Netflix surprised fans with a second season of Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, but so far they do not seem grateful for it. The responses to the new Netflix original series have been mixed, with many critics calling it superfluous and self-serving. They are voicing their critiques over on social media.
Tiger King 2 is made up of lots of unused footage from the filming of Season 1, with some new documentation thrown in for good measure. It includes interviews with Joe Exotic from prison and explains the latest developments including the closure of his zoo and Carole Baskin’s ongoing conservation work. It checks in on many other key players from the original documentary, including Jeff Lowe, Tim Stark, Allen Glover and James Garretson, but fans seem to feel they didn’t need more from this wacky world.
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Tiger King 2 was released on Wednesday, Nov. 17, with just five episodes as opposed to the eight in Season 1. The new installments got no input from Baskin who is actually suing Netflix and Royal Goode Productions for her portrayal in the first season. This left little room for updates as shocking as the first season, and what few there were could not carry a documentary.
Instead, many fans are sharing the highlights on social media and questioning whether they were worth making a whole new season over. Scroll down for a look at the reactions to Tiger King 2, but fair warning: There are spoilers ahead.
No Joe
Some fans said that Exotic himself brought all the entertainment factor to Tiger King, for better or worse. Since he could not be in the new season quite as much, they did not find it appealing.
Quarantine
Since Tiger King premiered in March of 2020, it is inextricably linked to COVID-19 and the first round of social distancing in many fans’ minds. The associative memories alone kept them away from the new season.
Don Lewis
Those who did watch Tiger King 2 said that they were beginning to feel like they couldn’t trust the filmmakers to frame the narrative of Don Lewis’ disappearance objectively.
Reluctant
Some fans acknowledged that the second season was unnecessary, but said they couldn’t resist watching it anyway.
Cardi B
Some fans expected to hear about Cardi B in Tiger King Season 2 because of a recent tweet where she appeared to receive a handwritten note from Joe Exotic.
Activism
Many fans discussed ways to take their Tiger King fandom to the next level with actual animal conservation activism.
Worth It
Finally, there were some out there encouraging skeptics to give the show a chance, promising that it would pay off within the first episode. Tiger King 2 is streaming now on Netflix.
