A review of the made for TV drama: Baby Reindeer

Warning: spoilers ahead!

I first stumbled upon this show after a Facebook post sparked my curiosity. Imagine my surprise when I learned it was based on the true-life experience of Scottish comedian, Richard Gadd (playing under the name Donny in the series).

Things start off seemingly normal – Martha Scott (played by the fantastic Jessica Gunning) appears friendly, even a little quirky. But as the story unfolds, Martha’s behavior gets increasingly bizarre and frankly, terrifying.

At first, Martha’s laugh is kind of funny. But as the series progresses, it takes on a whole new meaning – it becomes this unsettling echo of her obsession. Donny, a kind soul who wants to please everyone, gets tangled in Martha’s web. It’s easy to understand how he ended up in this situation – his kindness is both his strength and his weakness.

Looking back, you might think Donny could have stopped things from spiraling by involving the police sooner. But that’s the thing – the show portrays how his inherent good nature made him give Martha chance after chance. The red flags were there – the insane emails riddled with misspellings (seriously, how can someone claiming to be a lawyer butcher basic words?), the possessiveness, the whole charade.

Martha’s warped perception of love drives her actions, making her a character you pity as much as you fear. The reveal about the “Baby Reindeer” nickname – a reference to her childhood stuffed animal – is heartbreaking. It shows a deep-seated loneliness that fueled her obsession with Donny.

Baby Reindeer is a chilling yet thought-provoking series. It reminds us to hold onto our kindness, but also to be assertive when needed. Don’t let someone’s strangeness turn into a nightmare – learn to draw boundaries and take control before things get out of hand.