The Aftermath of Trauma Porn
If you’re a TV person, you might be following along with the drama surrounding Netflix’s new hit show, Baby Reindeer. A dark psycho-drama following a failing comedian and his stalker, the new series has sparked an interesting conversation about how trauma is portrayed on-screen, and how media attention impacts trauma survivors off-screen.
Content warning: the rest of this article contains a discussion of how this show portrays sexual abuse. If you’re not in the right mental or emotional place to engage with this material right now, please skip this piece.
Baby Reindeer opens by stating that it is a true story based on the life of its creator and lead actor, Richard Gadd. The Netflix show is actually based on a play that Gadd wrote and performed of the same name in the UK (Gadd is Scottish). It details the story of how Gadd, a comedian trying to get his big break, came to be stalked and assaulted by a woman (called Martha) who was a customer at the pub where he bartended. As the show progresses, we come to find out that both Gadd’s character, Donny, and Martha are trauma survivors. Baby Reindeer is a commentary on how trauma impacts survivors and, how hurt people can go on to hurt people.
What follows are my three psychiatrist hot takes after watching all seven episodes (there are spoilers below!).
ncG1vNJzZmion6S3orjApKqhpZmje7TBwayrmpubY7CwuY6pZq2glWKup8DEq6SarJhivKd506uYrqWRYr2wvs0%3D