Baby Reindeer creator wants people to understand it's "much more" than a stalking story
"On the surface level, it is a stalking story, but underneath that, it is one that explores the ramifications of trauma.”
New series Baby Reindeer is a fictionalised retelling of a true life tale that has gone from being a one-man theatre show to a full-on Netflix production, inspired by Richard Gadd's own case of being stalked – but also, so much more.
Across the seven episodes, we follow Gadd in the lead role of Donny, an aspiring comedian who works in a pub and offers a free cup of tea to a seemingly vulnerable woman, Martha (Jessica Gunning).
Soon, a warped relationship is formed, and Donny is faced with a stalker - which ultimately leads him on a journey of uncovering his own trauma.
And that's really what Baby Reindeer is all about, says Gadd, who has created, written and stars in the series.
Chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the series, he said: "I think trauma begets trauma, in a way. I felt it was important to contextualise [Martha’s] plight, just as much Donny’s.
More like this
"Ultimately, I think the easiest way people will receive this show is they’ll say, 'Oh, have you seen that stalking show on television?' I think that’s great because it sells; stalking is a good selling point for the show.
"But I think if you look closer at the show, it’s much more than that."
Gadd continued: "It’s not just somebody hiding down a dark alleyway. For me, this show is about trauma.
"A lot of the characters in it - indeed, all of the characters in it, from my dad even all the way through to Nava’s [Mau] character, Teri - they’re all battling with feelings, emotions, traumas and all those things.
"I think Baby Reindeer displays this slice of life where all these different characters come together and almost try to cohabit in this crazy world.
"So a lot of it is about trauma, for me, which is why it was important to get that cyclical nature of it – Donny giving the drink and then receiving the drink.
"On the surface level, it is a stalking story, but underneath that, it is one that explores the ramifications of trauma."
Starring alongside Gadd in the series is Gunning (The Outlaws), who stars as Martha, who revealed more about what she hopes people will take from Baby Reindeer.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
She told RadioTimes.com: "It’s really hard to say, 'Watch something without judgement,' when it could be so polarising or complicated.
"I don’t think it’s the kind of thing where people will take sides at all, but I think it’s the kind of thing that people will see is a lot more nuanced than just a headline stalker victim storyline. I think it’s a lot more than that.
"I think the way that Richard’s told it, and also how Josephine [Bornebusch] and Weronika [Tofilska], our directors, have shot it so brilliantly, it’s better than I even imagined it to be when I read the scripts. And I thought they were the best things I’d ever read. I just hope people watch it."
Read more:
- GOOD, starring David Tennant, to air on BBC and iPlayer
- Shardlake confirms release date for Tudor mystery adaptation on Disney Plus
With the trailer for the series racking up many views when it was released just a couple of weeks before release, Gunning also added: "Even though it’s an incredible trailer, trailers sometimes just don’t do justice to the entire thing.
"I hope people stick at it for all seven episodes, because I think it’s just such an interesting and thought-provoking story."
As well as Gadd and Gunning, the show also stars Nava Mau (Generation), Tom Goodman-Hill (Mr Selfridge), Shalom Brune-Franklin (The Tourist), Nina Sosanya (Screw), Mark Lewis Jones (The Way) and more.
Baby Reindeer is available to stream now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
