Over the last six weeks, Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer has transformed the fortunes of the comedian by plucking him into the limelight and out of obscurity. For a while, it seemed like discussion around the show would continue forever, but it has now been knocked off top spot in the Netflix chart.
Typically, programmes have a reasonably short shelf-life when they become a Netflix sensation. For a short time, they cause endless amounts of online discourse before people quickly move onto the next programme, but Baby Reindeer has continued to grow in popularity due to online sleuths unmasking the identity of the inspiration for Martha.
Fiona Harvey, who claims to be the real Martha, further enhanced the discussed by appearing on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where she explained her side of the story to the former Britain’s Got Talent judge. Now, an MP has called for an investigation into claims made in the programme, and Harvey is also threatening to sue Netflix.
Although Baby Reindeer continues to generate headlines across the globe and the story is unfolding in ways that Gadd could never have perceived when he first took the show to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019, there’s now a new show dominating the Netflix chart.
The programme in question is a documentary series titled, Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies, And Scandal. It explores the true story of the dating website designed for married individuals to seek affairs, which was at the centre of a data leak that had dramatic consequences for users.
The controversial website was first launched in 2001, it became a popular destination for those in marriages and made having affairs easier than ever for millions across the globe, which was ethically questionable.
In 2015, it became the target of a cyber attack, and 37 million users connected to Ashley Madison had their personal details leaked. Damningly, it was revealed in the documentary that many of the female users were fake, duping male users into believing they were real.
Series director Toby Paton told Netflix: “We all know infidelity can be incredibly destructive and hurtful, but at the same time, the fact that Ashley Madison had 37 million members tells us something else we all know — that committing to one person for the rest of your life is really hard.”
Paton continued: “Rather than berating people who joined Ashley Madison we were much more interested in exploring why they were drawn to the site. What were they looking for? What was going on in their relationships? And, crucially: What was their partner’s side of the story?”
