One of the most divisive miniseries ever released on Netflix can be your perfect show to binge-watch on Netflix this weekend. This series earned a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 99% and six Emmys, making it one of the most acclaimed series of the 2020s.
2025 saw the rise of several great new series on Netflix, such as Adolescence, Untamed, Dept. Q, and American Primeval, but none of them have been quite as divisive as this series. Critics and audiences, however, can agree on its quality, even if its dark and potentially disturbing subject matter and plot twists are more subject to debate.
Baby Reindeer Is A Stalker Thriller Miniseries That’s Impossible Not To Binge-Watch
Baby Reindeer took Netflix and the internet by storm when it was released in April last year. A unique tale based on a true story, Baby Reindeer was created by Richard Gadd, who also wrote a play of the same name inspired by his real-life experience with a stalker.
Gadd plays Donny, who forms a strange relationship of sorts with his stalker, Martha (played by Jessica Gunning). This odd dynamic forces Donny to take a hard look at his own life and past trauma in unexpected ways. Baby Reindeer won six Emmys last year, including Outstanding Limited Series.
At just seven episodes, most of which are roughly half an hour long, Baby Reindeer is one of the most bingeable series on Netflix since you can essentially get through the whole series in one night. While some scenes may be a struggle to get through due to their graphic content, odds are you’ll want to keep watching until the end to see how everything unfolds.
Why Baby Reindeer Divided Audiences
Baby Reindeer Episode 6: Richard Gadd as Donny Dunn attacked by Jessica Gunning as Martha Scott
Baby Reindeer divided audiences for many of the same reasons that earned it critical acclaim. The series tackles tough subjects with a unique voice in a way that couldn’t possibly gel with all viewers. Themes such as mental health and sexuality in Baby Reindeer are open to interpretation and disagreement, depending on viewers’ experience, education, and all sorts of factors.
There was also some contention around what was actually real in Baby Reindeer since it was marketed as a true story based on Gadd’s life. According to NPR, the person whom Martha is supposed to be based on spoke to the press about discrepancies in her and Gadd’s relationship.
The woman, named Fiona Harvey from Scotland, claimed that the series “defamed“ her and is “a work of fiction” and “hyperbole.” She sued Netflix for $170 million, sparking a legal battle that is still ongoing.
Baby Reindeer Earned Its 99% RT Score Despite Its Controversy
Donny Dunn (Richard Gadd) doing stand-up in Baby Reindeer
Despite its heavy subject material and enormous defamation lawsuit, Baby Reindeer was one of the highest-rated shows of 2024 across all streaming platforms. Its six Emmy wins certainly speak for themselves, as well as its 96.2 million views in 2024, cementing it as an all-time great Netflix limited series.
Baby Reindeer is absolutely worth seeing at least once on Netflix, just to see what all the hype and controversy are about. Gadd is already developing a new series called Half Man with HBO and BBC that is set to be released next year and will star Gadd, Jamie Bell (Rocketman), Neve McIntosh (Doctor Who), and Bilal Hasana (The Agency).
0 Comments