The Netflix series Baby Reindeer is a true story, as it used emails from the real-life stalking ordeal of creator and star Richard Gadd to accurately portray the events.
Despite the abundance of new TV shows to choose from this month, it’s possible that none will be as impactful as Baby Reindeer.
The main focus of the seven-episode series revolves around Donny Dunn (Gadd), a barman and stand-up comedian who must confront his previous trauma after being targeted by the dangerous serial stalker, Martha (Jessica Gunning).
Netflix’s version of the show “Baby Reindeer”is based on Gadd’s original performance at the Edinburgh Festival, which was inspired by his personal encounters with a woman who persistently pursued him for four years, referring to him as “Baby Reindeer.”
Throughout this period, she inundated him with a whopping 41,071 emails and 350 hours of voicemail messages, in addition to 744 tweets, 106 pages of letters, and 46 Facebook messages. The collection showcases a multitude of these emails, which ranged in tone and were riddled with errors in spelling and grammar.
Martha’s emails from Baby Reindeer. Every one of them real. pic.twitter.com/7jKVplc5vX
— Netflix (@netflix) April 13, 2024
One individual states, “If you didn’t want me to come to your house, then why do you keep walking along the canal to get home?”In another message, Martha says, “I don’t think I’ll stop.”A third person adds, “I am looking for a kind boy to take care of me, someone who resembles a baby reindeer.”
Netflix posted a series of these emails on their website, stating: “These are Martha’s real emails from Baby Reindeer.”During an interview with the streaming platform’s Tudum event, Gadd clarified: “The events depicted in the story are based on true events. Strangely enough, I began to see the potential for a compelling story during the actual experience itself.”
During one of the most intense periods of my life, I would listen to these voicemails. Even as I went to bed at night, her words would continue to echo in my mind. I recall thinking that if I were to speak about this experience on stage, I would convey it with a powerful and chaotic energy, incorporating the voicemails in a cacophony of sound. This is how the idea for the play was born.
Despite its difficulty, Baby Reindeer stands out by presenting a narrative rooted in real events and offers a subtle perspective on the topic of stalking. According to Gadd, traditional portrayals of stalking on TV often glamorize and sensationalize it, depicting the stalker as a mysterious and alluring figure who gradually becomes unhinged.
While some may view stalking as a mental illness, I aimed to portray the complexities of this behavior with a humanizing approach that had not been seen on television before. This story flips the traditional stalker narrative on its head, challenging common tropes and presenting a unique perspective.
Baby Reindeer is currently available for streaming on Netflix. Additionally, you can find information on the top TV shows of 2024 thus far, and discover the latest movies to watch on various streaming platforms this month.
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