10 movies and TV shows you should watch after Baby Reindeer

Baby Reindeer is one of the biggest shows on Netflix right now — so, here’s 10 movies and TV shows you should check out after you’ve finished your binge-watch.

Baby Reindeer is not an easy watch. Brilliantly crafted, yes, but it would be hard to describe it as an enjoyable viewing experience. That’s because Richard Gadd’s autobiographical retelling of his real-life experience with a stalker is utterly devastating.

Still, once you’ve watched it, you might be seeking out some other psychologically daunting TV shows and movies to follow up with. There are plenty of options, since “the stalker” has been the horror-inflicting force behind countless tales over the years. From straight-up horror movies to chilling shows, they’re all over the place.

But it’s not just stalkers that are the focus of this list. From similarly-styled shows to mind-bending dramas, we’ve got everything worth watching to match Baby Reindeer’s dark excellence below.

Contents:

• Caché
• Play Misty For Me
• Fleabag
• Don’t F**k With Cats
• The Fall
• Misery
• You
• Fatal Attraction
• Swarm
• I May Destroy You

Caché (2005)

Les films du losange

Caché is so unnerving because of the strangeness of its circumstances. A happy and successful Parisian couple, Anne and Georges, suddenly find their lives turned upside down when they begin receiving mysterious and childish videos from some unknown source. Believing they are being stalked, Anne slowly starts to grow distressed and consumed by a feeling of danger.

An otherwise normal family would never expect to be harassed in this way, but that’s exactly what happens in Caché. More psychological thriller than stalker-horror, it’s an ever-evolving mystery that keeps you guessing while also exploring the consequences of violence and racism. Ultimately, it’s an embodiment of guilt and how it haunts us.

Baby Reindeer connection: Caché plays on the fear of being stalked by an anonymous presence striking fear through digital harassment, much like Martha‘s emails and texts in Baby Reindeer. It’s also an exploration of how personal history can conflate with troubling circumstances.

Where to watch: Tubi

Play Misty For Me (1971)

Universal

Clint Eastwood isn’t just good for Westerns, you know. In 1971, he also starred in (and directed) a stalker-led thriller that saw him play a radio disc jockey who suddenly becomes the subject of obsession for one crazed fan, played by Jessica Walter.

Play Misty for Me isn’t the highest of art, but it’s a top-notch thriller that explores how fandom can take a turn for the worst. One thing that doesn’t often change in the “stalker” genre is how the antagonists are usually females, driven by obsession and, often, love. However, Jessica Walter is a real standout among a long history of “crazy women” in cinema, and it’s well worth your time just to watch her and Eastwood go head-to-head.

Baby Reindeer connection: While Richard Gadd might not have been a famous comedian when the real-life events of Baby Reindeer were happening, there are moments when Martha serves as an unwanted cheerleader for his work. Play Misty for Me is this, times 10.

Where to watch: Netflix

Fleabag (2016-2019)

BBC

From the moment it was released, Fleabag has defined the dark British comedy. Phoebe Waller-Bridge has since become a tour de force on both the small and big screen, but it all started with Fleabag. Deeply funny and unexpectedly poignant at times, it’s the perfect insight into what it means to be a person who covers up their confusion at life with comedy.

It might be a little too easy to think of Fleabag as an out-and-out comedy, since it’s known for bringing the (often awkward) laughs. That said, Fleabag’s moments of sincerity pack a real punch. Grief and unattainable love are topics covered with a real earnestness, making the show an all-rounder and an all-timer.

Baby Reindeer connection: While drastically different in theme and subject matter, both Fleabag and Baby Reindeer put a real emphasis on what it means to feel alone in a big city. What’s more, the fourth-wall breaks of Fleabag and Richard Gadd’s frequent narration make viewers feel as though they’re very much a part of the story.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)

Netflix

One of the most twisted true crime documentaries of the past decade, Don’t F**k with Cats is a series that’ll truly keep you guessing. (Though try as you might, you really won’t see where this is going.) After a series of animal cruelty videos appear online, a community of online sleuths come together to track down the culprit with absolutely nothing but the internet on their side.

Since Baby Reindeer’s release, true crime fanatics have been intent on trying to track down the “real” Martha, even despite the wishes of Richard Gadd himself. What we’re seeing are the crossed boundaries of true crime fans and the consequences of the genre boom in real-time. Ultimately, Don’t F**k with Cats is one of the clearest examples of this, all told through a very effective and shocking show.

Baby Reindeer connection: Unfortunately, Baby Reindeer has had the internet sleuths going full steam ahead — Don’t F**k with Cats is the epitome of when real-life obsession towards crime has a genuine effect.

Where to watch: Netflix

The Fall (2013-2016)

BBC

British television loves a crime drama, and it loves Gillian Anderson. Put the two together and you have a truly tense exploration of a the classic tale: a detective going up against a serial killer. The killer in question is played by Jamie Dornan, who admitted that, in order to get into character, he’d briefly stalked a woman in real-life after she got off the tube. (Another example of method acting gone too far.)

While the show dipped a little in quality during the final season, it still remained a rightly-realistic psychological roller coaster throughout. It stays away from the shock value of gore and scares, and focuses much more on the slow-burning tension that comes along with the police procedural.

Baby Reindeer connection: Where Baby Reindeer really hooks viewers is in the quieter moments between shocking revelations, allowing them to absorb, and where Donny tries to piece together what’s going on. The Fall is another slow burn, taking its time to explore the situation and the murky in-between.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Misery (1990)

Columbia Pictures

Someone’s got to say it: Misery is the best Stephen King book, and it’s the best King adaptation to boot. It’s a simple enough concept: a famous author gets into a car accident and is rescued by a passerby. The only problem is that his savior, the mountain-of-a-woman Annie Wilkes, is his biggest fan. As such, he becomes trapped in a winter-covered town at the mercy of a woman whose depression, mania, and obsessive nature become his biggest nightmare.

The film adaptation does a lot of justice for King’s truly horrific novel. But what makes Misery so special as a whole are the semi-autobiographical undertones. King’s personal substance abuse problems become evident in the metaphorical troubles within Misery, and the fact that he would come close to death in a car accident over a decade later gives the whole tale an eerie element of foreshadowing.

Baby Reindeer connection: Much like Misery’s Annie Wilkes, Baby Reindeer’s Martha is not who she seems. Both stories have layers that, when peeled back, reveal truths that only become more devastating with each turn.

Where to watch: Showtime

You (2018-present)

Netflix

Often, stalker stories are told from the perspective of the victim. They’re tales of fear and recovery, but what happens when you ditch both of those angles and look through the eyes of the stalker instead? That’s Netflix’s You in a nutshell. The series follows Joe, a mysterious Ted Bundy-esque figure who takes the viewers on a journey in which he falls in love with various woman and becomes obsessed with them.

There’s murder and suspense abound in this thriller show. Part of what makes it so great is the moral confusion for the audience. We don’t like Joe, but do we root for him? How’s he going to get out of this one? You is a sexier and more alluring version of the often unpleasant genre, which makes it a little easier to swallow than some of the other entries on this list.

Baby Reindeer connection: Both You and Baby Reindeer are heavily secured in the male perspective, both with insightful narration that keeps viewers in the same mindset as their respective leads. (Of course, one’s a stalker and one’s being stalked.)

Where to watch: Netflix

Fatal Attraction (1987)

Paramount Pictures

One can’t talk about stalking in cinema without mentioning Fatal Attraction. It’s essentially the blueprint. Even if you’ve not seen it, you’ve no doubt come across some of the film’s most famous moments — most likely the infamous bunny boiling scene. Glenn Close will forever be remembered for her genuinely terrifying portrayal of Alex, a woman whose attraction to a married man goes one — no, several — steps too far.

There’s an inherent sense of danger and unpredictability that come with Fatal Attraction, paired with some classical ’80s dramatics. As the film goes on, you can’t quite believe how far it’s going, all accumulating in one hell of a final confrontation.

Baby Reindeer connection: Both tales have seemingly innocuous beginnings: Donny offering Martha a cup of tea on the house, and Dan having what is seemingly a one-night stand with a stranger. The resulting fallout grows so out of control, it’s almost hard to believe how each nightmare started.

Where to watch: Paramount+

Swarm (2023)

Amazon Prime Video

Swarm strikes the perfect balance between satirical comedy and genuine terror. It’s another exploration of obsessive fans, following Andrea “Dre”, a young fan whose love of a world-famous pop star ventures to unhealthy levels. It could be seen as a commentary on modern fandom, showing how parasocial relationships with famous figures can take some to dark places.

Swarm is a visually-appealing show — Euphoria with a psychological twist, kind of — and has the meta draw of Billie Eilish playing a cult leader. The performances are strong, leaving viewers in full belief that these characters are truly caught up in their own obsessions. A little bizarre and very bold, Swarm is a must-see.

Baby Reindeer connection: Both Swarm and Baby Reindeer are brutal and uncomfortable stories told through a creative and visually-pleasing lens. Away with the dramatic and cheesy classics, and in with the edgy, slick aesthetics.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

I May Destroy You (2020)

BBC

I May Destroy you is another example of a black comedy that really pushes the limits of just how comedic a situation can be made to be. Created by Michaela Coel, the BBC drama explores a young woman’s experience after a horrific sexual assault. But it doesn’t stop there — her friends are also embroiled in different situations that muddle the lines between acceptable sexual behavior and questionable choices.

Coel’s ability to weave in comedy is impressive, but the backbone of I May Destroy You comes from its ability to explore sexual trauma and experiences without making one grand statement one way or the other. There’s no straight answers and no black or white message — everything is grey and up for thought.

Baby Reindeer connection: Baby Reindeer isn’t just about a stalker experience — it’s about trauma stemming from abusive relationships. Both shows are matched in their mature and realistic depictions and discussions surrounding sexual abuse.

Where to watch: Max

You can also check out our guide to the Baby Reindeer ending explained, why fans should stop searching for Richard Gadd’s stalker, and what we know about Fiona Harvey.

If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.