By Molly Lindstrom ’20, Arts and Entertainment Writer

Tiger King, the new hit Netflix documentary series, has recently been ranked by Rotten Tomatoes as TV’s most popular show. The series has it all: crime, romance, drama, music videos, and (of course) bizarre characters. In just seven episodes, we learn all about the personal lives of big cat owners along with their struggles and relationships within the industry. 

Tiger King features three big cat owners in particular. Bhagavan “Doc” Antle is a polygamist who has been said to use the appeal of his animals to coerce women into working 100-hour weeks at his zoo. Carole Baskin is an animal-rights activist who may or may not have killed her first husband. And finally, there is protagonist Joe Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe “Exotic.” Viewers follow the almost unrealistic life of the so-called “Tiger King” as a zookeeper, husband, businessman, online TV star, country singer, and even a politician.  

We watch an intense rivalry unravel between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, shifting the focus of the show from wild animals to wild feuds. This bad blood between them first emerged as animal lovers “standing up for what they believed was right,” says Kelci “Saff” Saffery, a former employee of Maldonado-Passage’s. “But it started to not be about the animals. I don’t think that it was only about egos, but I do think they started to focus more on Carole and Joe and less on the bigger picture.” The dramatic feud included threatening videos, a copyright lawsuit, and eventually a 22-year imprisonment. 

The series is equally disturbing as it is entertaining, yet it has consumed today’s pop culture. So why are we unable to look away? The answer to this is quite simple: in a time of social isolation, most of us don’t have anything better to do than watch. We watch Tiger King not necessarily because we want to, but because it is an amusing way to pass the time. However, there is more to the story than the sheer entertainment brought by the eccentric characters. 

The documentary series captures not only big cat owners’ eventful lives, but also the lives of the big cats themselves. While these characters treat each other horribly, they treat their animals much worse. Many devastating scenes depict the exploitation of tiger cubs, ranging from cub petting to wildlife selfies. The animals are the true victims of this story; they are used and abused by zookeepers for the sole purpose of profit. The ultimate takeaway of Tiger King is to treat others with respect and kindness, both humans and animals. At the end of the last episode, Netflix explains that there are currently about 4,000 tigers left in the wild, while about 5,000-10,000 are held in captivity in America. As we continue to share our reactions to this abnormal series, we must not lose sight of its true message: wild animals do not belong in captivity, and certainly deserve better.