Netflix's new Baby Reindeer series leaves viewers wondering exactly how the titular nickname came to be.
Baby Reindeer gives viewers a serialized take on Richard Gadd's play of the same name, centered on a comedian who gets entangled in a stalking situation after a random act of kindness.
Expanding this story into seven episodes of drama, the thriller series first hit Netflix on April 11. Viewers raised questions about what they saw over the coming weeks.
Why Does Martha Use "Baby Reindeer" Nickname?
Episode 7 of Netflix's new series, Baby Reindeer, explains to fans why Martha uses that nickname for the main character, Donny.
In that episode, Martha leaves a voicemail for Donny detailing a reindeer toy she had as a child which reminds her of him. She also goes into how she hugged it when her parents fought.
Describing the "big lips, huge eyes, and the cutest wee bum" on the reindeer, she explained how it was "the only good thing about [her] childhood" in the voicemail message:
"I had this wee cuddly toy when I was young. Went with me everywhere. Earliest memory I have, I think, was Christmastime. This old photo of me, sitting with this paper hat on my head and this baby reindeer beside me. Anyway, this reindeer was this cuddly, fluffy thing. It had big lips, huge eyes, and the cutest wee bum. I still have it to this day. It was the only good thing about my childhood. I’d hug it when they fought. And they fought a lot, you know? Well, you are the spit of that reindeer. The same nose. Same eyes. Same cute wee bum. It means so much to me. You… You mean so much to me."
How Did Baby Reindeer Nickname Come To Be?
Baby Reindeer (both the show and the play on which it's based) is based on a true story from Gadd, with the nickname being part of that story as well.
As explained by The Independent, Martha (Gadd's stalker who was renamed for the story) used that nickname for Gadd in most of the 40,000+ emails she sent him over three years.
As of writing, Martha's whereabouts are unknown. Gadd hopes that she is working through her issues as a victim in this same story.
With the "Baby Reindeer" nickname becoming prevalent among recent streaming releases, the show and its true origin story continue making an impact as victims of similar circumstances find solace in the final results.
Baby Reindeer is now streaming on Netflix.
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