Baby Reindeer, Netflix’s seven-episode thriller has become an unexpected hit, surprising many with its intense themes. According to Netflix’s publicly released numbers, it is by far the most-watched show on the platform, surpassing all others.
The mini-series centers on our main character Donny Dunn, a bartender and struggling comedian attempting to navigate his trauma and build a sense of self while being relentlessly stalked and tormented by an older woman named Martha. Despite her constant harassment, he maintains a codependent relationship with her. The title of the show refers to one of Martha’s many nicknames for Donny.
Our main character Donny Dunn is played by actor Richard Gadd, the show is based on his experience with a female stalker and male sexual abuser. While Gadd is appreciative of the support for the award-winning one-man play, he is not happy with the fan’s detective work
Gadd urged fans not to dox potential real-life inspirations but they’ve done so regardless. The woman believed to be the inspiration for the obsessive stalker Martha is now threatening legal action against Netflix. The women who chose to remain anonymous at the time told the Daily Mail that the show amounts to “bullying an older woman on television for fame and fortune.”
“Richard Gadd has got main character syndrome,” she added. “He always thinks he’s at the center of things. I’m not writing shows about him or promoting them in the media, am I? If he wanted me to be properly anonymous, he could have done so. Gadd should leave me alone.”
Her desire for anonymity in her letter didn’t last long, as she was interviewed by Piers Morgan, during which she made statements that were later contradicted, highlighting the inconsistency in her story, which many fans pointed out.
“The show does an amazing job of showing what male victims of sexual assault and stalking go through something that’s not often shown in movies and shows. All the actors did an amazing job of conveying the emotional depth of their characters. Their performance brought the difficult subject matter to life in a very special way”, said Herianna Bartholomew, a freshman.
