April 25, 2025
Limited Series: Baby Reindeer
Trigger warnings: Drug use, stalking, sexual assault
Excessive text messages sent from “iphoen,” hundreds of voice mails, and a strange nickname are just some of the things that Richard Gadd, a struggling comedian and bartender, had to deal with when he finds himself being stalked. One night, a lonely woman walks into the bar he works at and seems a bit down. To be kind, Richard offers her a cup of tea on the house, but little does he know that would be one of his biggest mistakes, as she becomes obsessed with him. She calls incessantly, sits at the bar during every one of Richard’s shifts, follows him, ruins his dates, and even shows up to his home. Along with the stalking, Richard is going through a lot of turmoil as the recent events remind him of past traumas and trigger his anxieties and memories about the things he has gone through.
The show is based on a true story and was written by Gadd himself as a way to deal with it all, as well as spread awareness about stalking and the effects it can have on people. We see just how awful his life was while being stalked by Martha and how difficult it is for him to do anything about the situation. He does not want to go to the police for various reasons, one of those reasons being unwanted sexual attention from Martha. This brings back memories of a sexual assault Richard experienced in his past, and it forces him to deal with that trauma. The show examines the effects of both sexual assault and the psychological battle between Richard and his stalker. It is one of those shows that just pulls you in, and when you think it can’t get worse for the main character it somehow does.
Reading the texts and hearing the voicemails left by Martha, along with hearing about Richard’s past experiences and then hearing it is a true story on top of all of that, are what makes this show worth the watch. It is so shocking you simply cannot look away. I definitely recommend giving this show a watch, but please check the content warnings before doing so.
Available on Netflix.