How could the train wreck that is Tiger King get any better, you ask? How could anyone possibly top what Netflix has done with the gay polygamist big-cat zookeeper dude with the mullet?
That's easy. Get TMZ involved.
The gossip empire best known for being awful (while also breaking news early thanks to not having to stick to any real sort of journalistic standards) has teamed up with Fox for TMZ Investigates: Tiger King — What Really Went Down tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern.
The original Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness quickly became quite the hit for Netflix , outpacing the second season of Stranger Things (and nearly beating the debut of the third season) when it premiered on March 20, 2020, just as much of the country was shutting down and beginning to work from home.
If you've yet to watch it, well, here's the gist, per Netflix:
Among the eccentrics and cult personalities in the stranger-than-fiction world of big cat owners, few stand out more than Joe Exotic, a mulleted, gun-toting polygamist and country western singer who presides over an Oklahoma roadside zoo. Charismatic but misguided, Joe and an unbelievable cast of characters including drug kingpins, conmen, and cult leaders all share a passion for big cats, and the status and attention their dangerous menageries garner. But things take a dark turn when Carole Baskin, an animal activist and owner of a big cat sanctuary, threatens to put them out of business, stoking a rivalry that eventually leads to Joe's arrest for a murder-for-hire plot, and reveals a twisted tale where the only thing more dangerous than a big cat is its owner.
Joe Exotic — aka Joseph Allen Maldonado or Joseph Allen Schreibvogel — was convicted by a federal jury in 2019 in Oklahoma on two counts of murder-for-hire, eight counts of falsifying wildlife records, and nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act. In addition to the murder-for-hire plot — in which Maldonado-Passage paid someone $3,000 to kill a woman in Florida who was critical of his treatment of tigers — the jury saw evidence that he had shot and killed five of the animals.
He was convicted after a short deliberation and sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in January 2020.
Only, depending on who you talk to, the Netflix documentary wasn't the end of the story. Or maybe wasn't even the story.
That's where this TMZ-Fox collaboration comes into play. New footage. New interviews. And in no way should you expect it attempt to capitalize on the "success" (those quotes are doing a lot of work there) on the original, nor should you worry about the validity of the new claims.
Anyway, here's how Fox its putting things ahead of tonight's presentation:
FOX presents a TMZ investigation behind "Tiger King," the bizarre true-crime story EVERYONE is talking about, with exclusive interviews and never-before-seen footage. This one-hour special will delve into what really went down, with the interviews only TMZ can get, exploring outstanding questions about whether or not Joe Exotic is guilty, an inside look into Carole Baskin's husband's disappearance and the current status of the new investigation.
How to watch Tiger King: What Really Went Down
That brings us to tonight's hot mess. Tiger King: What Really Went Down will air on Fox at 9 p.m. Eastern.
You should be able to get your local Fox affiliate on most of the major streaming services with live TV — but you'll want to double check as availability may vary in some areas.
Hulu with Live TV
- The cost: $55 a month after a one week free trial
- Watch Hulu on: Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and browsers
- Local channels on Hulu: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and others. Find your local channels here .
- Tiger King & TMZ on Hulu: Yes, with your local Fox station.
Roar
Hulu has Fox, and so you have Tiger King
Hulu combines a huge back catalog of shows with a large selection of live TV channels. They can include local Fox station, so you can get every last minute of tonight's Tiger King show.
Fubo TV
- The cost: $55 a month after a one week trial
- Watch Fubo TV on: Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, iOS, Android and web browsers
- Local channels on Fubo TV: CBS, Fox, NBC and CW. Find your locals here .
- Tiger King & TMZ: Yes, as Fubo has Fox locals available.
Watch the madness
Get your Fox on with Fubo.
Fubo TV has had a sports focus since the very beginning, and that means Fox. It also means you can watch the Tiger King follow-up tonight.
Sling TV - Sling Blue
- The cost: $30 a month after your first month for $20
- Watch Sling TV on: Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox One, LG, or Samsung smart TVs, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire tablets, browsers and more
- Local channels on Sling TV: NBC and Fox on Sling Blue. Find your local channels here .
- Fox and TMZ: Yes, with local Fox stations.
Tiger Sling
Watch Tiger King on Sling
Sling is the most economical of the major streaming services. Just double check that it has your local Fox affiliate.
AT&T TV Now - Plus Plan
- The cost: $55 a month after a free trial
- Watch AT&T TV Now on: Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TVs, iOS, Android, and browsers
- Local channels on AT&T TV Now: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and more. Find your locals here .
- Fox and TMZ on AT&T TV Now: Yes, with your local Fox station.
Games & Thrones
They put the 'T' in Tiger
AT&T TV Now has probably the deepest channel lineup around. And with your local Fox affiliate you can watch the Tiger King follow-up.
YouTube TV
- The cost: $50 a month after a free trial
- Watch YouTube TV on: Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung, LG, HiSense or Vizio smart TVs, iOS, Android and browsers
- Local channels on YouTube TV: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and more. Find your locals here .
- Fox & TMZ on YouTube TV: Yes, with your local Fox station.
Grrrrrrrrr
As easy as it gets.
YouTube TV is one of the easiest streaming services to understand, with a single plan, a ton of channels — including Fox.
