Netflix’s miniseriesBaby Reindeerhas caused quite a stir with viewers as many people are saying it is an absolutely brilliant and raw take on a horrible situation, while others are completely disgusted and cannot make their way through the seven episodes. For those who do give the British series a try, there seems to be an overall consensus:the story is not meant to be enjoyed, but rather, it is something that is meant to feel real as it opens the door to harsh truths and conversations. Because the series stars Richard Gadd, whose real-life experiences are the foundation forBaby Reindeer, there is an extra layer of “realness” when watching him practically live through the darkest times of his life.
Because there are only a handful of episodes depicting Gadd’s tragic story, fans of this Netflix series are seeking out other binge-worthy shows to satisfy their need for dark and thrilling reality. So, between true and gritty crime docuseries, unreliable narrators with questionable motives, and the desert-dry comedy that often comes with British TV, here are the 10 best shows likeBaby Reindeeryou need to binge next.
10I May Destroy You (2020)
I May Destroy Youis a British black comedy series that takes a deep dive into the very real experiences of a young woman after she was drugged and sexually assaulted. Michaela Coel created, wrote, co-directed, produced, and starred in this series, so it is safe to say that she truly knows how to embody her character, Arabella Essiedu. Within 12 episodes, viewers watch as Arabella desperately tries to piece together the events of a single night out with her friends, but certain truths may destroy the parts of herthat make her feel alive.
I May Destroy You Also Deals With Real-Life Trauma
While deliveringa lecture back in 2018, Coel actually came forward and said thatI May Destroy Youwas an outlet for her to cope with her very own sexual assault that happened when she was finishing a writing assignment for her previous series,Chewing Gum. Like Richard Gadd, she found closure to what had happened to her by telling her story through a certain lens, playing the character who endures the worst possible thing, and making sure that every actor and line is precise every step of the way. Both series hit a nerve for those who can watch all the way through, but it is important that these stories are created and told in a way that creates an opening for difficult conversations.
9The End of the F***ing World (2017 - 2019)
The End of the F***ing World
Straight from the same production company asBaby Reindeer,The End of the F***ing Worldfocuses on witty and complex characters as much as it focuses on the infamous dry humor that most British comedies rely on. This comic-to-series adaptation follows James (Alex Lawther), a self-proclaimed psychopath, on the road trip of a lifetime with a new friend (whom he originally planned to kill), Alyssa (Jessica Barden), as they run from the law and try to just get away from everything they’ve ever known.
The End of the F***ing World Shows That Self Awareness Can Be Scary
WhileBaby Reindeer’s Martha is so far removed from her own delusions about the world around her, James is actually very much aware of how he feels and how to get what he wants.The End of the F***ing Worldshowsthe messed-up side of the teenage mindin a humorous way, but there are still many psychological red flags that really should be addressed in both series.
8The Stranger (2020)
The Stranger
Adapted from the Harlan Corben novel, The Stranger sees a mysterious stranger, a woman in her 20s wearing a baseball cap, approaches Adam Price and tells him a secret. His wife goes missing as a result of the disclosure. As the story progresses, the stranger is revealed to be connected with more secrets.
Based on Harlan Coben’s 2015 novel of the same name,The Strangerkeeps audiences on their toes as one mysterious woman (Hannah John-Kamen) makes her way through a suburban neighborhood and makes seemingly normal people question the dark secrets of their loved ones. Between life-altering secrets and blackmail and a desperate need to get down to the bottom of why a stranger knows certain things about so many individuals, there are plenty of twists and turns that makethis British thriller a binge-worthy series.
The Stranger Shows Secrets Get People in Trouble
The layers of secrecy withinThe Strangerwill have your head spinning if you are not carefully watching, but that is the beauty of the series. The characters are able to create such a strong tension within their small community that you will be reminded of the gritty reality that everyone has something to hide. Much like Martha (Jessica Gunning) inBaby Reindeer, only the truth — her acknowledgment of her stalking habits and patterns — will be able to set these mentally tortured individuals free. However, no one really wants to face their own tough situations.
The Wild True Story Behind Netflix’s Baby Reindeer and Martha Scott
For Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd, reality truly is stranger than fiction.
7You (2018 - Present)
You is a drama-thriller series based on the novel by Caroline Kepnes that follows an obsessive and dangerous bookstore owner known as Joe Goldberg. The show sees Joe meeting women that he becomes transfixed with and goes to terrifying lengths to insert himself into their lives. To accomplish his goal, Joe will remove each obstacle - and person- in his way.
Penn Badgley has played the heartthrob stalker, Joe Goldberg, for four seasons on Netflix’sYou, and his fifth and final season is just right around the corner. From the beginning, fans have fawned overJoe’s obsession with those he loves, and though he is racking up a body count (which has more to do with death than sex), everyone seems to just go along with what he does. There is something just so charming about Joe’s ability to talk his way out of any problem that clearly has people hooked on his every word.
You Depicts Another Type of Stalker
WhenBaby Reindeerfirst dropped on Netflix, many people thought it was going to be something for children or a light comedy due to the name. However, when they learned it was a stalker series,Youwas the first show that came to mind. While Joe Goldberg is likable and suave, Martha is overwhelming and questionable. Both series deal with an unreliable narrator who either likes to or has to block out certain things from their past, so when it comes to them being victimized by a deranged individual, there is not a lot of sympathy from the viewers.
6Swarm (2023)
Created by Janine Nabors and Donald Glover,Swarmbrings American pop culture into the limelight when one particular young woman, Dre Greene (Dominique Fishback), just cannot get a grip on reality. For as long as Dre can remember, she has been obsessed with the pop singer Ni’Jah, who pretty much has no idea that she even exists. Dre’s love and compassion for this artist is, in her mind, put to the test when other individuals begin speaking badly about her idol. Rather than exchange words or simply tune out the negativity, bodies start piling up, and there is not an ounce of remorse.
Swarm Shows Obsessions Can Turn Deadly
While the story inSwarmis fictitious,there are some very real elementsand connections to the buzzing fan base around Beyoncé. Glover, who is a musician himself and goes by the stage name Childish Gambino, knows how fans can lose themselves in their love and devotion to a celebrity. BothBaby ReindeerandSwarmshow how the lines between what is real and what is made up in one’s head can easily be blurred, and when the object of a person’s fascination gives them attention, things can become so much worse for everyone involved.
5Don’t F*** With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
If you want to be disturbed and left speechless after an afternoon binge session with a show, then look no further than Netflix’sDon’t F*** With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer. The three-part docuseries recounts the international manhunt by internet sleuths after Luka Magnotta shared a video of him killing two kittens. People came together all over the country to analyze his video and look for clues as to who and where he was. In the end, a handful of passionate individuals were able to bring the heartless monster to justice, but that was only after he managed to kill another human being.
Don’t F*** With Cats Shows Why Trigger Warnings Are Important
Out of everything on this list,Baby ReindeerandDon’t F*** With Catsare the two seriesthat need to have giant red flagsand a stop sign flashing before you click ‘play.’ And even then, viewers need to be asked if they are sure that they are okay (and in a private place) to watch certain content. Much likeBaby Reindeer,Don’t F*** With Catsis tough to watch, but there is an important message in the end that proves people are able to bring justice to a horrible individual when they work together.
4Beef (2023 - Present)
Steven Yeun and Ali Wong have captured hearts for many years in other respective roles, but when they came together on the set ofBeef, fans could not help but fall in love with how they were able to portray their characters in such a gritty reality. The series starts with Danny (Yeun) and Amy (Wong) almost getting into a wreck with one another in a parking lot, but then it escalates to the two of them vowing to take the other down. From car chases to sabotaging one another’s personal lives, these two will stop at nothing to come out on top.
Beef Depicts How New Obsessions Can Be Horrible Distractions
While most people imagine going on a vacation to get away from their everyday lives, Danny and Amy take out all their pent-up rage and aggression on one another instead offixing their own personal problems. InBaby Reindeer, it is clear that Martha becomes obsessed with Donny, but in turn, Donny also becomes a bit obsessed as well. Instead of focusing on what he can and should do to help himself, he dives deep into a complex situation where he hates, understands, and wants to help Martha. In this sense, all four characters from the two series need to stop, take a moment to breathe, and really focus on what causes them so much pain rather than finding something or someone to fixate their emotions on.
Why Netflix’s Beef Is Must-Watch TV
A dark series with hilarious twists, Netflix’s Beef is the perfect show for anybody, as it makes you self-reflect.
3Fleabag (2016 - 2019)
Just likeBaby Reindeer,Fleabagalso started out as a one-man (or in this case, one-woman) show. The two-season series follows Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), though she goes unnamed throughout the series, as she tries to get a handle on her own reality after the death of her best friend. She goes through men like they are new fashion statements, she gets wrapped up in a crime, and for a moment, Fleabag even considers joining her friend in the afterlife after some truths finally come out.
Fleabag Reinforces That Unreliable Narrators Can Be Frustrating
Having anunreliable narrator tell a storycan be fascinating as well as annoying because you never know if they are intentionally lying to you, lying to themselves, or if they genuinely have no clue what they are talking about. Both Donny fromBaby Reindeerand the protagonist fromFleabagare questionable when it comes to how they decide to handle and cope with things, but that is what keeps audiences wanting to know just how their story ends.
2Anthracite (2024)
Everyone lovesa good crime thrillerwhen they are not the ones involved in any aspect of it, but when Ida Heilman (Noémie Schmidt) finds herself thrown into the middle of the kidnapping and potential murder case of her very own father, she puts her detective skills to the test. Ida has spent the better part of her life tracing and piecing together scraps of information on the internet, so when she believes her father has been abducted by a local cult, she will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
Anthracite Is Also a Difficult But Captivating Watch
WhileBaby Reindeerkeeps its storyline at a steady pace,Anthracitefinds it better to hop, skip, and jump around scenes. This style of filming and editing makes audiences feel as if they are right beside Ida, desperately trying to piece together the smallest bit of information to get to a concrete answer. Viewers of both series have said that they found the content difficult to watch, but there is something about making it to the end and finally solving the puzzle that has these individuals trudging through the tough scenes.
1Feel Good (2020 - 2021)
Much like how Richard Gadd decided to take on a fictional version of himself and what he had been through inBaby Reindeer, Mae Martin ultimately stepped into a fictional version of herself inFeel Good. The latter is full of laughs and lighthearted jokes, but Martin really does press the issue of her character accepting how she feels about herself and her semi-closeted relationship while also trying to get sober. It is a whirlwind of reality, but Martin surely knows how to walk the fine line between humorous and horribly real.
Feel Good Also Handles Themes Like Addiction and Sexual Identity
InBaby Reindeer, viewers see Donnycome to terms with his addictionand finally get clean by cutting off himself from his supplier (who was also the man sexually assaulting him). However, inFeel Good, Mae finds herself in Narcotics Anonymous, surrounded by people all on different levels of their journey. Mae’s girlfriend, George (Charlotte Ritchie), struggles with coming out to her family and friends, naturally causing issues in her relationship with Mae. Both touch on themes of addiction, abuse, and sexual identity, but if you want a few more laughs and a decent night’s sleep, go withFeel Goodfor your weekend binge.
