Upcoming Netflix sequel series Tiger King 2 has been slammed by Carole Baskin, one of the stars of the original series. The first series of Tiger King dropped on Netflix back in March 2020, and became a global phenomenon during the coronavirus pandemic. The hit docuseries explored the unusual and lucrative world of exotic animal trafficking and abuse, as well as the owners of rival parks, Baskin, and charismatic but unorthodox Joe Exotic. A subplot to the series focused on the increasingly nasty rivalry between Baskin and Exotic against a backdrop of allegations from Exotic that Baskin had murdered her ex-husband, and culminated with Exotic's arrest and incarceration for a murder-for-hire plot aimed at his rival.
Since the show concluded, Baskin has continued to run her big game park, whilst Joe Exotic serves a 17-year prison sentence. There were hopes of a Presidential pardon for Exotic and belief that he might be released, but this has failed to materialize and the former zookeeper remains behind bars. Upon its release, Tiger King became a global sensation, and was watched by more than 34 million people over its first 10 days of release, ranking as one of the most successful shows Netflix has ever produced. Despite its popularity, the show was met with some controversy upon its release, much of it aimed at the framing and alleged inaccuracies surrounding private breeding, as well as long-term wildlife conservation issues.
And with the sequel series Tiger King 2 set for release later in 2021, Baskin has spoken out against the new series, calling it a "dumpster fire" and criticizing the directors. Speaking to Variety, Baskin talked about her feelings regarding the original documentary series, as well as the upcoming sequel series that is due for release this year and it seems clear that Baskin is still unhappy about the original series and her portrayal in the documentary. During a phone call with Variety, Baskin didn't hold back on her feelings regarding directors Rebecca Chaiklin and Eric Goode. Read some of Baskin's comments below:
“I know some people who have been involved in it and they were doing more filming, so I assumed at some point they would come out with a ‘Tiger King 2.’ It took them five years to put together the first one, so I thought it would be a lot longer. The directors tried to clear the air, but I told them to lose my number because that was not at all what we had agreed we were working on. I wouldn’t call Eric Goode or Rebecca Chaiklin true documentarians. I mean that was just a reality show dumpster fire."
The content of the new series remains unclear, but it will likely feature a follow-up with many of the people from the original series and how their lives have changed since. Joe Exotic will most likely feature via phone calls from prison, whilst archive footage might also be implemented. The extent of Baskin's involvement, if any, remains unclear at this stage, but it is understood that she has refused to appear in Tiger King 2 after feeling betrayed and let down by her portrayal in the first series. The big cat conservationist also revealed that she expects to watch Tiger King 2 to see if she needs to set the record straight regarding misinformation or flat out lies that she claims were told constantly over the course of the first series.
It is interesting to note the different responses to the show from both Exotic and Baskin, with the former seeming to revel in the spotlight even more since being incarcerated. Baskin on the other hand looks far less favorably on the show, and her portrayal in it, and perhaps feels it has prevented her from being able to get on with her life and live in peace. Whether or not there will be footage of Baskin that can be used in the upcoming series is unclear, but it seems clear that the Tiger King 2 sequel will be as controversial and compelling as the original series.
Source: Variety