Drinker's Extra Shots - Baby Reindeer 

Jessica Gunning's acting in this series is mind blowing

I've never seen a better portrayal of what being the victim inside of an abusive relationship actually looks and feels like. The shame, the mistakes - the raw honesty with which the show approaches things was incredible. I thought it was a masterpiece in storytelling.

Jessica Gunning was incredibly chilling as Martha, she completely disappeared into the role, making you simultaneously pity and fear her.

I can't fathom that Richard Gadd played a fictional version of himself in this show. Absolutely mad. What a performance and what a way to confront and acknowledge your past.

The conversation at the end with his parents and his dad being able to relate to his trauma was upsetting. Had me fighting back tears

This show deserved a full drinker review

man, the Joker 2 looks weird

I read an article by a British female philosophy professor who writes about toxic patriarchy and although she admits that men can be victim of abuse she needs to point out how a story like that can take away from the abuse women suffer, like victims are caught in some zerosumgame. And on top of that she talks about the female actress and her body weight implying how it reinforces stereotypes of plus sized bodies... and then there is this review. I would say it is remarkable that the enlightened academic can't see behind the tropes and her own viewpoint whereas the toxic alt right grifter gives a balanced view on the male part and has nothing but praise for the actress who plays the female part, not even once mentioning her appearance, because you know it doesn't matter as she commands the screen with her acting abilities. But then again, it is 2024 and by now I know who I`d rather be in the woods with...

Damn…he must’ve made a good cup tea for all this to happen!

Jessica Gunning was spectacular. If she doesn't win an Emmy, then it would be a robbery.

This show was traumatizing and poetic. Masterfully done and incredible acting. This show should win awards.

I usually watch shows in 30 minute increments because that's how damaged my attention span is, even shows with hour long episodes I leave them to do something else, even if i'm not bored. This, THIS, is the first show i've ever watched in a single sitting, truly a once in a lifetime event.

See, this is why we men must choose the Bear!🐻

This is one of strangest tv shows i have ever watched. It goes from funny and light to dark and gritty, to sex abuse, self hate, mental issues, inability to understand yourself, feeling like you don't belong anywhere , complete lack of ability to feel happiness, lack of direction in life, grooming, drugs, wrong decisions etc. Just flat out crazy show. But also shows that people are complex but also fundamentally flawed and have incredible ability to self destruct

This series was SO unsettling and disturbing! I had to watch something happy and funny for a while afterwards. lol

Best thing I've seen this year. Watched it all in 1 night. The acting was really, really good.

I’ve been stalked by a girl before and yes it’s very accurate to the paranoia and stress

This is one of those shows I fell in love with from the first episode. The storytelling is epic, and the characters are believable. It's my favorite series so far. Great review, drinker. 🎉

Simultaneously "appalled and fascinated" is spot on.

Her Scottish accent is brilliant, I never would have guessed she is actually English

So creepy, it’s shocking that the show managed to make me feel sorry for Martha while being frightened of her.

Absolutely agree 100% drinker! As a mother of girls that were victimized by their predatory female cousin I think this they most accurate and realistic portrayal of how trauma effects humans. How contradictory and confusing it can be. It changes you and the way you see the world and yourself. This was such a brave and effective storytelling, best piece of television I watched in years. The acting was so incredibly well done that I was honestly disturbed and felt everything the actors were going though. Hard to watch especially if you or your loved ones went through it but also validating. Glad you loved it too! Great minds think alike!

Unexpectedly great series. I cant believe how vulnerable and honest Gadd was to put this in front of the world first with his stage play now this

The "reunion" Donny had with Darrien inthe last episode still gets me. How being back in the Lions Den like that reduces him to a Deer in Headlights again. He can't speak, or form defiant disagreement or vengeance against Darrien. I was initially perplexed by that. Why didnt he confront Darrien about everything, why didnt he lose it in front of him in ways he told Martha to get lost at times? The outpouring of all the pent up rage, hate, grief. I understand it is showing how the abuser still has "control" over Donny interms of reducing him back of sorts, to that same state of mind despite some time being passed. I get it. 👍But I found myself almost yelling at the screen at the same time, urging Donny to at least react and respond in a way for some sort of closure.

Why do i get "Misery" vibes from the Martha gal?

The fact he’s basically reliving his own experiences writing the show and playing himself is some feat I didn’t think a lot of people would be able to do, takes some honesty and determination to do what he did for this show

“Choy-sees” 😅

The show was phenomenal. It even got huge laughs out of me through all the drama. "Can't take my mother anywhere" 😂

I was utterly moved and totally blown away by this masterpiece.

I didn't expect this show to turn so dark. I watched almost all of it yesterday, and had to fight back tears. Jessica nailed her role tho! Its a really good drama.

I absolutely LOVED this show. It grabs you from minute one and I binged it all in one go. Absolutely fantastic TV.

Totally agree, I rarely binge watch shows, preferring an episode or two a day. But Baby Reindeer had me gripped from the get go and watched it all in one sitting.

Nobody ever talks about psychotic women, unless to find ways to blame men for it.

Just finished this show right before you uploaded this. Incredibly written covering some serious topics in a thoughtful manner without trying to push something on the audience. It presents an honest view of his experiences and lets you determine what the fuck was going on instead of telling you.

Absolutely great show.

Was a great meditation on trauma and how it can effect relationships.

Richard Gadd is truly courageous to reenact his harrowing real life experience of being stalked. I hope that there were plenty of emotional support counsellors on the set to help with any possible PTSD.

I LOVED this show! I wish Netflix would make more of these

Yeah. Wow. This was an amazing show. All around, top to bottom.

Not the feel good Christmas movie I was expecting 😭😭😭 lol

I couldn’t make it past episode three. I just couldn’t take how uncomfortable it made me feel.

Just love this TV show. Acting is top notch

Not sure I can handle watching this... But I was genuinely curious about it and you've answered those questions excellently.

Sadly the media is taking her side, blaming him, and saying she’s misunderstood and even he irl got involved sadly more dismal of male victims

Kinda insane that people criticize the “he did this to himself” argument when he literally did, several times. And what’s worse it’s always under the guise of seeking approval even though he has several loving people in his life he just throws away. Gadd is a grifter and it’s crazy to say this show was a stroke of genius when he literally just acted out his own life experiences. Would it be so crazy to say maybe he allowed himself all of this suffering in the hopes it would get him famous?

Nothing about this show makes me want to watch it.

Choices can lead down 1000 different paths and not all of them good. A friend of mine recommended this to me and it shows that both sides of the gender spectrum can become victims of abuse and can have a dark cloud of shame looming over them and can make mistakes that can lead down and even darker path. I rise a glass to the performers especially to Jessica Gunning who can give Kathy Bates a run for her money.

The fact that Richard Gadd actually went through all of this in real life is pretty heartbreaking!

It's so disgusting how people see this story and want a season two or stalk the creator to see where they can find the people on the show. Like it's so annoying.

Let's not forget what the "victim" really wanted was fame and he literally did anything to get it, and then blamed drugs.

Your appearance in P. Morgan’s “Uncensored” was a true pearl of insight. Keep it up Drinker!

Thanks for the recommendation, I probably wouldn't have heard of it any other way.

Thanks for the review Drinker. I'm glad that you and others are really enjoying it. It's seems like it resonates with a lot of people. I guess I'm one of the few not interested in what sounds like a miserable slog through a stranger's trauma.

This was a compelling show that I never want to watch again

Hopefully that will shine some light on sexual abuse and how it affects victims. "Buy why didn't you go to the police straight away", "but why did you come back", why this, why that. Applying logic from afar is easy. But if you are in the situation, there is no logic, the victims brain is fried by the act, all rational goes to hell. Messes with your perception of everything - from sexuality to future encounters with predators. Like a stalker for example.

The very end when the antagonist is finally humanized was a brilliant ending. It brings some sort of closure to the wild ride this show is.

Quite possibly the best thing Netflix has put out in a LONG time.

Wasn’t even aware of this one. Thanks for putting it on my radar, I’ll add it to my queue.

The best new show at the moment!

One Piece, Blue Eyed Samurai ,The Gentleman and now Baby Reindeer when it comes to shows Netflix have been lately knocking it out of the park

Never mess with someone out of your weight class.

This show was incredible. Way more layered than I thought it would be, and holy shit dude, I was almost having anxiety attacks right along with Donny at some points. . . it all felt so damn _real_ Amazing work

Incredible show.

Just finished it. Wow. What an emotional roller coaster.

Loved this show. Really great!

This show is sick dude can’t stand the big girl but set up a date with a transmission smh 🤮

Wee need more series like this that show that women can also be dangerous and troubled. Violence towards men is often disregarded as unthreatening or not as important as violence towards women.

It’s really depressing for someone to try to tell his story about stalking and a horde of keyboard warriors miss the point and try to tear apart his personal life to satiate their curiosity on who she was.

I absolutely loved this show. Watched it and wasn’t expecting anything from it. But it dark, gritty, and very dramatic. Both the main cast where fantastic in their roles

I loved this show but you are correct, it's not an easy watch

Hey Drinker! Are you ever going to review older films in long format on your main channel? Like when you reviewed Prometheus, Event Horizon etc. I noticed these days that you mostly review the latest films.

This show hit hard, such an insane story.

Jessica Gunning was channeling her inner Cathy Bates

I felt like I was watching Drinker's alter-ego on screen the whole time 🤣

Really enjoyed this show & I can’t think of anything quite like it .. I hope more “TV Programmes” go back to 30mins an episode ..

Was a great series.

I know the drama generate more.views, but please expand more on this kind of reviews, I love your thoughts and probably you have a lot more to offer for this amazing shows

Excellent review of an excellent show, Drinker. Well done!

This show is one of the reasons I've kept Netflix while dropping a good amount of its newer rivals. They pump out a lot of shit, but a few times a year, we get lucky with some truly good content.

The Mrs. had this show on and I had no intention whatsoever of watching it. I was just playing my game, peeking over once in a while, making snarky remarks about the characters and their choices. Long after the Mrs. fell asleep and I couldn't find the remote, I kept watching and listening. By the time the show was ending I had paused the game to actually watch the conclusion with my undivided attention. The show is a mucked up rollercoaster ride/ train wreck of a situation that is very compelling once you get into the latter episodes.

Fully agree. Glad to see you liked the show.

I really enjoyed this. My only criticism is that gadd needs to expose the producer. He left so many clues as to who Martha is, anyone could find her with a quick Google search, but the producer is being protected...whys that? What was the trade off for the proctection?

You missed the part where the trans person was outraged that someone would create a fiction about their life.

Man, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard you give such praise to any show or movie. Especially without putting it on the drinker recommends. Unfortunately, that just makes me sad because I am not going to try to see this movie. I already went through my own abusive relationship and those are memories and situations I prefer to avoid reliving.

CHOI SEES.

I don't know how anyone can like the main character. The least likeable narcissist you could imagine.

Man... I managed to leave a toxic relationship last year. This hit me on a whole new level. A true gem honestly.

Episode 4 was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to sit through. The last thing I watched that made me feel that claustrophobic was “The Body” on Buffy.

Very gripping! Watched the whole series, hung over on a Sunday. Great fucking show!

Unexpectedly good show

Really well made drama funny awkward heartwarming sad 3 dimensional characters! Deserves awards

This is a most frustrating experience, in a good and bad way. It's frustrating in a good way as we see the protagonist making the worst possible decisions, not learning from his mistakes and using the good will of those who are trying to help him. It's also frustrating in a horrible way, when we realise this is an actual person reliving his trauma and mistakes for exposure and money and, maybe, so that he can get a reaction out of his abusers.

Awesome show!

I just spent the whole thing trying to fathom how one person could make SO MANY bad decisions?

First episode…great All downhill from there, I couldn’t finish this

It always saddens me a little when something really good comes out of Netflix. I gave up on them years ago.

6 out of 5 stars. For its utter Bravery.

Sent from my iPhone

Only watched it because my wife was. Missed the first 2 episodes but the rest I did and I thought it was pretty damn good. Drinker, last Open Bar you mentioned a few times about how Gentlemen was one of the few good things this year. I watched it all over the weekend and it was awesome. Are you going to do a video on that?

The moment he decided to accept her FB friends request AFTER he discovered the truth about her was the moment I lost any sympathy for him.