At its core, Baby Reindeer begins with a simple yet haunting moment: a woman walks into a bar and the bartender offers her a drink on the house. This seemingly innocuous act sets off a three-year spiral of obsession and stalking that defines the series. The show’s creator, Richard Gadd, uses this premise to explore complex emotional dynamics, blending dark comedy with poignant moments that challenge viewers’ allegiances.
Jessica Gunning, who plays Martha, explains that this single gesture marks the start of a relentless pursuit. Martha’s obsession manifests in over 40,000 emails and hours of voice messages, setting the stage for a disturbing, unconventional stalker narrative. Gadd’s personal experiences inspired the story, and he emphasizes that the show is not about victimhood, but rather about ambiguity—viewers are left questioning who they should sympathize with throughout the series.
The narrative twists as Donny’s own flawed choices intensify Martha’s delusions. Gunning reveals that Donny occasionally plays into Martha’s fantasies, which makes her obsession grow uncontrollably. The show blurs the lines between victim and villain, leaving the audience to wrestle with conflicting emotions about the characters.
In Episode 1, Donny accepts Martha’s Facebook friend request, a decision that shatters the boundaries between their lives. From there, Martha’s obsession escalates as she invades Donny’s personal space, including harassing his ex Keeley and attempting to befriend Keeley’s mother. Her stalking behavior reaches its peak when she spends hours waiting at a bus stop near Donny’s home, all for a fleeting chance to interact with him.
Baby Reindeer Ending Explained
Things worsen in Episode 3, where Martha disrupts Donny’s stand-up performance with hostile heckling, only to later confront him and his romantic interest, Teri, outside. Teri, played by Nava Mau, is a patient and empathetic therapist, something Mau deeply connected with, having previously worked as a counselor. Her understanding nature is a sharp contrast to Donny’s secrecy and shame, especially when he abruptly abandons her on the subway.
After the public confrontation with Martha, she escalates to physical violence, attacking Teri by ripping out a clump of her hair. Donny, shaken, finally contacts the police, but this triggers painful memories of his past abuse, which come to light in the following episode.
Episode 4 of Baby Reindeer dives deep into Donny’s past, revealing the traumatic experience he endured while working with a predatory older mentor, Darrien. The mentor introduces Donny to drugs and alcohol before sexually assaulting him. Gadd admits that writing this episode was an emotional challenge, as it brought him face-to-face with his own trauma. Despite this, the episode’s raw honesty reshapes the series, introducing voiceovers that add depth and insight to the unfolding story.
Following his visit to the police, Donny’s life takes a downward turn. When Martha targets Keeley again, Donny is forced to confess the truth about his stalker to Keeley and her mother, leading to his eviction. His new living arrangement with two chaotic roommates is far from ideal, so he seeks solace in Teri’s home, hoping for a fresh start.
Do Donny and Teri Stay Together?
While Martha’s relentless behavior briefly quiets down, she soon makes a surprising return, contacting Donny’s parents and claiming he’s been in an accident. This further strains Donny’s relationship with Teri, and she eventually breaks up with him. Teri’s stance resonates with Mau, who believes in the importance of maintaining personal boundaries in relationships, even when the desire to support a loved one is strong.
Heartbroken, Donny faces a final confrontation with Martha at the bar. She smashes a glass on his head, pushing him to his breaking point. In the aftermath, he takes the stage at a comedy competition, where he unexpectedly opens up about his painful experiences. His raw, unfiltered confession, shared with the audience, quickly goes viral, sparking Donny’s career. For the first time, Donny feels like he’s on the path to success. However, the joy is short-lived as Martha threatens to expose the details of his assault to his family.
As Donny faces this new crisis, he finds the courage to come out to his parents, telling them about his assault and his bisexuality. This moment of vulnerability lifts a heavy weight off Donny’s shoulders, symbolizing a new chapter in his life. With the truth out in the open, Donny feels a sense of renewal, and he begins to look forward to what lies ahead.
What Happens to Martha?
Martha’s fate is sealed when a final voicemail pushes Donny to take legal action. After her arrest, Martha pleads guilty and receives a nine-month sentence, while Donny is granted a five-year restraining order. Though this is the last we see of Martha in the series, Gadd has high praise for Gunning’s performance, acknowledging that her portrayal was instrumental in creating the show’s emotional depth.
Gunning’s work garnered recognition, including an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress, one of many accolades for Baby Reindeer, which also received 11 Emmy nominations and won several awards, including a Gotham TV Award for Breakthrough Limited Series.
How Does Baby Reindeer Conclude?
With Martha out of the picture, Donny tries to rebuild his life. He reconciles with Keeley and moves back in with Liz. While sorting through old belongings, Donny finds a script with notes from Darrien, prompting him to pay his former mentor a visit. Darrien offers him work, calling Donny’s viral confession brave, but Donny leaves, overwhelmed by a rush of conflicting emotions. In a moment of twisted comfort, Donny listens to old voicemails from Martha, cataloged under titles like Angry, Happy, or Compliments.
In the final moments, Donny revisits the bar, where the echoes of the series’ first scene resurface: a man walks into a bar, and the bartender offers him a drink on the house. Through these final moments, Gadd emphasizes the deep psychology of loneliness and isolation, as Donny listens to the voicemails, finding an unsettling solace in Martha’s words.
Why Is the Show Called Baby Reindeer?
The title of Baby Reindeer is revealed in the series’ final scene. Martha explains in a voicemail that she gave Donny the nickname “Baby Reindeer” because he reminds her of a cherished childhood stuffed toy, a reindeer she loved dearly. In a touching and tragic moment, she reveals that the reindeer was the only source of comfort during her tumultuous upbringing. Donny, overwhelmed by emotion, listens to the voicemail and realizes the depth of Martha’s obsession. The series concludes with Donny’s tearful realization, capturing the lasting impact of his entanglement with Martha and the complexity of their twisted connection.
