Upon seeing the title Baby Reindeer crop up on my suggested viewing on Netflix, I had little hope for anything more than a very specific wildlife documentary or even a weird horror like The Human Centipede (dicks for antlers, maybe?).
Instead, creator and writer Richard Gadd presents what I would argue is one of the most important mini series Netflix has ever produced and a story that will open up essential conversations about men, masculinity and the complex ways we can be changed by sexual trauma.
Adapted from his one man show, Gadd’s Baby Reindeer sees comedian Donny navigate the disturbed relationship he develops with his female stalker, Martha, after they meet at the pub he works at and he offers her a sympathetic cup of tea because she looks so, well, pathetic.
Within the seven episode mini-series, not only does Donny attempt to cope with Martha’s escalating unhinged perception of their relationship but also the ways in which their situation tears open devastating wounds from past trauma.
Gadd plays this fictional version of himself and is phenomenal as Donny. His ability to be so vulnerable on-screen and deliver a performance that reflects some of his own harrowing experiences is really something to be admired, and to do it so well is just a testament to his talent.
As Martha's obsession with Donny infiltrates all areas of his life, we are witness to the ways in which being a victim of stalking can be utterly life ruining.
This alone is a very entertaining and yet troubling storyline to follow but it is the insight into Donny's previous abuse at the hands of a professional role model that really makes Baby Reindeer a standout piece of media.
The scenes of Donny’s sexual abuse are extremely disturbing to watch but they’re done incredibly well, all things considered.
Perhaps we have become desensitized to seeing sexual violence against women and aren’t used to seeing male sexual assault on film, or maybe internalised patriarchal stereotypes stop us from wanting to accept male vulnerability, but it does feel especially shocking to see Donny’s abuse, and that’s why it’s so important that we do.
It’s important that these kinds of stories are told and done so with such candour. Gadd plays this all so brilliantly and throws himself into this complex, messy and sometimes unlikable character with tenacity, bravery and wit.
Donny’s story is both unique, making for an entertaining viewing experience, but it also reflects the very real and devastating effects of sexual abuse, which are too numerous and diverse to ever truly explain.
Baby Reindeer explores some of the ways in which Donny has been psychologically scarred by his sexual abuse with an honesty that is really refreshing, with some of the more taboo symptoms of trauma explained and explored throughout the series.
Is this a heavy watch? It certainly can be but what is so brilliant about Baby Reindeer is that it still manages to tell a funny and entertaining story while still being an important exploration of male victims of abuse, and that is down to Gadd’s writing talent. Truly so, so impressive.
Gadd writes Donny without hesitating to address how differently each person handles being a victim of sexual abuse and, personally, there is a real sense of validation to see the uglier, less acceptable coping behaviours represented on screen and told by a narrator that understands how that feels to carry around with you.
Baby Reindeer is brilliantly entertaining and watching Gadd and Jessica Gunning (her performance as Martha is insanely good) come up against eachother delivers both laughs and tension but it is Gadd's vulnerability and talent that makes this miniseries so special.
It is male voices like his that we need to hear from in film and telvision, in life, in order to support men who are victims of any kind of abuse. Properly impressive.