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Netflix has some first-class television dropping this April, but my most anticipated show from the streamer has probably flown under a lot of viewers' radars. So I'm here to tell you that Baby Reindeer is a show that everyone should have on their watchlist.
Based on an award-winning one-man play by star Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer follows struggling comedian and bartender Donny Dunn whose life is turned upside down when he catches the eye of the seemingly friendly but highly obsessive stalker. When she faces the truth of his unrequited love for her, Donny’s newfound female fan soon starts to ruin his life and forces him to face a deeply buried trauma.
Now I know what you’re thinking, "Oh great, another stalker drama", but this isn't your run-of-the-mill bunny boiler story. This seven-part series differs from the usual tales of obsession we have seen in recent years. There is no steamy affair or scandal that comes into play here, this is about the lengths one crazed fan will go to, to be closer to her muse.
Hello Annie Wilkes, welcome to the 21st century
Baby Reindeer’s Martha, an obsessed fan who doesn't have any personal relationship with Donny other than the one she has in her own head, feels eerily reminiscent of Kathy Bates’ villain in Misery. Rob Reiner’s 1990 cinematic adaptation of Stephen King's novel follows a novelist who is rescued by local nurse Annie Wilkes after getting into a car accident. While bedridden in her home, he soon realizes that his savior is actually a crazed fan who is keeping him stuck for her own benefit.
I’m not saying that Baby Reindeer is a remake of Misery by any means, but based on the trailers, Martha seems to replicate the nature of Wilkes – and I'm all in for a modern day take on a story like Misery. This is an opportunity for audiences to see this type of character in a present setting. Instead of ankle-breaking traps and handcuffs, Martha uses the power of technology to constrain her subject, sending out hundreds of hours of voice messages and tens of thousands of emails.
A lot of TV shows and films these days present this level of obsession as some kind of sexed-up fantasy (we’re looking at you Joe Goldberg), but in fact stalking can be so much more complex than is often shown. Baby Reindeer doesn't rely on clichés to tell its story, but rather feels like a dramatic retelling of a true crime documentary, which makes sense when you find out that it's actually based on a real story too...
100% thrilling and 100% true
Aside from the stalker storyline, what makes Baby Reindeer all the more exciting is the fact it is based on truth. Not only that, but the man it happened to is actually the same man you see on screen. That's right, Richard Gadd is Donny Dunn, and this whole fiasco actually happened to him years ago.
In an interview with Tudum, Gadd spoke about turning the worst part of his life into a one-man show at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which ultimately led to this series adaptation. "In a weird way, I first started feeling like this could be a good story during the whole ordeal itself," said Gadd. "It was one of the most intense periods. I remember thinking, 'God, if I was ever to speak about this onstage, I’d fire the words around. Put the voicemails in a big cacophony and fire it.' That’s how the play was born."
The show is written by Gadd, who also acts as showrunner and executive producer, as well as starring in the limited series, and directed by Misfit’s Petra Fried. Cast also includes Pride’s Jessica Gunning who plays the relentless stalker Martha, Nava Mau, and Tom Goodman-Hill.
With ingredients like these, Baby Reindeer has shot straight to the top of my watchlist – and it should be on yours too.
Baby Reindeer hits Netflix on April 11. For more, check out our list of the best Netflix shows ready to stream right now, or keep up with upcoming TV shows heading your way this year.
