Netflix fans recommend this “raw” series after Baby Reindeer

Richard Gadd’s Netflix hit Baby Reindeer is unlike anything we’ve seen before — except for one other “raw” series that fans are recommending to watch next.

What makes Baby Reindeer all the more impactful is that it’s based on a true story, one experienced by creator and lead star Gadd. The Netflix series has captivated audiences across the globe, centering on Donny (Gadd), a struggling stand-up comedian who’s targeted by a stalker named Martha (Jessica Gunning). 

His autobiographical account of what happened in those years is nothing short of devastating, made all the more so by the fact that he’s reenacting the most difficult moments of his life. 

As such, shows like this are rare. But there is one series that comes to mind, and that is I May Destroy You, a BBC drama created by and starring Michaela Coel. The actor and writer based the lead character Arabella on herself, detailing her experiences as a writer who was spiked and sexually assaulted. 

In a conversation with Jimmy Fallon back in 2020, when I May Destroy You was released, Coel explained: “I based the character of Arabella on myself, especially in the beginning.

“She’s a writer and she takes a break from work, she goes out for a drink, her drink is spiked, and she’s sexually assaulted by strangers. This was also my story… but it’s also about loads more.”

Much like Baby Reindeer, Coel’s series is funny at times, devastating at others, and incredibly impactful given it’s based on real events. It evokes a similar mix of emotions knowing the the creator and star actually went through this in real life, which is why viewers are recommending to watch it next. 

Taking to Reddit, one praised Gadd’s “vulnerability and rawness,” to which another said, “’I May Destroy You is the only other show I’ve seen that felt this way until this show.” A third agreed, “They were both 5/5 for me and to be able to share these traumatic experiences can’t be easy.”

Going into further detail about Coel’s series, another commented, “That one scene with her therapist when she asks who is the male in her dreams looking at. That scene broke me. It was so raw.”

Similar comparisons are being drawn on X/Twitter. “F*cking HELL. There’s more to unpack in #BabyReindeer than in anything I’ve seen on the small screen since, maybe, I May Destroy You,” said one. A second wrote, “I’m not alone as a viewer of Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer in flashing back to Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You.”

I May Destroy You is available to stream on Max now, while Baby Reindeer is on Netflix. You can read more on the woman being accused of being the real Martha here, and find out if the viral breakdown video is real here. Also be sure to check out the new TV shows heading to streaming this month.