During the early days of lockdown, as the world adjusted to a new normal, millions became enthralled by “Tiger King”, Netflix’s stranger-than-fiction docuseries about big cat loving oddballs and the surreal dramas they found themselves embroiled in. It was the first mega-hit of Covid-era entertainment, and almost immediately inspired legions of discourse pertaining to its questionable ethics and leering gaze towards its eccentric ensemble. The questions the series raised about journalistic responsibility have clearly weighed on the mind of “Tiger King” director Eric Goode, and with his latest dive into the world of humans who own rare animals, HBO’s “Chimp Crazy”, he seems keen to learn from the mistakes of the past.

It’s not hard to see what drew Goode to this story. From the moment we’re introduced to Tonia Haddix, the woman at the center of the narrative, it’s clear that she had the...