Spoilers ahead
Drawing from his semi-autobiographical play, English writer and actor Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer has captured attention for its nuanced depiction of stalking and assault. The 7-episode series, now available for streaming on Netflix, revolves around Donny, a struggling 30-something comedian (Gadd) who works in a pub to make ends meet. Enter Martha (Jessica Gunning), a middle-aged woman who claims to be a “powerful lawyer.” She possesses a contagious laughter—an ultimate prize for any comedian—that initially gives her an innocuous charm. When Donny first encounters her, she appears despondent. Out of pity, disguised as common courtesy, Donny offers her a cup of tea ‘on the house’, which visibly touches Martha. She professes her love for Donny, initiating a flood of emails sent every few hours, eventually escalating to every few minutes. Donny later discovers Martha’s disturbing past as a registered stalker with a history of abuse and violence. Despite this knowledge, he hesitates for months before taking decisive action to stop her.
While Baby Reindeer may initially seem like a tale of an innocent man pursued by an obsessive stalker, it delves much deeper than that. And while this premise may be enough for anyone to get interested in watching the show, I say this is the least interesting thing about Baby Reindeer.
The show goes beyond the surface of stalking, delving into deep themes of sexuality, shame, abuse, trauma, fame, and desires, all through the lens of an artist. While the game of chase and evasion serves as the backbone of the plot, it unfolds in unexpected directions. At its core, Baby Reindeer is a narrative about misfits, artists, dreamers, and strugglers. Gadd captures the ultimate dilemma of all artists: the tension between creative integrity and the avarice of public recognition. Donny isn’t a prodigy, nor is he the best comedian in London. Instead, it is everything else that comes with comedy that seems to drive him. Donny acknowledges and articulates the dangers of pursuing fame, recognizing how it distorts his judgment while also offering a potential solution to his problems:
“It’s like waking up one day to find yourself a background artist in a cast of millions.”
In the first episode, Donny reveals his ambitious plans to revolutionize comedy, creating a new form of humor that he believes the world desperately needs. He has faith that only he and his work can save the audience and the art scene. When Martha sets her sights on him, Donny can’t help but be drawn in, despite knowing it would lead her on. Vanity takes over, and Donny continues to keep her close, albeit reluctantly. Upon his first visit to the police, he admits that he didn’t complain about Martha before because he liked having her laugh at his jokes, giving him the sense of importance he has yearned for so long. Martha’s importance for Gadd’s mere confidence is further hammered when Martha shows up at his show. The artist felt like he was finally getting his dues.
It is also this pursuit of fame that Donny admits to have drawn him to Darrien (Tom Goodman-Hill). Since his voice of self-belief was weak, Darrien became the source of mental and emotional support. The dive into Donny’s troubled past and how the narrative manages to connect it to his present state of being stalked is terrifically written.
“Isn’t getting groomed magical?…
…
“…Is my self-respect so fucking low, is my lust for success so high, that I will keep going to this man’s house and let him abuse me for a little peep at fame?”
Another special element of Baby Reindeer is its keen awareness of contemporary issues. It intricately explores the evolving nature of stalking in the digital age and the irony of social interactions within networked spaces. Martha relentlessly utilizes various means such as emails, likes, comments, texts, and voicemails to connect with Donny, illustrating the extent of her obsession. With the introduction of Teri (Nava Mau) and Donny’s love affair, the narrative further delves into the complexities of virtual dating and the fluidity of identity on the internet. Through these relationships, the show exposes the multitude of facets of technology, human connections, and self-identity, offering a philosophical reflection on modern life.
The show is a remarkable piece of work that encapsulates our complex relationship with fame, our desires, and our own identities. Based on real experiences, it’s both remarkably funny and poignant to see everything come full circle by the end—not only with the success of Donny’s comedy career but also with the widespread acclaim received by Gadd’s Baby Reindeer.
Review Courtesy of Anjani Chadha
Image Courtesy of Netflix via Deadline
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