I’m watching baby reindeerReminds me of Blanche Dubois. A streetcar named desire And her line, “No matter who you are, I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.” This sentiment fits perfectly with Martha Scott, the former lawyer turned stalker in this story. Boisterous Martha and graceful Southern belle Blanche may seem very different, but they have much in common. Both women are approaching middle age, emotionally unstable, and battling mental illness. They both develop an unhealthy obsession with younger men. And both are vulnerable to the kindness of strangers. When Martha receives a small act of kindness from bartender Donnie Dunn, offering her a drink at his house, it is enough to send her into a spiral of obsession.
Donnie, a stand-up comic struggling to make it as a solo comedian in London, finds himself part of a cast of millions in the story of his own life. So Donnie can’t help but humor Martha when he walks into the bar where Martha works and is instantly captivated by her.
For a while, Martha is good for him. Laughter is contagious, and Martha’s enthusiasm is the driving force that excites the audience as she joins in on Donnie’s silly comedic act. So Donny tolerates her, even as she drags him through the various stages of her stalking, from infatuation to despair to denial and, finally, terrifying anger.
I entered baby reindeer I’m looking forward to a dark comedy. But I wasn’t prepared for how dark and how powerful it would become. How Martha ruins Donnie’s life, overwhelms him with endless messages (hilariously misspelled), taunts him, chases him, and puts herself, Donnie, and the people he loves in total danger. , I can’t help but watch it.
I didn’t expect it either baby reindeer It’s supposed to be psychological education about stalking. The show explores various aspects of stalking, from abuse to self-harm to the psychological trauma that stalking causes, without being preachy. The show deals with these difficult experiences with rare insight and sensitivity.
Through Donnie, we learn why people who are stalked don’t confront or report their stalkers. Many victims like Donny have a hard time expressing how their stalker’s behavior threatens them. Rather, they feel ashamed of their own helplessness and feel sorry for the stalker. Donnie minimizes Martha’s behavior, which escalates the abuse.
Even when he eventually seeks help, the legal system’s unfairly skewed views stand in the way. Donnie is frustrated that the police think the risk of physical harm to men is negligible, given the power differential in stalking women and men. Having been molested by Martha, Donnie knows how humiliating sexual assault can be, regardless of gender. After that experience with her, he was furious at her for making him feel less human and at her frozen self.
Eventually, Donnie gains sympathy and support from an amazing person. It’s his stubborn alpha male father, Jerry. In one of the show’s most harrowing scenes, Donnie confesses to his parents that he was raped by an older man and fears that his family will no longer see him as a man. In a beautiful, tender, and surprisingly polite moment of connection, Jerry reminds the wounded boy that he was raised in the Catholic church and reaffirms that his son is a man.
If you want to know what “baby reindeer” means, wait until the end. In the final moments of episode 7, Donnie is sitting at a bar listening to a voice message from Martha. Martha talks about why Donnie is her “baby reindeer” and how important he is to her. While crying, remembering his lost nemesis, Donnie realizes that he has forgotten his wallet and cannot pay for his drink. So a kind bartender gave it to him on the house.
I’ve seen some speculation online that Donnie is going to start stalking bartenders. But that’s completely beside the point. Donnie has no intention of replicating Martha’s harmful behavior. Instead, he has come full circle emotionally. He steps into Martha’s girlfriend’s shoes and realizes how much his one small act of kindness meant to her when she was at her lowest point.
At its core is empathy. baby reindeer Staying grounded amidst all the chaos. The show never gives viewers the luxury of taking the moral high ground or criticizing Martha or Donnie, even when they do the most self-destructive things. Instead, baby reindeer It takes full advantage of human emotions and explores why hurtful people hurt others.
