{"id":33781,"date":"2026-08-09T03:11:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T22:11:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=33781"},"modified":"2026-08-09T03:11:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T22:11:39","slug":"hbos-monsters-of-god-chronicles-lizard-people-reptile-wranglers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=33781","title":{"rendered":"HBO&#8217;s &#8216;Monsters Of God&#8217; Chronicles Lizard People, Reptile Wranglers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/hbo\/\" id=\"auto-tag_hbo\" data-tag=\"hbo\">HBO<\/a>\u2019s new documentary series <em><a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/monsters-of-god\/\" id=\"auto-tag_monsters-of-god\" data-tag=\"monsters-of-god\">Monsters of God<\/a><\/em> abounds with colorful creatures \u2013 and those are just the humans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The five-parter from <em><a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/tiger-king\/\" id=\"auto-tag_tiger-king\" data-tag=\"tiger-king\">Tiger King<\/a><\/em> co-director <a href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/tag\/eric-goode\/\" id=\"auto-tag_eric-goode\" data-tag=\"eric-goode\">Eric Goode<\/a> features reptile dealers with a fondness for creepy crawlies and a loose connection to ethical and legal mores. There\u2019s Tom Crutchfield, who loves women with the ardor of Pep\u00e9 Le Pew but spends most of his time not in pursuit of the ladies but of exotic snakes, lizards, alligators, turtles and whatnot. His arch rival: Hank Molt (aptly named, given that snakes molt), a man who pioneered the shady trade of importing rare and often endangered reptiles to the United States (HBO calls it a \u201cbillion-dollar criminal enterprise.\u201d).<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg\" alt=\"Reptile dealer Hank Molt in 'Monsters of God'\" class=\"wp-image-1237029444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=178,100 178w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=660,370 660w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=1280,720 1280w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=1000,563 1000w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=910,511 910w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=681,383 681w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=450,253 450w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=250,140 250w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=296,166 296w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=248,139 248w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=200,112 200w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=270,152 270w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=60,34 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=352,198 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/hank-molt-reptile-dealer.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reptile dealer Hank Molt in \u2018Monsters of God\u2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another key <em>Monsters of God<\/em> character: Anson Wong, a Malaysian \u201cexporter\u201d (to use a polite term) perhaps as cold-blooded as the creatures he rounds up and dispatches around the world. His nickname \u2013 \u201cthe Pablo Escobar of reptiles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The template for the series is supplied by the 2008 book <em>The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World\u2019s Greatest Reptile Smugglers<\/em>, written by Bryan Christy. The author, who appears in the series and serves as a consulting producer, took part in a panel discussion of <em>Monsters of God<\/em> Thursday night after HBO screened episode 1 at Vidiots in Los Angeles. He praised Goode and fellow producers for wrangling the reptilian importers, typically a wary group.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg\" alt=\"L-R Executive producer\/co-writer Jeremy McBride, moderator Jason Segel, director\/E.P. Eric Goode\" class=\"wp-image-1237029446\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg 1100w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=150,100 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=630,420 630w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=60,40 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=352,235 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=110,73 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=285,190 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=320,213 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=640,426 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/imgJeremy-McBride-Jason-Segel-and-Eric-Goode-Savion-Washington-Getty-for-HBO.jpeg?resize=800,533 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">L-R Executive producer\/co-writer Jeremy McBride, moderator Jason Segel, director\/E.P. Eric Goode<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI know what it took to run these people down, to get people to say \u2018yes\u2019 to you coming in their place,\u201d Christy told the moderator, the actor Jason Segel. \u201cAnd with a <em>camera<\/em>. I just had a pencil\u2026 It\u2019s amazing what they brought together. And they\u2019re celebrating the animals in a way that I hope gets people to care more about this sort of maligned species.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Goode needed no persuading about the beauty of animals like New Caledonian geckos, African bush vipers, Caribbean rock iguanas, and similar Cyclura. He\u2019s been an avid collector since childhood.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg\" alt=\"Eric Goode back in the day with a Southwestern pond turtle.\" class=\"wp-image-1237029448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=178,100 178w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=660,370 660w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=1280,720 1280w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=1000,563 1000w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=910,511 910w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=681,383 681w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=450,253 450w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=250,140 250w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=296,166 296w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=248,139 248w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=200,112 200w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=270,152 270w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=60,34 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=352,198 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/eric-goode-with-southwestern-pond-turtle.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eric Goode back in the day with a Southwestern pond turtle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have a confession to make,\u201d he said at the Q&amp;A, alluding to his collecting urge. \u201cI\u2019ve been an addict for over 50 years and now I\u2019m still not sober, sorry to say.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The challenge of convincing reptile dealers to appear on camera became evident during the panel discussion, which included Crutchfield and Mike Van Nostrand, both Florida men who have served time behind bars for their activities (in 2022, Van Nostrand was convicted in a scheme to smuggle \u201cillegally-harvested Florida turtles out of the United States and into China, Japan, and other places,\u201d per the Department of Justice).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI didn\u2019t like the <em>Tiger King<\/em>,\u201d Van Nostrand stated flatly. \u201cEric was a little tricky one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For his part, Crutchfield called <em>Tiger King<\/em> \u201cone of the weirdest movies I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg\" alt=\"A New Caledonian gecko in 'Monsters of God'\" class=\"wp-image-1237029450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=178,100 178w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=660,370 660w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=1280,720 1280w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=1000,563 1000w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=910,511 910w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=681,383 681w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=450,253 450w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=250,140 250w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=296,166 296w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=248,139 248w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=200,112 200w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=270,152 270w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=60,34 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=352,198 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/new-caledonian-gecko.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A New Caledonian gecko in \u2018Monsters of God\u2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with <em>Tiger King<\/em>, Goode also directed the 2024 HBO documentary series <em>Chimp Crazy<\/em> about people obsessed with raising chimpanzees as essentially human children. At the Q&amp;A, he addressed contrasts between <em>Tiger King<\/em>, <em>Chimp Crazy<\/em>, and <em>Monsters of God<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRight now, a lot of people are thinking I\u2019m trying to take down the reptile world,\u201d Goode said of <em>Monsters of God<\/em>. \u201cYes, I didn\u2019t like people keeping chimpanzees in <em>Chimp Crazy<\/em>. I wanted laws changed so you couldn\u2019t do that. I didn\u2019t want people having 200 tigers in their backyard [in <em>Tiger King<\/em>]. Reptiles are different. It\u2019s nuanced. And as Mike [Van Nostrand] says, if people were breeding more reptiles that may take pressure off of the poachers. And so there\u2019s a lot of gray in this story and it\u2019s not painting anyone with one brush. Law enforcement made a lot of mistakes. We\u2019ve made mistakes. The zoos made big mistakes and we\u2019re all complicit.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg\" alt=\"An African bush viper in 'Monsters of God'\" class=\"wp-image-1237029452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=178,100 178w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=660,370 660w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=1280,720 1280w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=1000,563 1000w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=910,511 910w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=681,383 681w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=450,253 450w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=250,140 250w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=296,166 296w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=248,139 248w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=200,112 200w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=270,152 270w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=60,34 60w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=352,198 352w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/african-bush-viper.jpg?resize=800,450 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An African bush viper in \u2018Monsters of God\u2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zoos are complicit, the series makes clear, by paying dealers like Molt and Crutchfield to supply them with exotic reptiles knowing full well the wranglers were violating U.S. and international law. Federal officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service don\u2019t seem to come off much better, to judge from episode 1. Nobody\u2019s motives seem 100 percent pure in <em>Monsters of God<\/em>, self-assessments notwithstanding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat I really want people to get out of my complete performance from the very beginning to the end,\u201d Crutchfield asserted at the Q&amp;A, \u201cis my great passion and my great love, and more importantly, my great respect for all of these monsters of God that you\u2019re going to see.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Van Nostrand chimed in sardonically, \u201cAre you saying money had nothing to do with it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo far,\u201d Crutchfield replied.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fresh episodes of <em>Monsters of God<\/em> will debut on HBO the next four Thursdays, and stream on HBO Max. Audiences may get hooked, mirroring the obsessional quality of true lizard people. Jason Segel, for one, pronounced himself a fan of the series. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt times it feels like <em>Goodfellas<\/em>. It feels like <em>Scarface<\/em> sometimes,\u201d Segel enthused at the Q&amp;A. \u201cI watched every episode over two days and was mesmerized. I can\u2019t wait for all of you guys to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HBO\u2019s new documentary series Monsters of God abounds with colorful creatures \u2013 and those are just the humans. The five-parter from Tiger King co-director Eric Goode features reptile dealers with a fondness for creepy crawlies and a loose connection to ethical and legal mores. There\u2019s Tom Crutchfield, who loves women with the ardor of Pep\u00e9&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33782,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/deadline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Monsters-of-God-graphic.jpeg?w=564","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}