“Strap yourself in. It gets worse” were the words sent to me via text message from a friend when I told them I watched the first episode. Because I knew nothing about the series I just assumed they meant it was a terrible show. But after binging it in a day I can safely say it is far from terrible and absolutely worth the watch.
Baby Reindeer is the story of a struggling comedian, Donny Dunn, who wants to make it big time in the comedy world. One day a woman walks into the pub he works at and begins to cry. He offers her a drink but when she says she can’t afford it, he offers her a cup of tea. Little does he know that this simple, kind act will transpire into a turn of events that will throw his life into chaos and flip it upside down.
Fair warning though: it is extremely disturbing in some parts as it is a true story. It is graphic. There was a point where I felt like I needed several showers to wash the grossness I felt while watching particular scenes but that’s what made it feel real. I’ve never been in a position that Richard Gadd (who plays Donny Dunn) has been in nor do I ever want to be but his onscreen depictions of his trauma felt so raw and so real that you can’t help but feel overwhelmingly sorry for him. His brilliant storytelling allows viewers to fit right in and make it seem like they’re situated right there with him during it all and it makes the watching experience that much more realistic and authentic.
I’ve always said that if an actor/actress’s character tees me off, then they’re doing a phenomenal job and that’s exactly the case with Martha (played by Jessica Gunning). The pure manic in her eyes at times actually made me fear for both myself and for Donny. Her performance was wildly captivating as she went from a giggly, charming lady one second then transforming into a crazed animal the next. The switch up is so quick it gives you whiplash; my jaw dropped during one particular scene where she’s speaking in a gentle tone and then all of a sudden her proverbial claws are out and she’s suddenly a feral cat. I found myself with a raised fist whenever she lunged at the screen and low-key? If someone did come at me the way she did, my fists are rated E for everyone. But Jessica was just jaw dropping. She kept me on my toes the entire time.
This series was beautifully crafted and presented with the full intention of making you uncomfortable. Because that’s the point. It’s a true story of a man who clearly struggles with himself and struggles with the horrific events of his past whilst trying to deal with the terrifying events of the present. Very rarely do we see such raw storytelling of a man recalling his own sexual assault and to be reenacting it for a Netflix show is beyond brave. I applaud Richard for being able to live through that again. You’d have to be such a strong soul to be able to do that as well as deliver all those feelings on screen as if it were happening all over again. He deserves all the awards for both his acting and writing.
For what it’s worth, this is a must see. Journey outside your comfort zone and watch this incredible series in one go. Binge it, actually. The only way you’ll feel how heavy this show truly is is if you sit down and watch all seven episodes in one day. You might not thank me for it but you’ll be thankful you made the decision to give it a try because it truly is the best show I’ve seen so far on Netflix this year.
Baby Reindeer is available to stream now on Netflix.
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