kingpin Mario Tabraue. Through the course of several marriages, mistresses, boyfriends, girlfriends, interviews, stock footage and hilariously staged music videos by Exotic himself, the seven-part misadventure recounts how a war for animal rights devolved into a murder-for-hire scheme.

"Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness" may be the most accurately titled project in Netflix's entire catalog. Its episodes essentially amount to a 5-hour demolition derby that demands your gaze with all its spectacular wreckage. Just when it seems like things are getting too crazy, another curveball comes along that will leave you shaking your head in disbelief. There are many questions the series leaves up in the air and a few moments where the details don't seem to add up, but for the most part, it delivers an enthralling piece of true crime drama. Directed by Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin, this story of dangerous animals, insatiable egos and perpetual corruption feels exploitative in more ways than one, but its twisted web is wildly entertaining, even when it feels like it shouldn't be. B+