Netflix fans are scratching their heads in confusion after watching a popular series that debuted last year, baffled by its classification as a comedy. Baby Reindeer, which dropped on the streaming giant in April 2024, quickly became one of the most buzzed-about shows. The series, created by Richard Gadd who also stars as Donny Dunn, narrates the harrowing tale of a man haunted by a female stalker ( Jessica Gunning ) and wrestling with his own traumatic history.
A year on from its release, new viewers have stumbled upon the show, partly described as a dark comedy, only to find themselves shocked by its 'brutal' nature. On Reddit, under a thread titled 'Started Baby Reindeer. It's brutal and depressing yet compelling,' a viewer wrote: "I don't know what to make of the show. It's brilliant, yet also brutal and depressing. Episode 4 is heart-wrenching.". The fourth episode, which includes scenes where Donny suffers sexual assault at the hands of a powerful figure, had already left audiences distressed during its initial release, reports Surrey Live.
The online debate prompted one individual to exclaim: "How the h*** is this categorised as a comedy??". Despite being tagged under various genres, including drama and comedy, newcomers have shared that Baby Reindeer doesn't provoke the typical comedic response. In the same thread, other streamers commented: "I didn't finish this. I do think it's as good as people say, but it was too sad and depressing for me.".
One viewer expressed: "I just finished Baby Reindeer tonight! I liked it but I'm sad. So sad," while another was less affected by its intense themes, stating: "I binged the entire show in a weekend. Loved it.". Another fan shared their experience: "I just finished it last night. It [has] taken me ages to to watch it all. Utterly compelling TV, but I had to to have a break after each episode.". Based on events from Gadd's life, Baby Reindeer scooped up six Emmy Awards. These included accolades for Outstanding Lead Actor (Gadd); Outstanding Supporting Actress (Gunning); Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series.
