“Baby Reindeer” has become the surprise Netflix hit of the season. Scottish comedian Richard Gadd’s adaptation of his own one-man show has taken over social media less than two weeks after its release. The dark comedy-thriller is inspired by his own life, specifically the instance where Gadd was stalked and harassed. He plays a fictionalized version of himself who becomes the subject of a woman’s obsession that gradually takes over his life.
It’s one of the most grounded and harrowing on-screen depictions of stalking we’ve ever seen, but not even the most empathetic and artful works can avoid the blunt hammer of true crime speculation.