This Is What The Hidden Episode Of Tiger King Will Contain
Hey, all you cool cats and kittens! Netflix's Tiger King docu-series may be returning for a brand new episode, according to one star of the show. Considering how big of a hit the original seven-episode series was, the news has fans practically roaring with excitement.
Tiger King launched on the streaming platform on March 20, 2020, and it quickly became the most popular show on television, per Variety. The series takes viewers on a truly wild ride of tiger breeding, polygamy and murder — a ride with so many twists and turns that it's hard not to watch all seven episodes at once, leaving many fans thirsty for new content. Sure, Carole Baskin's blog is full of hidden gems, but a new episode would be even better! And, according to one cast member, one could be on the way as early as April 10, 2020.
At the time of this writing, Netflix hasn't officially confirmed the "bonus" episode, so some fans are skeptical of the announcement. That being said, there is some promising evidence that a new Tiger King episode could, indeed, be on the way. Let's take a look.
A 'Tiger King' cast member revealed the news
Tiger King star Jeff Lowe, who viewers will remember as the swinger who took over Joe Exotic's private zoo, leaked the news about a new episode in a video on the Cameo app. Los Angeles Dodgers player Justin Turner posted the video to Twitter on April 4, 2020. "Netflix is adding one more episode," Lowe said. "It will be on next week. They're filming here tomorrow."
Netflix didn't respond to multiple outlets' requests for comment, including Variety and Vanity Fair, so it's unclear what exactly will be in the new episode. It could be a follow-up episode that depicts more recent events, or it could be a reunion episode.
However, there are some obstacles to either possibility. First of all, the coronavirus pandemic forced Netflix to shut down production on all scripted film and TV shows, according to Deadline. Tiger King isn't a scripted series, so it may not have been included in that shutdown. Still, the crew may not be able to safely pull off filming an entire new episode right now.
Then, there's the timing factor. Lowe said the episode is coming "next week," which would mean it'd likely drop by April 10, 2020, but the original Tiger King was filmed over the course of five years, per Bustle, so putting together an episode in just over a week would seemingly be kind of difficult.
However, a new Tiger King episode is definitely still a possibility based on previous comments from the docu-series' showrunners.
The bonus episode might consist of cut footage
Rather than consisting of brand new content, it's possible that the new Tiger King episode will be crafted mostly from material that was left on the cutting room floor. Tiger King showrunners previously told Entertainment Weekly that they have a ton of unused material — enough to potentially create an entire second season.
"To be continued," showrunner Rebecca Chaiklin told EW on March 23, 2020. "I mean, yes we have a crazy amount of footage and it's a story that's still unfolding."
She added, "We're not sure yet, but there could be a follow-up on this story because there's a lot that's still unfolding in it, and it'll be just as dramatic and just as colorful as what has unfolded these past few years."
Given just how much wild material made it into the first seven episodes of Tiger King, we can only imagine what got cut, or what's "still unfolding." Joe Exotic is still locked up as of this writing, but he's somehow still a captivating character from behind bars. Plus, there's Doc Antle with his harem of wives, Jeff Lowe's new zoo, and Carole Baskin's continuing crusade against cub petting.
While we wait for confirmation of the new episode, we still have the confirmed scripted spin-off series featuring Kate McKinnon to look forward to!