Joe vs. Carole

Kept watching and binged the season to see what "dramatic effect" whey would add. Did like the back stories on Joe and Carole but the Netflix documentary is unmatched to this. Yeah, it might have been peak Covid and puzzle season, but the real thing documentary trumps this show big time.

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.

So I wasn't sure how they would add anything new to the circus that was Tiger King. Or better yet, flesh out the characters (based on real people) into a full fledged "working show".

But it kinda works well for a scripted comedy/drama, and better yet, it's pretty entertaining too.

Kate as Carole is really funny (but she's always funny anyway) and brings a good amount of seriousness and truth to the dramatized version of Carole Baskin. I enjoy that she doesn't play her as an overblown skit or cartoon parody.

The real shocker to me was John Cameron Mitchell as Joe. I mean wow... I would have never have predicted his casting... but damn does he shine. I grew up with Hedwig, and his other directorial outings too.

The mannerisms used and especially the vocal work Mitchell does for this part... I mean he actually becomes Joe Exotic.

I laughed, binged, and saw some surprisingly tender scenes. Would definitely recommend the show.

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.

I think a lot of people will agree that Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell nailed Carole Baskin & Joe Exotic. They got the look and voices down to a T. As far as the show goes. Don't go into it expecting it to be as good as the docu-series. If you do, you're going to be disappointed. The documentary was pure gold, the show, not so much. Dont get me wrong, it's still a decent show. It just doesn't compare to the docu-series. 6 stars.