Joe vs. Carole

Overall the series mostly just recapped the reality TV show/was visual pablum ... and didn't really add much to the overall Joe Exotic drama ... but I have to say it! John Cameron Mitchell really stands out in the title role! I couldn't see Kate McKinnon as Carole. I just saw Kate playing Carole. But JCM literally BECAME Joe. We had to keep reminding ourselves that he wasn't Joe ... so kudos to him for the role! He smoked it!

I thought it was Hilarious 😂 The 2 main characters are so well cast and the supporting actors aren't too shabby either.

It is what it is, a bingable popcorn take on the documentary and it's highly entertaining.

I know that it's adapted from the original podcast, and not from Netflix's all conquering "Tiger King" documentary, but it's still unfortunate that the documentary exists rendering this series, despite its good performances, largely unnecessary.

Carole Baskin (Kate McKinnon) owner and operator of Big Cat Rescue is campaigning against the ownership of Big cats by private owners. She targets the operations of Joe Exotic (John Cameron Mitchell) a hot tempered and charismatic zoo operator. As the feud extends to personal insults, accusations and lawsuits, Joe eventually decides on a desperate plan to rid himself of Carole once and for all.

As a person that has seen the documentary, what I can immediately say is that everyone is doing a decent impression of the real-world nutcase that they are playing. Both Carole and Joe are both such big characters impressions of them are, I'd imagine, relatively easy for skilled performers like McKinnon and Cameron Mitchell. My favourite performance then was Kyle MacLachlan, who plays Carole's husband, Howard and who receives a more prominent role than Howard has in the documentary.

The trouble is the obvious one though, I know this story as I watched it not that long ago. So, I knew when the horrible moments were coming, and conversely, what wasn't going to happen, as the show ran on. There was no genuine drama, because I know where everyone is right now. Though I do think that the "Tiger King" series has flaws, mostly to do with keeping a decent handle on the timeline, it's much more thorough than this, and, if anything the real Joe is even more extreme than his portrayal here. The CGI work on the animals, whilst an understandable choice, isn't very good.

I watched it all, it was entertaining enough - but there is a better version of this story readily available.

I'm a massive fan of the original Tiger King Series. I was worried this series would be corny but I was surprised how quickly became immersed in this new Tiger King world. Its quirky but nuanced. The acting was really great. Especially the Joe Exotic character. It has a uniquely American aesthetic. The editing is on point. I really enjoyed it.

What first appears to be a cheap TV series based on actual events depicting a feud between a big cat lover and a backyard animal entertainer abuser, ends up being a fascinating insane journey into the lives of the two protagonists. Yes! I see both Joe and Carole as duel protagonists since they do believe deep in their hearts that what they are doing is righteous!

What gives these character an extra bounce is the insane and outrageous performances by Mitchell and McKinnon. I at first was not convinced, but as you journey deeper into this series, their characters develop to the point where you begin to understand all their quirky motives and actions.

What did throw me askew was the Australianess feel and look about it, with a supporting Aussie cast attempting American accents. The locations almost had that Florida feel (it was shot in the state of Queensland that is somewhat akin to the state of Florida). Once I got over that hurdle, I was able to ride on the backs of Joe and Carole with a zest of cringing enjoyment.