Twisting the Stalker Trope: Netflix's Baby Reindeer is Killing It

Dig under the surface into the story

Since the Baby Reindeer series debuted April 11, 2024, it’s remained in Netflix’s Top 10 TV English titles for the last month. The series doesn’t involve an A-list Hollywood cast or special effects. Richard Gadd is the creator, writer, and one of the lead actors in Baby Reindeer. He adapted it from his autobiographical stage show of the same name and revealed that it was inspired by events in his own life. The series involves barman and stand-up comedian Donny’s experiences dealing with a female stalker.

That premise invokes the who, what, when, and where, which is key to hooking our audience. Baby Reindeer makes it look effortless.

So the question for us storytellers is, how?

Tropes are built on relationships that are familiar to all of us; that’s where their power lies. As children, we were introduced to the predator-prey relationship in the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. Do you remember learning about stranger danger as a kid, too? It’s ironic, given the reality that most victims know their assailant.

But we’re not talking about reality, right? We’re talking stories. The key to engagement is tapping into the audience's emotions. Our life experiences influence how we interpret stories. When we see a lion chasing a gazelle on Animal Planet, most of us root for it to leap a little higher—unless it’s been a particularly bad day.

We’re familiar with the predator-prey dynamic thanks to the daily news stories that show power can be physical, emotional, or economic. So when changes are made to that power structure, they snag our attention.

In 1987, the films Fatal Attraction and Stephen King’s Misery debuted. Both twisted the traditional male stalker trope into the female as a predator. Audiences were intrigued and wanted more. At the time, the twist was shocking. Fatal Attraction had a recent remake, and Misery was made into a feature film.

In 2024, Baby Reindeer isn’t popular just because it has a female stalker; that’s only the hook. What drives this story is the deeply developed characters who struggle with their identities. The driving themes are how the characters and others see themselves. In this series, secrets and scar tropes drive the character conflict. The found family trope, fake relationship, and hidden identity trope are hugely important here, especially with Donny, Martha, Donny’s current girlfriend, and his ex-girlfriend.

Donny’s shame over being sexually assaulted earlier by a mentor (hidden identity, antagonist) provides the B storyline to this series. It mirrors his struggle to define his sexuality and impacts his identity in the present. The complexity of Donny’s journey resonates with audiences because secrets, scars, and redemption are common human experiences.

I appreciate this nuanced treatment of the stalker trope. I’m excited to see what other great trope twists are out there. Hit me up with any recommendations in the comments.