With an audience score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and more than 4.7 million views in its first week of release, Baby Reindeer tells the complex and intricate real-life story of Richard Gadd, a surprise hit captivating the attention of audiences worldwide.
The mini-series delves into the self-destructive journey of the main character, Donny Dunn, a young adult who moved to England to pursue his dream of becoming a comedian. However, things don’t go as planned, and he soon realizes the harsh reality: Comedy is not an easy career. Nonetheless, he remains determined to achieve success and manifest his beliefs.
His dreams seem to come true, or so he thinks, when he meets an older TV writer named Darrien. Darrien guides him to refine his performance and focus on what truly matters. As their relationship evolves, Donny becomes increasingly close to Darrien, to the point where he intentionally ignores the sexual abuse he is experiencing. Donny admires his abuser and falls in love with the hope and assurance Darrien provides, believing that his dream will indeed come true. However, as revealed in the series, Darrien rapes Donny.
This horrific act sends Donny on a path of self-destruction, causing him to question his sexual orientation and feel attraction towards men. He believes he must break free from this aftermath of pain to reclaim what he has lost: his body and dignity as a man. He deeply questions what it truly means to be a man.
Now that we understand Donny’s personal struggles, we can better grasp why meeting Martha was like a breath of fresh air for him. Martha, with her constant laughter and extravagant stories, accompanies Donny in his job as a bartender, all because Donny offered her a cup of tea. It’s unfortunate how a simple act of kindness can lead someone’s life into complete chaos and madness.
Martha perceives Donny as he wants to be perceived: as a strong, handsome, whole man, untouched by sexual abuse and rape. Despite early signs of Martha’s toxic behavior, Donny cannot bring himself to push her away, as he feels alive again in her presence. For the first time in a while, he feels valued and alive, rather than merely existing in the lives of others.
As the series progresses, Martha reveals herself to be a psycho and a serial stalker with a distorted perception of reality. Despite the destruction she brings into his life, Donny cannot help but keep her around, as her presence, though destructive, also brings him a sense of warmth and comfort. With the involvement of the police and his family, Donny is forced to confront his traumas at a deeper level.
Baby Reindeer is Richard Gadd’s therapy session. It’s a cathartic release of years of pain, fear, abuse, and trauma, freeing him from his chains. In the end, he achieves his happy ending and truly realizes his dream, as his mini-series becomes the number one show on Netflix.