When a Men Becomes a Victim of Sexual Assault in the hit Netflix drama, Baby Reindeer. I thought Baby Reindeer was a comedy. I was expecting a hilarious British comedy like The IT Crowd or Fleabag. It turned out to be more like I May Destroy You.
Key Points
As soon as the last episode showed the end credits, I couldn’t help but pause and wonder, “What the hell did I just watch?”
When a Men Becomes a Victim
Donny, a failed comedian who works as a bartender in a pub in London. He used to have dreams and ambitions. Now, however, it’s just a long sigh and a zest for life that’s evaporating more and more.
One day Martha walked into his workplace and Donny felt sorry for Martha. From her physical appearance alone, Donny could imagine that Martha seemed to be the kind of woman that people would overlook or make fun of.
Martha just sat down and didn’t order anything. She couldn’t even afford to pay for a cup of tea. But Donny felt sorry for her, so he gave her a cup of tea. They chatted and somehow Martha’s presence made Donny happy.
Martha sees Donny not as a failed comedian. Martha keeps coming over and raving about her work as a lawyer. In his heart, Donny wondered how could a lawyer who Martha thought hung out with various important people not be able to afford a cup of tea?
Martha’s presence became more and more intense. She could spend all day at the pub. It was only a matter of time before Martha bombarded Donny and followed him wherever he was.
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Not the Perfect Victim
There was one sentence that gave me goosebumps at the opening of Baby Reindeer. The black screen writes that this story is based on a true story. Baby Reindeer, adapted from Richard Gadd’s one man show, never places the main character as a 100 percent victim.
The series creator’s ability to make each of his characters have layers that make Baby Reindeer more creepy than similar stories.
Throughout the seven episodes, Donny never gives easy answers. When Martha appears, the audience is not immediately frightened by her figure. Donny could have made Martha a villain, but in Baby Reindeer, Martha appears harmless.
She can make me feel sorry for her character, but a few minutes later she managed to scare me to death. Even in the midst of the chaotic action, the audience can see that there is a reason why Martha is doing this.
Jessica Gunning’s stunning range makes Martha both creepy and human. As a performer, Richard Gadd certainly managed to balance Gunning well.
Especially in episode four when Baby Reindeer decides to provide background on why Donny didn’t immediately go to the police when Martha started doing unnatural things. Donny through his narration to the audience asks the same question that the audience might ask. “Why did Donny serve this woman?”
In the fourth episode, Donny invites the audience to see Donny’s early days in London. He had a healthy relationship with his girlfriend and why he decided to shut himself down emotionally.
Not only is this episode much more creepy and bittersweet than the previous three. The makers of this series never hesitate to show the worst. As a viewer, I had to swallow raw the nightmare that Donny experienced.
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Not a Lecture and Manages to Portray Layers of Violence Well
The most interesting part of Baby Reindeer is how the makers don’t lecture about morals. Donny is a victim, but he also does toxic things. There are so many things he does throughout the season that make me cringe, especially in episode four.
But strangely, no matter how messed up Donny’s life decisions are, I can’t hate this character. Especially after what he did in episode six, it’s one of the best episodes. Baby Reindeer is presented in the form of a thriller with some comedic spices.
I can say that Baby Reindeer is one of the best I’ve watched this year. Almost everything that is considered taboo is discussed here without a patronizing impression such as sexual violence, trauma, mental illness, sexual identity, relationship dynamics, to various kinds of relationship exploration.
The fact that Baby Reindeer is presented as a thriller with dry comedy flakes makes it very unique. It’s hard to swallow but impossible to ignore. Baby Reindeer is not for everyone, especially for viewers with similar experiences.
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