There are plenty of comedic, or at least semi-comedic, TV shows tackling dead-serious subject matters over the past few years, from Fleabag to Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You. Richard Gadd’s new series, Baby Reindeer—a show about a young comedian dealing with a stalker—fits right into the fray. Baby Reindeer currently holds a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has generated intense chatter, accolades for its cast (particular breakout Nava Mau), and set off many an inquiring Google search along the lines of “Is Baby Reindeer really true?” But if you haven’t delved in for yourself yet, find everything you need to know about the much-buzzed-about show below:
What is Baby Reindeer about?
Baby Reindeer revolves around a struggling comedian and bartender named Donny (Gadd) who, upon meeting a distraught woman named Martha (Jessica Gunning) at the bar where he works, offers her a cup of tea on the house. This small act of kindness soon ignites a full-on obsession on Martha’s part, as she begins sending him hundreds of emails a day. At the same time, Donny is struggling to make a real relationship with his girlfriend, a trans therapist named Teri (Nava Mau), work. As the show progresses, the audience learns pieces of his backstory (and, specifically, his history as a survivor of repeated, drug-induced sexual assault) that suggest he was dealing with a lot of darkness long before he met Martha.
Is Baby Reindeer based on a true story?
Yes. The Netflix series draws upon Gadd’s real-life experiences with stalking and sexual abuse and was developed from a one-man show, Reindeer, that Gadd created about his stalker for the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival (which later became an Olivier Award–winning play in London’s off–West End). An unnamed woman who claims to be the inspiration behind Martha has said she’s considering legal action for defamation. Gadd has taken to Instagram Stories to ask viewers not to speculate on the real-life identities of the characters featured on Baby Reindeer, as “that’s not the point of our show.”
Who are the breakout stars of Baby Reindeer?
Gadd’s and Gunning’s performances have been highly praised, but Nava Mau’s performance as Teri has garnered particular acclaim. The Mexico City–born, San Antonio–raised 31-year-old actor and filmmaker came to her current role on Baby Reindeer from humble beginnings, telling Autostraddle recently: “I came into the industry from a short film that I wrote, directed, produced, and starred in off of a GoFundMe budget. And I’ve never felt more alive than on that set. I always want to try to return to that purity.” Mau’s nuanced performance has brought particular attention to the struggles some trans women experience, but she also has expressed hope for more expansive storylines: “I would love to hear a trans woman’s life story that does not include brushes with other people’s shame,” she said earlier this month. “In our day and age, a huge part of daily life for a lot of trans people is having to contend with other people’s shame and judgment.”
How many episodes of Baby Reindeer are there?
There are currently seven episodes of Baby Reindeer on Netflix, comprising the show’s full first season.
Will there be a second season of Baby Reindeer?
Seems unlikely, even given its record streaming success. For one, the story sort of comes to an end. (No spoilers here; we wouldn’t do that to you.) And, second, it seems that Gadd has moved on to new projects. According to a press release from the BBC, Gadd is working on a decade-spanning series tentatively titled Lions set in Glasgow, about two friends who experience a falling out and then a reunion. After the success of Baby Reindeer, Gadd can almost certainly count on a robust audience.