Joe vs. Carole

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.

To get us excited about a story we already know, a production has to bring something really unique to the table - a new dimension, a brilliant characterisation, an evocative rendering.

The problem with Joe vs Carole is that the version already told had all those elements dialled up to 12 already and there was nowhere new, or at least different enough to transport us, for a dramatisation to go.

The clunky CGI (mind you, props to them for avoiding any real animal use), the slightly surreal use of Queensland, Australia as a Florida substitute, and the fact that every main character is already basically a live-action cartoon, push the whole production into 1990s family adventure territory. If Brendan Fraser had jumped out of a tree I wouldn't have been surprised. But none of this imparts a charming quality; more one of cheapness.

John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon are fiercely into their characters, but a good impersonation doesn't necessarily make for compelling viewing. Some of the peripheral characters hold up well, particularly Nat Wolf and Sam Keely as two thirds of the tragic throuple, and Brian Van Holt as Joe Exotic's loyal ballast. Kyle McLachlan is consistent as Carole's long-suffering husband.

At the end of it all though, this is a story where truth IS stranger than fiction, and the dramatisation is left with nowhere to go and, frankly, not enough appetite to satisfy given what was served up in Tiger King.

Disappointingly for me, it was, like the documentary, a missed opportunity to promote the unnecessary horror of exotic animals being bred and kept for pedestrian purposes. Yet again, the selfish narcissism of humans overshadows a nasty, cruel industry that could so easily be ended if we chose to put the needs of these animals first for once.

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.

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.

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.