‘Baby Reindeer’ Review — A Dark Masterpiece That Will Leave You in Shambles

The big picture

• Richard Gadd's autobiographical masterpiece
  Baby Reindeer
  deftly explores themes of trauma and obsession in just seven episodes.
• Intense performances from Jessica Gunning and Richard Gadd make this complex and heavy series a Netflix must-see.
• Baby Reindeer doesn't shy away from provoking themes like sexual abuse, offering a frank and important look at the complex emotions of a survivor.

What I couldn't get out of my head when I started watching the new Netflix miniseries Baby Reindeer was, “How much of this story is actually true? There's no way this is all true.” And then, when I finished bingeing the series, having worked my way through half a box of tissues and stress-eating a bowl of popcorn, I was surprised to learn that not only Baby Reindeer a true story, but it is autobiographical. Not only is it autobiographical, but the main star, Richard Gadd, who plays the protagonist Donny, is also the creator of the series, meaning Gadd was literally playing out a fictionalized version of some of the most traumatic scenes in his life. The series explores themes of ambition and fame, trauma, obsession, mental illness, sexuality and shame. What is impressive Baby Reindeer it does all of this in seven episodes. The show, literally grabs your interest and refuses to let go of this until it ends. After watching it, I felt physically and mentally drained, but I was definitely in awe of Gadd's masterpiece.

What is 'Baby Renne' about?

Baby Reindeer begins in 2015 when a waiter named Donny (Gadd) buys a cup of tea for an incoming customer. Her name is Martha (Jessica Gunning). After this random act of kindness, Martha is captivated by Donny. Every day she comes to the pub saying she's a lawyer and stops by for a while, but ends up spending hours chatting with Donny. As Martha's attachment to Donny grows, she realizes it she is not only in love with him, but obsessed with him. It all comes to a head when he goes to do a comedy show and Martha shows up.

From there, the story delves deeper and deeper into Martha and Donny's psyche. Martha's harassment escalates from emails to Facebook messages to Donny's physical harassment at her home and harassment of his family. We also learn more about Donny's past and the trauma he's been through, which gives us an explanation for how he ended up working in a bar and living at his ex-girlfriend's mother's house. As Martha becomes more obsessive and even violentDonny becomes more involved with her in an attempt to gather enough evidence to use against her.

Richard Gadd Is A Master Of Crushing Your Soul With 'Baby Reindeer'

What is so disarming Baby Reindeer is how the narrative drags on. Starting the series, Donny seems like a normal guy. Yes, he's being chased by a woman who's mentally ill, but he's not exactly a perfect man. As a comedian, his acts are horrific and sometimes offensive. He's also lying to Teri (Nava Mau), the woman he's dating, and seems to have a certain inherent transphobia about being seen with her. So while Donny is certainly a victim of Martha, he also has his own issues.

But how Baby Reindeer slowly peels away the layers of Donny's life, previousassumptions don't hold so much water anymore. As Donny peels away, so does his facade, and what we find underneath is absolutely devastating. Gadd delivers a flashback episode, right near the midpoint of the series in episode 4, that completely realigns our perspective of Donny. He's not just a failed comedian who seems to be stuck in a dead-end job he hates; he is a man haunted by severe sexual abuse and paralyzed by self-loathing and alienation from his own sexuality. Gadd is careful not to reveal too much up until this point, offering snippets of comedic moments in the first three episodes to lull us into a false sense of security.

The series, up to that point, is serious but hasn't become completely devastating. After episode 4, we are now fully aware of the truth about Donny and the struggles he has faced. Recent breakups, struggles with his sexuality, difficulties in his career and even his relationship with Martha are seen in a new light. It's absolutely overwhelming to connect the dots of Donny's life with the benefit of hindsightand this is where Gadd shines.

Martha isn't really the villain of 'Baby Reindeer,' and that's a good thing

Baby ReindeerMartha is definitely not a good person. She is a seasoned and convicted stalker, though Gadd doesn't paint her in a traditional light. She's not as insidious as you might think, and while you may find yourself screaming at the screen for Donny to just get away from her, it's also not hard to imagine why Donny sympathizes with her. As viewers, we should revile Martha, especially when she gets worse and her crimes increase. But it's hard to forget that at the center of this disturbing character is a woman suffering from a serious mental illness. You should feel bad for her, just like Donny.

In fact, although Martha is Donny's bully and the cause of many of his problems, she is not the true villain of the story. This title is for Darrien (Tom Goodman-Hill), a serial rapist and monstrous figure. The series makes it clear that we are meant to feel conflicted about Martha and the vision we have for her life. when masks show someone vulnerable and fragile. She can be incredibly cruel and manipulative, but that doesn't stop her from being a complex figure.

'Baby Reineer's performances make the show a must-see

So much praise could be given to Richard Gadd, his writing, voice and acting Baby Reindeer the masterpiece that it is, but Jessica Gunning deserves her flowers too, superbly playing the different facets of Martha. One moment she's cheerful and awkwardly flirtatious, and the next she's threatening and yelling expletives. Gunning captures the nuance of a character who could very easily have been a two-dimensional villain.

Alongside Gunning, Nava Mau is also fantastic and charming as Teri, Donny's girlfriend, a voice of reason in his life. Since Teri is confident in herself as a trans woman, she also seems too good to be true to Donny at times. Meanwhile, Tom Goodman-Hill captures Darrien's strangeness and arrogance, as well as his cruelty and abuse. Goodman-Hill's performance is impeccably creepy, just watching him converse with Donny is enough to make your skin crawl. Of couse, Gadd's performance reigns supreme in this production. He gives his all in every scene, especially in a monologue in the penultimate episode. The brazen way in which the narrative interrogates his inner thoughts, mixed with the way Donny presents himself and his slow physical deterioration during the time of the harassment, make the show memorable.

'Baby Reindeer' is a heavy story that needs to be told

One complaint I had after completing my entire viewing of the series was that the Netflix rating at the beginning of the episodes just wasn't enough. Some scenes can be downright provocative for the audience. For those sensitive to sexual abuse, the series interrogates the feelings that occur during and after the abuse. It's an honest and thorough look at the complex emotions left behind by a survivoras well as the complex relationship a survivor can have with their abuser.

Although it is a difficult story, it is also a very well told and important story. In no time does it Baby Reindeer you never feel like he's wagging his finger in your face or trying to teach you a lesson disguised as a Netflix series. But, the frank and personal nature of the story ends up being a window into the life and experiences of a man that we don't often see on film and television. For this, and much more, Baby Reindeer he deserves both his time in the spotlight and the praise he's receiving. There is nothing like this series, and its unique story makes it vital to the television landscape.

Baby Reindeer is available to stream on Netflix in the United States

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