Why 'Baby Reindeer' is Netflix's most-watched show: The real story unveiled
Some spoilers follow.
"Baby Reindeer," Netflix's absorbing, claustrophobic seven-episode thriller, has been an unexpected global hit — a success made even more surprising given its intense themes. It is far and away the most-watched show on Netflix, according to the streamer's publicly released numbers, dwarfing every other show on the platform.
The miniseries follows the character of Donny Dunn, a bartender and floundering comedian trying to navigate the fog of trauma and cobble together a sense of self while being mercilessly stalked and tormented by a woman named Martha, with whom he maintains a codependent connection, despite the harassment. The title refers to one of Martha's many nicknames for Donny.
Here's what's real about «Baby Reindeer,» and what viewers seem most curious about.
Yes, that is the real guy.
«Baby Reindeer» is the work of Richard Gadd, 34, who plays Donny, a slightly fictionalized version of himself. And if you were wondering how a regular guy could be such a confident, complex actor, it's because he is a seasoned, award-winning performer who parlayed his autobiographical one-man show, titled «Baby Reindeer,» into the series, for which he wrote every episode.
But once upon a time, he was the self-loathing performer we see depicted. «Baby Reindeer» takes meta storytelling to new levels.
Yes, it is based on his real experiences.
Early in the first episode, a message across the screen reads, «This is a true story.» And it is.
«It's all emotionally 100% true,» Gadd, who was the
