PremiumNetizens praise Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer – ‘Give him all the awards’
Baby Reindeer, which is streaming on Netflix, is based on comedian Richard Gadd’s personal experiences of being stalked and abused. The show is being hailed for its brave depiction of male abuse
Last Updated: 08.34 PM, Apr 16, 2024
Baby Reindeer, a new show on Netflix, is being hailed as the best new offering on the streamer so far this year. Based on a true account of a horrendous case of stalking that happened to comedian Richard Gadd, which he’d turned into a one-man show for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the 7-episode show has him reliving some of the darkest chapters of his life and audiences can’t stop raving about it.
Baby Reindeer’s primary plot centres on an aspiring comedian Donny Dunn (Richard Gadd) and how he is relentlessly stalked and subjected to mental abuse by an older woman. As horrible as this is, considering that it goes on for a couple of years, before she is finally caught and sent to get the help she needs, Donny was also sexually abused by an older man earlier. The show, say netizens, is, therefore, the bravest and genuinely terrifying depiction of male abuse, that is absolutely gut-wrenching.
How Richard could have put himself through this enactment of this terrible time in his life, is beyond them, say netizens, but for that, he and his show deserve all the awards possible, they add. Comments range from calling Baby Reindeer a “masterpiece” to “incredible piece of television”, “compelling watch”, “bravest show”, “absolutely insane”, “hauntingly great viewing”, among others.
The praise, though, isn’t only coming Richard’s way; Jessica Gunning, who plays his stalker Martha, is also getting a lot of love from audiences. “Jessica is exceptional and her acting brilliant”, is a common note in most of the social media comments coming her way.
Baby Reindeer has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and audiences, ensuring that it has now managed a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score. On April 15, the show ranked 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an average 88% audience score.