Baby Reindeer
Introduction
This has got to be one of the more unsettling and disturbing series that I may have watched in recent times! And dare I say, we all may have experienced stalking, the central core of the show, at some point of time. Love and infactuation are beautiful emotions provided you either keep them to yourself or the other person reciprocates in a positive manner. Because otherwise, the odds tilt in favour of them being dangerous. But what instantly sets Baby Reindeer apart is that the emotions aren’t binary and demarcated. There is a shade of grey that has been tapped into throughout the show that just doesn’t allow you to pick sides, while indulges the viewers into the psyche of the characters in a rather disturbing and unsettling manner. The show over the past few weeks has become a global sensation and I was curious about the hype around the show. And given its limited runtime, I casually began watching the show without quite knowing what to expect. Seldom did I know that I would be left pondering about the show that has the potential to mess with your head with the kind of depth that it wished to achieve with respect to the psyche of the characters. So then does Baby Reindeer manage to impress, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
Based on a true story, Baby Reindeer follows the story of a struggling comedian whose one act of kindness to a vulnerable woman sparks a suffocating obsession that threatens to wreck and derail his already complicated life. The story starts off to be a frivolous one, almost being playful with its setting until it slowly begins to indulge in the psyche of its twin protagonists that results in a deeply disturbing and unsettling drama. The nature of the writing to remain unapologetic and delve deep into the past of the protagonist was shocking, something that created a twisted therapeutic chain of events that he did not wish to completely discard, neither was he willing to completely accept. This dichotomy of exploring the grey area was something that did make for a highly engaging watch wherein the actions of the stalker continued to make the drama unpredictable over the course of its screenplay, standing at 7 episodes ranging from 20 odd to 40 odd minutes each.
The drama begins with the introduction of the protagonist who makes his way to a local police station while being mildly hesitant about his complaint of being harassed by a stalker. This opening sequence is used as a foreshadow wherein the drama shifts to a past timeline featuring the protagonist bumping into a vulnerable oversized woman whom he empathizes towards, while offering her a free drink. Seldom does he realise that his sole act of kindness would spark an obsession that he perceives to be harmless until it is all but too late. This involves thousands of emails and messages being sent to him, at times intimate, in a hope that he would oblige to them. As a result, the psychological game of cat and mouse between the ‘hunter’ and the ‘hunted’ is underway that begins to affect the personal life of the protagonist – including his failing career of being a standup comic or his equation with a beautiful transwoman, whom he has been lying to about his identity.
The proceedings are engaging and extremely indulgent given that a harmless interaction between the protagonist duo catapults into something that is deeply disturbing and distressing. There would be bouts of relatability with respect to the drama, which would continue to be equally unsettling even if the genders were to be swapped. Yet, the nature of the relationship between Donny and Martha isn’t as simplified or one-sided, with Donny not quite wishing to completely get rid of Martha in an odd set of events(not that Martha would budge in anyway at all). And hence, the extended flashback of the earlier life of Donny(before he ended up in London for good) was crucial in getting a deeper sneak peek in his psyche, with the kind of abuse that he did undergo, almost unflinching to the fact that the perpetrator poised as his mentor while offering him a writing job. The amount of abuse is disturbing while potentially scarring Donny for life, wherein he stops relating to folks around till Martha drops in, that weirdly was everything that Donny wished for in a human. This dichotomy was brilliantly established wherein Donny did see Martha both as a threat and as a source of therapy.
The third act gets a lot interesting also because of the initial helplessness of the authorities who refused to take the complaint of Donny, even as he continues to get stalked, heckled and harassed by Martha. The stakes are increased(and possibly being a rude wake up call for Donny too) when the near and dear ones of Donny begin to get harassed by Martha, in a bid for her to get close to him. The reluctance of Donny is still evident but he is almost coaxed to file a complaint, even as he finds himself in an uncomfortable position with a rather unexpected twist in the tale. But at its core, this drama is also about the suppressed feelings of Donny that he has hid from the world following his stint with being abused. And the amount of emotions that he brings to the fore in a moving monologue was incredible to witness, even as I did feel that the resolution of his conflict with Martha felt a bit rushed and simplistic. Yet, the end shot of Donny looking at Martha for the last time was an epitome of the dichotomy of his character, wherein some part of him was sad to see her go, afraid that his ‘therapy'(or unwarranted series of distraction) is about to end. And this bittersweet thought is what forms the crux of this screenplay which is very well written!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are crude but effectively in trying to communicate what they intended to. The frequent display of the text from Martha featuring several words being misspelt, also adds a different flavour to the proceedings. The music is good and represents the different moods of the drama pretty well. The BGM is tense and elevates the drama at various junctures in the narrative. The cinematography captures frames that are trippy, disturbing and unsettling that represent the vibe of the drama with perfection. The editing is crisp and sharp while allowing the drama to maintain its tempo throughout. Directors Weronika Tofilska and Josephine Bornebusch have done an incredible job with the world building, and in particular the characterization of the protagonists that represent the dichotomy of the drama really well. The directors do not try to curb the unsettling and disturbing elements in the drama that ensures that the impact of the drama is high and long lasting. The direction is excellent here.
Performances
The performances are excellent by the ensemble cast here. Tom Goodman-Hill as Darrien will enrage you to a point where you wish that he stalls his antics towards the protagonist. And he is excellent to witness here. Nava Mau as Teri is brilliant and has a pleasant personality onscreen. She definitely lends good support and leaves a mark with her character. Jessica Gunning as Martha is intimidating, be it her blank stares or her boisterous laughter. Her antics further create a clout in your mind which is unsettling and disturbing in equal measures, in what is a towering act of the highest order. Richard Gadd as Donny had such a complex character to portray with so many conflicting emotions which are deep and often scarred. And he does a brilliant job in tapping into them with utmost sensitivity with a sense of dichotomy. As a result, you aren’t quite sure if you should sympathize with the character or not, and this grey space is something that he beautifully explored through his character.
Conclusion
Boasting of solid performances, Baby Reindeer is a deeply disturbing and unsettling drama on trauma, abuse and stalking that has the potential to mess with your head, long after the show had ended. It is indeed a brilliant watch nevertheless! Available on Netflix and Highly Recommended!
