Baby Reindeer- Netflix

Shelga

Anyone watching this? It’s like nothing I’ve seen. It’s about a man working in a bar in London who begins being stalked, and forms a very messed up relationship with her. I’m one episode from the end and it’s absolutely nuts!

penno

Yep, just finished it and found it excellent. Very different from anything I've seen. Found it both very funny and engaging(slight Peepshow vibe off it) Got to love his honesty, he was a bit of a moth to a flame himself.

Bizarre stuff!

Messi19

Incredible. Absolutely incredible

TokTik

Watched the entire series yesterday after work. Dark, grim, gripping, shocking. Brilliant television.

archfi

Yeah, watched it all Sunday - at certain points I wasn't at all empathising with Gadd like why keep going back to the guy's flat and his eventual obsession with the insane stalker but overall the honesty of the writing in showing what he went through and why he kept going back was a triumph in trying to understand the whys.

Very good though harrowing at times.

JP Liz V1

What did I just watch

squonk

watched episode 1 last night. I’m just not getting why he’s ignoring all the signs and just going along. Surely at some point self preservation has to kick in.

Posy

It starts to make more sense as it goes on.

Damien360

Binge watched all the episodes. Brilliant TV. I was the same as a few posters above asking why he didn't see the signs early on but it makes sense later. Her acting was superb.

andy6

Based on a true story..

1wizards sleeve

V v good, highly recommend

Nigzcurran

Did the TV writer guy ever get prosecuted?

Sugarlumps

First decent show to appear on Netflix in a while.

terminator74

outstanding TV. It plunges into the the dark recesses of stalking and sexual abuse while managing some level of humour. Gadd is to be commended for this incredibly open and deeply personal reflection on what was a horrific experience. Best thing on Netflix in a long long time.

Hodors Appletart

it was a tough watch in some episodes.

Nava Mau is gorgeous

cgcsb

It was really fantastic. I was annoyed at him at times for letting things go way too far with marta and the guy who gave him drugs but its only near the end you really start to understand the self destructive behaviour, it is all about getting a bit of validation and I think it's something that nearly everyone can identify with especially in that 20s early 30s finding ones self era. Great show.

Posy

Brilliant TV. I'd love to have seen his play. (but maybe not his stand-up!)

Gadd should really be commended for this. Unflinching honesty doesn't even come close. Martha and Darrien, and the rest of the cast also brilliant.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122046852#Comment_122046852

His name has leaked online and he's left his job. Could be wrong name though.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122031139#Comment_122031139

Part of me thinks his motive was for material.

I know that's insensitive but that's how comedians think.

Petermc83

Really good tv.. albeit sometimes hard to watch in places. I just cannot believe that Gadd had the courage to star in it himself.

Must have been a harrowing experience to have gone though it all in the first place… then write the play… and then star in the show!! wow!

fluke

A tough watch, but brilliant. Talk about something being multi-layered.

squonk

have to stick to one episode a night. It’s too intense to binge I think. Well done to the actor playing Marta. She does a very scary crazy.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053806#Comment_122053806

She's a phenomenal actress.

Hopefully this will launch her career to another level.

Petermc83

seen a rumour going around that the actual stalker is a man. What’s everyone’s thoughts on that?!

Gadd said they did everything possible to try and ensure that the real stalker could not be identified by the fictional character protrayed in the show.. it makes a small bit of sense. However it doesn’t really play into his confusion over his sexuality throughout the storyline

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053884#Comment_122053884

She was class, stole the show.

She is also fantastic in The Outlaws on the BBC iplayer. Very funny.

apache

I cancelled my Netflix account a few months ago. Would I be able to get this on the Firestick? Looks like it could be good.

It's on the Firestick. Just starting it now.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122054890#Comment_122054890

The actual stalker has been outed online.

Can't be certain obviously but too many coincidences for it not to be her.

She even tweeted at Richard Gadd to hang her curtains.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122055023#Comment_122055023

One of the best performances I've seen in anything.

I can see her career going up a level to American TV shows and films.

If they were to remake "Misery", she'd be perfect.

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122054890#Comment_122054890

Real stalker has been found online. She isn’t much different to the character in the show.

plodder

Started watching it two nights ago and finding it already a cut above the usual Netflix schlock. After two eps, the three main characters are incredibly engaging. I did wonder about the real life implications for the woman concerned (and Gadd's motives behind the whole project - have to add he really has a reindeer look off him), but don't want to delve into that until I've seen it all. Looking forward to the rest of it!

kegg

Probably the best thing I've seen on Netflix.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122059739#Comment_122059739

Really? I wouldn't go that far.

Buddy Bubs

Watched it all in a day. Episodes 4, 5 and 6 are brilliant. I had little sympathy for Gadd around episode 3, why the hell was he tolerating it, then it all falls into place.

Powerful story very well told

squonk

I caught episode 4 last night and it really does turn the story around and fill in a load of the WTFery from the first 3 episodes.

It left me feeling kind of depressed that there are Pele out there who could be so willingly destructive to vulnerable individuals. It’s definitely far nite thought provoking than the usual Netflix fare.

breezy1985

Half way through and have really had to struggle to turn it off and go to bed the last few nights. Really just want to binge the whole thing.

Was hooked from the very start because I have known way too many people with aspects of Martha over the years from working bars (especially London). The early slightly dark curiosity with the clearly disturbed new customer was all too familiar.

At least half the bar staff I worked with over there are aspiring actors or similar and you hear of and see a lot of predators flocking around.

Sleepy

Excellent series and not at all surprising that the real life counterparts of Martha and Darrien are being outed online.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122062439#Comment_122062439

I think the guy named as Darrien might be false.

The Martha lady must surely be her. Too many similarities

Patrick Mahomes

How many innocent people are going to have their life’s ruined by crazy social media detectives over the next few weeks.

Regards,

P.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122064554#Comment_122064554

It's amazing how many of them can watch this show and then go and harass someone online. Do people actually pay attention to the things they watch and claim to enjoy.

gym_imposter

Watched the first episode last night, complete rubbish , lead actor has zero charisma or anything

Didn't know whether it's a horror or a comedy, worked on neither level

Speak Now

Finished it last night, surprised how much I enjoyed it especially liked the last voice note he listened to. I had empathy for both in the end.

Theboinkmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122066483#Comment_122066483

you’re definitely in the minority - I thought it was absolutely brilliant, top class tv!

Mr. CooL ICE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122066483#Comment_122066483

nno it isnnt its graet tv

Sent from mmy iphone

Mike Litoris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122075823#Comment_122075823

That post wins the internet today!!😁

Garzorico

I watched this over 2 nights. Not great. I kept watching it waiting for it to get better but it never took off for me. I don’t know how it’s groundbreaking or something new. It didn’t make sense that he entertained Martha. A review journalist wrote that it smacked of “hang on, this could be a good script…” and hence his continued engagement with her and I tend to agree with that. For me the link between the Martha and Darrien threads is tenuous at best or maybe I just missed it.

Overall I would give it a 3/10.

o1s1n

I thought this was fantastic, watched it in a day. Episode 4 was some depressing and difficult viewing.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122077631#Comment_122077631

I enjoyed it but I agree that he was happy to entertain Martha as he was gathering material for standup.

Possibly even his continued interaction with Darrien. I know that sounds insensitive and people will say things like power dynamics etc

gym_imposter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122074512#Comment_122074512

I know I'm in the minority, I just didn't like it, the Mrs liked it

Homelander

I thought it was fantastic and honestly have to commend the approach taken by Richard Gadd in openly addressing his own problems and failings - it's a show about a stalker, but it's about so much more.

Very powerful last scene where he goes to contfront Darrion.

I don't know how someone who's actually watched the show could criticize it for his continued engagement of Martha, like above. It's literally all there spelt out in black and white and it's literally based on a true story.

Absolutely crazy to see the real 'Martha' going on a Facebook rampage since the show was released. I find it strange that a large minority of people are attacking Gadd when a) it's his story as the victim of a crime and b) she's the one who literally outed herself.

If the roles were reversed and a man had relentlessly stalked a woman and her family, and then went on an unhinged social media rampage after the release, there isn't the faintest chance people would be coming to his defense.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122079432#Comment_122079432

There's a vulnerability to the real life Martha though so people should just leave her alone. She's obviously mentally ill and doesn't need provoking.

I don't like when people use the "If a man did that..." argument. It's not the same. Men are far more threatening. Women raping or murdering men is extremely rare.

OscarMIlde

Regarding Gadd not heeding the warning signs and dealing with Martha properly. You have to remember that despite the character in the show seeming older as he is played by Gadd himself, the stalking itself began when he was only 23, living away from home, feeling like a failure with regards his comedy and living with the shame of his abuse. I can easily see him basically trying to ignore that it was actually stalking and distressing, especially since he had prior experience of suppressing things and ignoring danger. I also think as a man he possibly hadn't been socialised on how careful you have to be about not allowing odd people to get fixated. Unfortunately I think a lot of women learn early that they need to be fairly direct in brushing off advances because male Marthas are not as rare as female Martha's and have the physical capacity to be more dangerous.