Netflix's new limited series Baby Reindeer is about a young man who is being stalked by an older woman after they meet in a pub, but it does so much more than what you may have thought at first glance: such as the inclusion of a vitally important trans character.
At a time when representation and identity politics are often discussed in what can feel like a never-ending loop of "Who should play who?" and "Is this just trauma porn?", it can be hard to find authentic and relatable portrayals of unique lived experiences on our TV screens.
Commissioners and audiences alike often want our deepest, darkest, traumas, or our brightest, most optimistic, tales of triumph – anything that can be neatly packaged into a 60-minute special.
But Netflix's new hit perfectly encapsulated one specific story arc, in the midst of its spectacularly gripping, and at times nauseatingly thick, plot. And it did so in a way that unexpectedly made it stand out.
The show, based on actor Richard Gadd's real-life experiences, was produced by (and starred) Gadd as Donny – a struggling comedian who meets 'Martha' (Jessica Gunning).
As Donny graciously lets Martha have a cup of tea on the house in the pub he works in, the story is set for Martha's obsession to begin, latching onto Donny in a way that takes us as viewers from sympathy to fear quicker than it took for her tea to get cold.
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But just as we are getting our teeth into what we expect be a simple yet thrilling tale of escape, we are introduced to Teri, a trans woman who Donny is dating, played by Nava Mau.
Related: Who is Llewellyn Harrison? Baby Reindeer's episode 6 dedication explained
Against the backdrop of the tension posed to us by Martha's behaviour, we begin to learn more about Donny via his relationship with Teri in a way that is depicted more honestly than we usually get to see with trans characters on our screens – especially in the UK.
Teri's involvement within the show, as well as her identity as a trans woman, is integral to our understanding the layers of shame that Donny carries with him.
Instead of being voyeuristic, Gadd shows us how shame, internalised homophobia and his inability to love himself is what prevents him from being able to fully open up to Teri and show her the love that she deserves.
Right from the get-go we see Donny not using his real name on the online dating site where he meets Teri, and in episode three we see the pain that legacies of shame can cause.
As the pair head home on the tube after what appears to be a fruitful date, Donny is confronted with the judgement of two male passengers as Teri asks him for a kiss. His fear of being seen with a trans woman, and battle with his own conflicted sexual identity, leads him to crushingly leave Teri on the tube as he steps off, right when the doors close.
The sadness of this scene will have hit many – especially those of us who have been ghosted or rejected – proving that being shamed can unfortunately be a universal experience, no matter who you're dating.
But what makes this freshly relatable is the way the scene captures the specific way that trans people can inevitably feel unlovable because of other people's inability to sit comfortably within their own sexuality.
This surprise inclusion of modern-day dilemmas faced by LGBTQ+ people is a testament to the fact that, despite what commissioners might think, audiences want to see these stories being told in unexpected and nuanced ways.
Alongside Gadd and Clerkenwell Films, Baby Reindeer worked with LGBTQ+ consultant Jeffrey Ingold, who ensured that LGBTQ+ lived experiences were not only brought to light, but that the show would also provide an awareness and understanding of the climate in which it would sit.
The nuanced approach to storytelling is what has made Baby Reindeer such a hit with viewers, and Ingold reflects on how accurately showcasing this nuance within Teri's story was so important.
"One of [the] things the production team and I were very considerate of was making sure that transphobia was not the burden of the trans character," he begins, directly referencing how, as a viewer, we see how Donny handles his internalised transphobia and shame from his point of view, rather than it being something that Teri has to fix or handle herself.
"We showed Teri's humanity beyond her just being this woman that Donny dates – beyond her being trans and showing her as a fully-fledged character with a life, friends and a job. Her transness was not the only thing that should be known about her."
Baby Reindeer dissects hard-hitting topics such as sexual violence, addiction and the attrition that stalking has on the individual victim as well as those around them, with a laser focus and mess that comes with the realities of human life.
The show's inclusion of Teri as a trans woman, unlike other shows, isn't just to tick a box.
Instead, her pivotal role in Baby Reindeer shows us that, despite the plethora of unbelievable events that unfold throughout the series between Martha and Donny, the one that remains the most believable is the power of shame.
Baby Reindeer is available on Netflix.
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Jamie Windust is an award-winning editor, writer and author specialising in writing about LGBTQ+ storytelling, film and TV. As former Contributing Editor at Gay Times, they have interviewed talents such as Jack Lowden, Owen Jones, John Bell and Jack Rooke.
Their debut book In Their Shoes: Navigating Non-Binary Life detailed their experiences growing up as a trans person and how influential culture, fashion and TV and film were in helping them to express themselves with confidence. In Their Shoes was longlisted for the 2021 Polari First Book Prize.
Bylines include The Independent, Metro, Mashable and ELLE UK.
