Baby Reindeer
Summary
This clause contains spoiler for Baby Reindeer ( 2024 ) and heavy mention of stalking , harassment , and intimate ravishment .
Baby Reindeermay be found on creator and whizz Richard Gadd ’s veridical - life stalker , but the hit Netflix miniseries will out some item from the true story . Beforeit was adapt for the small screen , Gadd’sBaby Reindeerbegan as a one - human race show that premier at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe back in August 2019 . The autobiographical carrying out consisted of the then-30 - class - older Scottish comic doinga aggrandise re - telling of his tangible - life experience with a distaff prowler . Gadd first met the older womanhood , for whom he use the pseudonym " Martha,“when he function her a detached drinkable at a pub in his 20 .
After come through multiple honour and doing a five - week run at The Bush Theatre in London before moving to the Ambassador ’s Theatre ( which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic),Baby Reindeerwas eventually reworked into a seven - part miniseries that was released on Netflixon April 11 , 2024 . In increase to writing all seven episode ofBaby Reindeer , Gadd continued to play the fictionalizedversion of himself named Donny Dunn in the miniseries . Now that it was no longer a one - human show , the unobserved character from the stage production werecast inBaby Reindeer , with Jessica Gunning playing Martha .
Baby Reindeeris the # 1 show on Netflix ’s Top 10 chart at the sentence of penning .
While " the frame of the write up is absolutely reliable " inBaby Reindeerboth onstage and onscreen , Gadd admit that he amped up the thrill factor to dispel the " grim tediousness and frustration " that actually accompany getting stalked and chivy more often than not ( viaThe Guardian).When the narrative took on the medium of television in a limited data format , the world of the situation terminate up getting alter even more . Although Gadd insists thatthe miniseries still " never moved too far from the verity ” ( viaGQ),some element ofBaby Reindeer ’s true storywere left out .
All seven episodes ofBaby Reindeerare uncommitted to stream on Netflix .
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon
5Baby Reindeer Does Not Include Richard Gadd’s Real Stalker’s Name
Gadd Used “Martha” As A Pseudonym For His Stalker In Baby Reindeer
InBaby Reindeer , Donny ’s stalker ’s first name is bring out to be Martha almost right by and her last name is confirmed to be " Scott " by and by in the miniseries . While " Martha " is the same pseudonym Gadd used in the originalone - man show,“Martha Scott " is not the name of Gadd ’s existent stalker in real life . In fact , Gadd has never revealed this woman ’s real name at all , first or last .
Other details about Gadd ’s real stalker may have been vary in Baby Reindeer to further conceal her true personal identity , like her former profession as a attorney or aspects of her overall appearance .
It seem as though her name is n’t the only affair that Gadd changed , either . " We ’ve gone to such great lengths to disguise her to the point that I do n’t think she would distinguish herself , " Gadd toldGQabout the depiction of his stalker inBaby Reindeer . He went on to say thatthe character of Martha is " not a fact - by - fact profile of someone,“all of which suggests that other detail about Gadd ’s real prowler may have been altered inBaby Reindeerto further conceal her lawful identicalness , like her former profession as a lawyer or aspects of her overall appearing .
Baby Reindeer is a dark comedy series based on a true story and a stage play of the same name. It centers around Gus, a barista who becomes the focus of an intense and unsettling obsession by one of his customers, Martha. After a seemingly harmless interaction, Martha’s fascination with Gus spirals out of control and begins to wreak havoc on his life.
When dealing with fictionalized portrayal of true events , " you need to change things to protect multitude , " which seems to extend to his prowler in this shell .
It ’s possible that these crusade to mist his stalker ’s tangible personal identity were to obviate getting sued or simply stoking the flame , butit seems to stem more from Gadd ’s empathy for this woman , which he ’s verbalize about at length . Gadd has stated many clock time that he believes that " stalking is a mental illness " and that his own prowler was a victim herself . “ I see to it someone who was unwell , needed help , [ and ] was quite vulnerable , " he toldRadio Times . “ I was n’t dole out with someone who experience calculate or subtle , " he repeat toGQ .
As Gadd note himself , when deal with fictionalize portrayal of true events , " you need to commute things to protect people , " which seems to stretch to his stalker in this case . In his view , " Martha " was not a nefarious criminal who deserves to be called out , soexposing the actual " Martha " in any electrical capacity would have only stimulate further harmtosomeone who ’s already vulnerable and unstable . “ She needs help , but she ’s not catch any,“he toldThe Guardian .
4Baby Reindeer Does Not Specify The Exact Total Number Of Times “Martha” Contacted “Donny”
Gadd’s Stalker Sent Him An Alarming Number Of Emails, Tweets, Facebook Messages, Letters, & Voicemails
One aspect of the theatrical production that theBaby Reindeerminiseries kept was the habit of Gadd ’s real - life subject matter from " Martha " in both sound recording and written form . In the stage show , the barrageof texts and emails from her were shown onscreen and the seemingly endless voicemail were distribute over the speakers . Although the phone cry do n’t arrive until the finis of the miniseries , each sequence ofBaby Reindeeropens with a typo - tantalise email from Martha , in which she call Donny the titular pet name .
Martha ’s ceaseless harassment of Donny via engineering is made patent through these storytelling devices .
More of these messages appear against the same black backdrop throughout the episode , giving Donny and the viewer a glimpse into Martha ’s state of nous at that given minute . Donny ’s inbox would also on occasion be shown on his laptop filmdom , flooded with 12 upon dozens of unread e - ring armor from Martha . Once she gets ahold of his sound number in the finale after he absentmindedly direct it out in a aggregative email , Martha start leaving Donny nonstop voicemails , too , which he commence to obsessionally dissect . Martha ’s incessant molestation of Donny via technology is made evident through these storytelling gadget .
In realness , Gadd ’s sneak beam him a total of 41,071 emails , 744 tweets , and 46 Facebook message . She also wrote him varsity letter totalling 106 pages and left him a total of 350 hours of voicemail messages .
However , Baby Reindeernever reveal the accurate sum of each character of message the real " Martha " sentduring the years she spent stalk Gadd . In world , Gadd ’s stalker send him a total of 41,071 emails , 744 tweets , and 46 Facebook messages . She also wrote him letter totalling 106 Sir Frederick Handley Page and left him a total of 350 hours of voice mail messages ( viaThe Independent ) . The breaker point still gets across , but including the astronomically gamy reckoning in the police investigating or during her plea auditory sense would have served to emphasise the sheer level of her obsession and put it into perspective for the interview .
Netflix ’s Baby Reindeer is a fictional retelling of a comedian ’s experiences with being stalked , and it ’s darkest bit can be extremely acute .
3Martha Does Not Give Donny Any Of The Gifts Richard Gadd Received From His Stalker In Baby Reindeer
Gadd’s Stalker Gave Him Some Very Bizarre Presents In Real Life, Including A Reindeer Toy
In addition to the endless streamof emails , voicemail message , alphabetic character , text , and communicating via Facebook and Twitter , Gadd ’s sneak also gifted him an regalia of very questionable item . PerIndependant , the real " Martha " sent Gadd a phial of sleep pills , a woolly hat , a sword - fresh pair of boxer shorts , and , most notably , a reindeer toy dog . Though she called Gadd by several nicknames , " sister reindeer " was her most commonly used pet name for him , hence the name of the show and the stuff brute he received from her in actual life .
It seems like a missed chance not to include the caribou toy in the Netflix miniseries as a symbol of Martha ’s obsession with Donny .
Surprisingly , Martha does not give nor send Donny any gift inBaby Reindeer . Her harassment of him is limited to her in - person show — prove up to his oeuvre , theater , and comedy gigs and following him around — and technical correspondence . Martha does n’t even write Donny any alphabetic character like Gadd ’s stalker did in real life .
More than anything , it seems like a miss chance not to let in the reindeer miniature in the Netflix miniseries as a symbolic representation of Martha ’s fixation with Donny . The sight of the cute and seemingly innocent wight could have created an interesting collocation with Martha ’s hulk bearing that it would represent for Donny . However , it ultimately have sense that the talented reindeer miniature was leave off fromBaby Reindeeron Netflix .
The very last scene of the miniseries show Donny listening to one of Martha ’s unheard voicemails . In the subject matter , Martha excuse that she calls him " baby reindeer " because he reminds her of a cuddly , fluffy baby reindeer plaything from her childhoodthat she still has to this solar day . When she was a shaver , Martha would carry this toy dog around with her everywhere and squeeze it extra closely when her parents fought , which was often . According to Martha , Donny is the spitting persona of her reindeer with the same " crowing lips , huge eyes , and a cunning wee bum . "
Had Martha actually give Donny the reindeer toy inBaby Reindeer , this powerful conclusion scene would n’t have live .
This reveal hits Donny hard , causing him to gain new brainwave and intellect into Martha ’s soul and make him commiserate with her more . Had Martha in reality give Donny the caribou toy inBaby Reindeer , this powerful close scene would n’t have be or might have amount in the first place instead , which would n’t have had the same effect . Excluding the endowment Gadd received from his stalker allowed for this pivotal moment inBaby Reindeerto exist , which ties the whole series together .
2Baby Reindeer Does Not Feature Richard Gadd’s Monkey See Monkey Do Show
Monkey See Monkey Do Is Richard Gadd’s 2016 Comedy Show About His Experience As A Sexual Assault Survivor
During the supplication listening in court , the judge specifies thatMartha has been load with stalking and harassing Donny from August 14 , 2015 , until March 22 , 2017 . Donny ’s typecast report of each incident with Martha also corroborates that the serial ' timeline of result started in August 2015 . During this nearly two - class flow in genuine life , Gadd was developing and performing his multi - award - make headway clowning showMonkey See Monkey Do , which precededBaby Reindeer .
Even though Gadd was touringMonkey See Monkey Doduring the timeline of events depict in the miniseries when the real " Martha " was still actively stalk him , Donny is never seen composition , developing , or perform the showinBaby Reindeer .
Monkey See Monkey Dopremiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2016 , three years beforeBaby Reindeer . Gadd drop the duration of the performancerunning on a treadwheel with a gorilla in close pursuit , which culminate in him disclosing his experience as a survivor of sexual violation . Gadddid multiple sold - out runs ofMonkey See Monkey Doat the Soho Theatre in London before tour the UK and Europe and prepare a stop at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in April 2017 .
Even though Gadd was touringMonkey See Monkey Doduring the timeline of events depicted in the miniseries when the actual " Martha " was still actively stalk him , Donny is never seen penning , developing , or perform the showinBaby Reindeer . rather , the root word and dependent matter ofMonkey See Monkey Doare essentially integrate into the write up of the miniseries . Baby Reindeergoes much further in - deepness about the all-inclusive sexual abuse he endured by bringing the consultation along with Donny through flashbacks .
Gadd then opted to have Donny make an impromptu confessional about his injury onstage during his regular prop - sharpen band , which does n’t appear to have ever happened in real biography . After the video of his heartwrenching equipment failure goes viral , Donny ’s funniness career get down to flourish , which seems to represent Gadd’sMonkey See Monkey Dosuccess in literal living . He is call for to interviews and generate mass of fend - up opportunities , but he is never bear witness consort on a treadwheel with a gorilla in close avocation .
After erase the timeline of events on his laptop computer , Donny writes the first rail line ofBaby Reindeer(“I finger sorry for her . That ’s the first intuitive feeling I left " ) in the clean text file .
1Martha Does Not Continue Harassing Donny’s Family & Friends After The Restraining Order Is Granted In Baby Reindeer
Gadd’s Real Stalker Was Not Sentenced To Any Prison Time
Just like Gadd ’s existent stalker , Martha ’s molestation is not throttle to just Donny inBaby Reindeer . Martha bombards his ex-wife - girlfriend Keeley ( Shalom Brune - Franklin ) with messages on Facebook and commence calling his parents nonstop . She even physically attacks Donny ’s love interest group , Teri ( Nava Mau ) .
Baby Reindeer ’s endingsees Martha finally getting collar after Donny finds evidence of her apparently jeopardize to poke him and his parent on his voicemail . Martha plead guilty to all three enumeration of stalking and harassment and is sentenced to nine months in prison . Donny is also accord a five - class restraining ordering against Martha and never see her again after her plea hearing . AlthoughGadd was also granted a restraining order against his stalker in tangible life , he " did n’t want to throw someone who was that level of mentally unwell in prison " ( viaThe Times ) .
She could n’t make contact with him anymore , but the real " Martha " had still been chivy Gadd ’s friends and family until lately at that point .
As such , the actual " Martha " seems to have never been put behind bars for her crimes against Gadd . According toThe Guardian , Gadd ’s prowler was " still at large " around the time thatBaby Reindeerpremiered at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe , at which tip he ’d already gotten a restraining lodge against her . She could n’t make inter-group communication with him any longer , but the tangible " Martha " had still been harassing Gadd ’s friends and phratry until recently at that point .
Because Gadd decided to changewhat occur to the real Martha inBaby Reindeerby get the character go to prison , Martha does not continue to chivy Donny ’s friends and family after his restraining order is grant . Once she ’s incarcerated , Martha is never seen or listen from again inBaby Reindeer , unlike Gadd ’s actual stalker .
Sources : The Guardian , GQ , Radio Times , Independent , The Times
Baby Reindeer is a grim funniness series based on a true story and a degree period of play of the same name . It focus on around Gus , a barista who becomes the focus of an intense and unsettling compulsion by one of his customers , Martha . After a seemingly harmless fundamental interaction , Martha ’s fascination with Gus helix out of control and begins to wreak havoc on his life .
