Baby Reindeer Makes Unexpected Climb to Lead Netflix Charts

Baby Reindeer, Netflix’s new drama thriller, has become a surprise global hit, leading the streaming service’s Top 10 TV Shows list in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Spain (via What’s on Netflix). The seven-episode series, which currently boasts a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, has proven to be quite the sleeper hit. Based on the true life story of Richard Gadd (and adapted from his one-man show), Baby Reindeer recounts Gadd’s experience with a female stalker. The show dives much deeper into Gadd’s life (on-screen, his character is named Donny), as his complex relationship with his stalker pushes him to face a deep, dark, buried trauma.

Baby Reindeer (2024)

4.5/5

Baby Reindeer is a dark comedy series based on a true story and a stage play of the same name. It centers around Gus, a barista who becomes the focus of an intense and unsettling obsession by one of his customers, Martha. After a seemingly harmless interaction, Martha’s fascination with Gus spirals out of control and begins to wreak havoc on his life.

Release Date

April 11, 2024

Cast

Richard Gadd , Jessica Gunning , Danny Kirrane , Nava Mau

Seasons

1

Writers

Richard Gadd

Directors

Weronika Tofilska , Josephine Bornebusch

For many, Baby Reindeer just seemed to show up on Netflix when it premiered on April 11; the series doesn’t have any big names attached and also didn’t seem to have much media coverage pre-release. But once Baby Reindeer hit its stride, it quickly impressed audiences and critics, and has now worked its way to the top of multiple Netflix lists.

Baby Reindeer‘s unexpected rise to the top of these charts may come as a surprise to some, but that seems to be perfectly in tune with the acclaimed series, which carries its share of twists and turns. A major element that has shocked audiences is that Gadd, the real-life inspiration for the story, is actually the actor portraying Donny.

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Baby Reindeer stars Gadd, Jessica Gunning as Martha, Nava Mau as Terri, and Tom Goodman-Hill as Darrien.

Midsummer Night, Anthracite, and Others Lead Netflix Lists

Along with Baby Reindeer, other unexpected series topping the Netflix charts in multiple countries are Midsummer Night (in Brazil, Mexico, and the Netherlands) and Anthracite (in France and Germany). Midsummer Night, which also landed on the streamer on April 11, follows long-time married couple Carina (Pernilla August) and Johannes (Dennis Storhøi), who bring their family together for a midsummer party. The drama unfolds as the couple choose to tell their guests a long-held secret. Anthracite is a French crime drama, led by actress Camille Lou, that follows a web sleuth trying to solve her father’s mysterious disappearance.

Unlocked: A Jail Experiment and Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer are also enjoying global success, as both sit high on several countries’ top 10 Netflix series lists. Unlocked: A Jail Experiment features real inmates from Arkansas’ Pulaski County Regional Facility while they participate in a controversial six-week program conducted by Sheriff Eric Higgins. By unlocking the cells in a unit in the detention facility, Sheriff Higgins hopes to foster community and reduce recidivism rates. In Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer, audiences can see the comedian tackle topics like gun control, religion, and cancel culture.

The Netflix Top 10 list for the previous week of April 8 through April 16th was led by 3 Body Problem, which has topped the list since March 25. That same week (which also marked the show’s release), Baby Reindeer was at the number five spot with 2,600,000 views. It’s ascent is a surprise and a testament to word of mouth and strong storytelling.