It seems the entire world has fallen for Tiger King, Netflix's unbelievably bonkers seven-part crime documentary that has been the #1 trending title on the platform for the past nine days. If you've seen the show, you know the appeal!
The main appeal is the sordid characters, who are so wacky and colorful that if you conjured them out of thin air in a piece of fiction, you'd be laughed right out of the room. So when said characters become involved in a complex murder-for-hire plot that's ultimately bungled, the drama is too delicious to deny.
10 Don Lewis (Disliked)
Although now deceased, the way in which married 42-year-old Jack Don Lewis courted 20-year-old Carole Baskin on the side of the road, only to cheat on her later in life, is as loathsome as it comes.
Indeed, the womanizing multi-millionaire businessman Don Lewis left his wife of many years to be with one half his age. When he began cheating on Carole with a girlfriend in Costa Rica, Carole became so upset that she became the prime suspect in his sudden disappearance. Don Lewis' body has never been found to this day.
9 Exotic Joe (Loved)
Cue the controversy. Yes, while Exotic Joe did technically hire a man to whack Carole Baskin on her property in Florida, the plan never went through. Not to absolve Joe of his 22-year prison sentence, but come on, the pure charm, charisma and overall entertainment value of this man is too strong not to love!
Seriously, this gun-toting host of "the world's giant cat park" is an absolute joy to watch on screen. Whether he's crooning country-western songs or playing with tigers in the park, Joe Exotic is pure animal magnetism personified!
8 James Garretson (Disliked)
Right out of central casting as a shady bad guy is James Garretson, the unconscionable snitch who ratted Joe Exotic out to the authorities in Tiger King. Granted, he likely saved Carole's life (although Allen wasn't long for the job), he did so out of his own sense of self-preservation.
To wit, at the very end of the doc, Garretson claims that the entire endeavor may not be over. He hints at perhaps telling authorities more of what he knows, which could potentially relitigate the entire criminal case. Tiger King 2 anyone?
7 The Baskins (Loved)
While we're led to believe that Carole Baskin had something nefarious to do with her hubby Don Lewis' disappearance, her onscreen countenance tells a different story.
Indeed, Baskin comes off as a soft, spiritual, sometimes gold-digging hippy type who wants nothing more to lead the mission of Big Cat Rescue. Could she be conning us all? Perhaps. But then Howard Baskin, Carole's second husband, is also such a nice-natured man of maturity, elegance, and refinement. Overall, people side with Carole and Howard once the verdict on Exotic Joe comes down.
6 Rick Kirkham (Disliked)
Rick Kirkham appears to be another dubious character right out of central casting. And despite what appears to be honest intentions at the beginning, he wide-brimmed reality TV producer ends up operating out of his own self-interest.
Indeed, the venal producer is only out to make a profit on the behind-the-scenes documentary he semi-secretly made in tandem with producing Joe Exotic's web videos. When push comes to shove, Kirkham tells Joe to read the contract, as it stipulates he owns every single piece of footage on the ranch. Strangely, the studio housing the footage was burned to the ground!
5 John Finlay (Loved)
Despite his past, John Finlay radiated one of the most lovably positive vibes out of the whole messed-up scenario.
John Finlay is Joe Exotic's first husband. He's there for Joe whenever he needs a comforting touch and is even cool with Joe bringing Travis into the fold as a throuple. Later we find out that John has been bisexual his whole life, which makes his sense of loyalty to Joe all the more heartening.
4 Doc Antle (Disliked)
Straight out of Lancaster Dodd's playbook is Bhagavan Doc Antle, the cult-like leader of the South Carolina big cat park we learn got raided in 2019. This dude's a real piece of work!
Where to start. Doc Antle has been breeding tigers since the 1980s and often did business with Joe Exotic over the decades. Personally, Doc has a slave-order of young female interns who he only pays $100 week while subjecting them to squalid living environments. He's brash and boisterous on the surface, but he clearly has deep-seated issues!
3 Kelci Saffery (Loved)
Although her decision to put her arm near into a tiger cage was colossally foolish, one of the sanest, normal, and lovable people in Tiger King is Kelci "Saff" Saffery.
What's not to love about the wise perspective Saff shares throughout? One week after having her arm ripped off and medically amputated, she was right back at work with the ones she loves most. She has no self-pity and instead points to legless John Reinke as a point of inspiration. We're inspired by you too, Saff!
2 Jeff Lowe (Disliked)
Judging by the edict "actions speak louder than words," are we really supposed to feel good about Jeff Lowe secretly recording Joe Exotic's murder-for-hire ploy?
Not so fast. While he may have done an honorable thing (it's arguable), Lowe is simply too loathsome to bear in almost every other regard. The Harley-peddling, model-banging, tiger-sneaking, felonious money-moving playboy just oozes a smug demeanor that cannot be overlooked. Lowe still runs the G.W. Zoo to this day.
1 John Reinke (Loved)
The one person who seemed to maintain his sense of logic throughout this crazy saga is John Reinke, the man who ran the G.W. Zoo for 14 years. This is easily is the most lovable person in the entire show!
Reinke proved to be such a hard worker that, following an accident, he continued to perform 12-16 hour days to the point that he lost his feet. With titanium leg replacements, Reinke never missed a beat. Seeing him alone at the end of the series, divorced from his wife, unable to testify in Joe's court case, is among the most emotional parts of Tiger King. This guy rules!
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