Mention of Baby Reindeer's premise, which includes harassment and stalking.

Summary

• Small acts of kindness can spiral into dangerous obsessions, as seen in Baby Reindeer on Netflix.
• Martha's harassment in Baby Reindeer mirrors the chilling intensity of Stephen King's Misery.
• Baby Reindeer's unsettling truth and modern setting make it even more brutal than Misery.

Baby Reindeer, Netflix's latest thriller miniseries, proves how a small act of kindness between strangers can spiral out of control. It's not an unfamiliar premise in the world of TV and movies; plenty of thrillers tackle the nature of stalking or obsession, including the streamer's recently released Ripley. However, Baby Reindeer stands apart. Based on the true story of Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd, the show centers on struggling comedian Donny Dunn (Gadd). While bartending, Donny notices an upset woman and offers her a complimentary tea. Soon enough, Martha Scott (Jessica Gunning) becomes a regular at the bar.

...a disillusioned Martha takes Donny's kindness as a sign that their relationship is deepening.

As Martha becomes increasingly flirtatious — even calling Donny "baby reindeer" as a kind of unwanted pet name — Donny's buddies tease him about Martha's apparent crush. Things take an even darker turn when Martha starts to send Donny hundreds of emails — per day. Realizing he shouldn't have jokingly agreed to a date Martha suggested, Donny shares a cup of coffee with her to try and clear the air. However, a disillusioned Martha takes Donny's kindness as a sign that their relationship is deepening. As Donny grapples with other traumas and realizations, Martha Scott begins harassing and stalking his family.

Baby Reindeer's True Story Premise Recalls Stephen King's Misery

The very premise of Baby Reindeer recalls Misery, a psychological horror thriller based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. Directed by Rob Reiner, the Oscar-winning Misery stars James Caan as famed romance novelist Paul Sheldon. Eager to branch out from penning the whirlwind Victorian romances of his heroine Misery Chastain, Paul decides to kill off his beloved character. However, when he's caught in a blizzard, things take a turn. Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) finds Paul and brings him to her remote home. A trained nurse, Annie also happens to be Paul's self-proclaimed number one fan.

Paul's biggest fan reveals that she has no intention of letting him leave...

With the telephone lines down and local roads snowed-in, Paul remains in Annie's care. To make matters worse, he's dealing with broken legs and a dislocated shoulder. When Annie discovers that Misery dies in Paul's final romance novel, she becomes inconsolably angry. Paul's biggest fan reveals that she has no intention of letting him leave until he's written a new manuscript — one where Misery lives — and atones for his mistakes. Misery's brutal struggle between Annie and Paul is filled with the kind of taut suspense that makes the viewer feel trapped alongside Paul.

Why Baby Reindeer Is Even More Brutal Than King's Misery

Although Misery and Baby Reindeer share some DNA, the latter is even more unsettling. Not only is Baby Reindeer based in truth, but it also unfolds during the internet age — at a time when strangers have unfettered access to others' personal lives and movements. While Annie Wilkes traps her favorite author in a remote cabin, Martha traps Donny in his own life. She leaves him hundreds of hours worth of voicemails, sends him north of 40,000 emails, and tracks down his parents and friends. And, as Baby Reindeer's cast shows, it can be exceedingly difficult and isolating to navigate an abusive relationship and seek the help and support one needs.

All 7 episodes of Baby Reindeer are now streaming on Netflix.