Joe vs. Carole
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Joe vs. Carole
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Joe vs. Carole is a true crime drama adapted from a podcast about the rivalry between Tiger King's Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. Themes include murder for hire, illegal animal trafficking, and animal abuse. The series also has lots of cursing, including "hell," "ass," "crap," "g--damn," "s--t," and "f--k." There's frequent sexual innuendo. Drinking, cigarette smoking, and illegal drug use are also visible. Sexual violence is alluded to, and threats of hurting animals and people are consistently made. Social media platforms like Facebook are featured in context.
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What's the Story?
Based on the podcast Over My Dead Body, JOE VS. CAROLE is a dramatization of the feud made famous by Netflix series Tiger King. The true crime series tells the story of the intense rivalry between between Oklahoma-based cat zoo owner Joe Maldonado-Passage, known as Joe Exotic (John Cameron Mitchell) and Florida-based Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin (Kate McKinnon), which ultimately lead to a conviction for illegal animal trafficking and murder for hire.
Is It Any Good?
This tired and often over-the-top limited series once again rehashes the tale of the lengthy rivalry between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. The performances by John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon are strong, and live up to all the pop culture memes the two personages have inspired. But they don't make up for the lack of any new or interesting insight into who Exotic or Baskin are, or their continuing legal battles. It isn't particularly entertaining, but chances are Joe vs. Carole will succeed at making you wonder why the series was even produced, let alone stretched over eight episodes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the challenges associated with adapting a story from one type of media to another. What changes to a story specifically need to be made when shifting the story from a podcast format to a TV format? What remains the same?
Given the rise and fall in popularity of the Tiger King franchise over the years, what do you think the producers hoped to achieve by creating Joe vs. Carole? Did you learn anything new about the story or the people involved?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 3, 2022
- Cast: Kate McKinnon, John Cameron Mitchell, Kyle MacLachlan
- Network: Peacock
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Activism
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: March 3, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
Sensational murder-for-hire docu is chaotic, profane.
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The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Gory, talky true-crime surprisingly riveting for grown-ups.
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The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Fashion icon murder tale limits facts, moves slow.
For kids who love true crime stories
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