Promotional poster for Baby Reindeer on Netflix
Baby Reindeer Review: A Haunting Story of Obsession and Vulnerability
The new Netflix show puts the "dark" in dark comedy.
2024-04-30T13:23-07:00
The 4 a.m. binge is my new entertainment benchmark. I know I must go to bed and rest for the day to come, but some shows won’t release me from their grip until just before dawn. My latest source of insomnia was Netflix’s haunting new series Baby Reindeer.
It’s labeled as a dark comedy, but be warned: tragedy eclipses humor in this show that's based on the life of its star, Richard Gadd. Baby Reindeer starts of as a quirky story of unrequited love and then plunges into a somber tale of physical and sexual violence. The darkness came on so fast that I wondered, “Who turned off the f*cking lights?”
WARNING: Spoilers ahead!
The show is about Donny, a struggling comedian who becomes a stalker’s newest obsession after offering her a cup of tea. As her unwanted advances intensify, Donny fights to keep his prowler away while looking for love and fame elsewhere.
The acting is brilliant throughout. Gadd, in the role of Donny, captures a universal anguish to be seen and understood in this heartbreaking story. Jessica Gunning, who plays Donny’s stalker, embodies the deranged ambition of a woman hellbent on making love happen, whatever the cost.
But it’s Nava Mau, the actor playing the comedian’s true love interest, who shows real versatility on screen. In fight scenes, love scenes, and everything in between, she is the anchor holding this otherwise insane story in place. Her presence shines a light on vulnerable trans women who, either knowingly or not, enter relationships with closeted, self-hating men.
Shame is a dominating theme in this series, even though it’s only Donny experiencing it. Gunning and Mau play characters who are unabashedly themselves, offering a stark contrast to the self-loathing that Donny can’t escape.
Caught between Mau’s healthy self-esteem and Gunning’s delusional confidence, Gadd’s character neurotically doubts himself the entire time and even considers entertaining his stalker’s obsessive tendencies, although from a distance. In one of the show’s most painful moments, a trusted mentor exploits Donny’s raw vulnerability by sexually assaulting him.
This series stayed with me for days after the final episode because it speaks to our universal and often blind desire to be not only seen, but deeply admired. Each of the main characters seeks this, and each falls short when interacting with one another. All of these people face their own abuse and choose to return, believing there’s something more to uncover in the other person.
We can end up worshiping those who worship us, even if they're the source of tremendous pain. Baby Reindeer is an eye-opener for those who unquestionably follow affection, warning us that real love is based on respect and understanding, not just mutual fascination.