The Dangers of Netflix’s Baby Reindeer And The Perilous Precedent It Sets

In the last few weeks, Netflix’s new miniseries, Baby Reindeer, has been the topic of discussion around watercoolers, internet chat groups and newsrooms across the globe. Richard Gadd’s controversial TV series which explores several dark themes, including stalking and harassment, mental health struggles, and, of course, sexual trauma, is trending and has viewers glued to their screens. And while there have been concerns about some of the behind-the-scenes shenanigans, what few people are talking about is whether there exists ethical boundaries when it comes to producing content centred on real-life events and individuals.

And that’s a real problem.

The hit series follows the unsettling story of Richard Gadd’s own personal life and his rise from a comedian to a scriptwriter while being the target of a stalker named Martha. Working as a bartender, Donny and the lonely lawyer first meet when he offers her a complimentary cup of tea.

“That one act of kindness changes Donny’s life forever, because for the next three years, Martha stalks him,” Jessica Gunning told Tudum in a recent interview. “She sends him 41,000 emails and hundreds of hours worth of voice messages. But it’s not your conventional stalker storyline.”

It’s entertaining from start to finish, with the show guaranteed to bag a few awards for its storytelling and production value. However, as the real-life Martha, whose identity remains undisclosed, threatens legal action and faces unwarranted scrutiny from internet users, it becomes increasingly evident that the production of such content can have severe consequences too.

To put it simply: Baby Reindeer might blur the lines between entertainment and reality a little more than some are comfortable with. In fact, one could argue that by dramatizing real events and portraying real-life individuals in the series without their permission, Baby Reindeer risks exploiting the experiences of those involved for the sake of entertainment.

Gadd has stated that he is maintaining confidentiality regarding the identity of the real Martha. “We’ve gone to such great lengths to disguise her to the point that I don’t think she would recognise herself,” he explained. “What’s been borrowed is an emotional truth, not a fact-by-fact profile of someone.”

Of course, that didn’t prevent users across the internet from searching for her – and, not surprisingly, actually finding the real Martha the story portrays.

See, the ordeal with Martha in the series was transformed into a source of intrigue for viewers who may fail to recognise the human cost behind the spectacle. Moreover, it highlights the potential dangers of public exposure that can result from a production like this. As her identity is sought after by curious internet users, she has been thrusted into the spotlight against her will.

Baby Reindeer might set a dangerous precedent for filmmakers. Honestly, what prevents your ex-girlfriend from creating a television series about her own life and including you in it as a villain? What prevents your enemies from making you a part of their own miniseries and bending the truth in their favour?

I’m sure you’ll agree that while artistic freedom is undoubtedly important, it must be tempered with a sense of moral obligation towards the individuals whose lives are being portrayed. If we don’t find ways to keep people’s privacy and dignity safe, making this kind of material could end up hurting them more instead of helping people understand or care about them.

Following the release of the Netflix show, the person who supposedly inspired the character Martha informed the Daily Mail that she was going to sue Gadd. She claims that Gadd was the one fixated on her. “He’s using Baby Reindeer to stalk me now,” she told the tabloid. “I’m the victim. He’s written a bloody show about me.”

She also described Gadd’s script as “bullying an older woman on television for fame and fortune” and mentioned receiving online “death threats and abuse from Richard Gadd supporters.”

While some might argue that Martha deserves all the attention she is currently receiving, Netflix’s Baby Reindeer actually remains the perspective of one person. We don’t know the full story. We might not even know the true story. All we really know is the miniseries that depicts Martha as a crazy human being.

Hollywood has been creating biographical films and television shows for hundreds of years. But any historian will tell you that most of the time the details are skewed for entertainment value. However, in most cases the subject or the protagonist is no longer around to deal with the repercussions. What happens when streaming services start making content about real-life people living next door without their permission? What happens if you’re the next Martha? 

Tell us, what are your thoughts on Netflix’s Baby Reindeer?