When Tiger King surprised audiences with the world of exotic pets, it also surprised Netflix with its success. Because of this, it’s no surprise HBO reached out to the same filmmakers, this time, not with fierce felines, but with captive apes in Chimp Crazy.
Chimp Crazy is centered around Tonia Haddix, an exotic animal broker with a love for the great apes, most especially her 32-year-old former Hollywood chimp Tonka.
Where to watch Chimp Crazy
Each episode of Chimp Crazy airs weekly on HBO every Sunday, 10:00 PM ET/PT, starting August 18. These episodes also streams on Max at the same time.
There are two ways to watch Chimp Crazy: live on HBO or the same day on Max.
Chimp Crazy on HBO
You can watch Chimp Crazy on HBO without cable on one of these cord-cutting services:
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream is a streaming service that offers everything from live TV, local channels, on-demand films, sports packages, and even premium cable networks like HBO and Starz for an additional fee. Its plans, which start at $70/month, are on the pricier side of live TV, but that’s because it offers unlimited DVR and streams on top of at least 75 channels, depending on the plan you pick.
DirecTV Stream Ultimate
DirecTV Stream Ultimate is the second-biggest package offered by DirecTV Stream. With it, you get up to 160 channels (up 40 channels from the previous tier) across entertainment, sports, and news. That’s almost any channel you can think of—from TBS and USA; to ESPN and CBS Sports; to CNN and BBC News; and so much more. You get it all, plus tens of thousands of on-demand titles for the price of $109.99/month (saving you roughly $40/month from the package after it), so if the budget allows, it's worth trying the Ultimate plan yourself.
Chimp Crazy on Max
Of course, being an HBO Original, it’s unsurprising that Chimp Crazy streams on HBO’s respective streaming home Max. Here is a refresher and a link to subscribe:
Max
While best known for streaming epic shows like Succession, Game of Thrones, and The White Lotus, Max rounds its selection with blockbusters from Warner Bros., news from CNN, reality shows from Discovery, and for an additional fee, live sports from B/R. Max’s plans begin at $10/month, but if you already have HBO, you should check with your TV provider to see if it can give you Max at no additional cost.
What is Chimp Crazy all about?
While having a pet chimp is a strange choice, the legality varies from state to state. Tonia Haddix credits her start in the exotic animals business when she married her second husband, which led her to find her passion for chimps at the Missouri Primate Foundation, originally Chimparty, an event rental for Connie Casey’s chimps.
However, due to the relative intelligence of these animals and the conditions at the company, PETA sued Casey. In response, Haddix took over ownership of Casey’s animals, leading her to fake Tonka’s death in hopes to keep her forever.
All four episodes are available to watch on Max
The miniseries premieres the same day as the telecast on Sunday, August 18 on Max.
Max
While best known for streaming epic shows like Succession, Game of Thrones, and The White Lotus, Max rounds its selection with blockbusters from Warner Bros., news from CNN, reality shows from Discovery, and for an additional fee, live sports from B/R. Max’s plans begin at $10/month, but if you already have HBO, you should check with your TV provider to see if it can give you Max at no additional cost.