Richard Gadd cut a whole episode of ‘Baby Reindeer’
An act of kindness can take you very far in life, but not always in the best of ways. Donny Dunn’s generosity turned his life for the worse in Baby Reindeer. And the tension was palpable from miles away, even for those on the other end of the screen. But did you know the creator and the star of the Netflix show actually let go of an entire episode on purpose? While retakes and reshoots are not rare in Hollywood, what actually made Richard Gadd face the tough call?
Baby Reindeer ran for seven episodes, and if it were not for Gadd, it would have ended with an eighth. In a panel conversation at the Future Vision television conference held in Melbourne, Australia, at the ACMI Theatre, the Emmy-winner revealed about weighing in on a difficult decision and ultimately pushing Netflix to axe an entire episode set in Scotland during the developmental phase of the limited series.
Netflix executives reportedly advised Gadd to inject a breath of lightness into the intense storyline where Donny makes a dramatic turn to his Scottish roots to see his family amid the stalking drama. The suggestion was made in order to offer a poignant counterbalance to the show’s raw and gripping severity. During its development, a fear of going a bit too dark reportedly troubled every creative mind.
Subsequently, this Scotland-based episode was supposed to be a “respite from it all”, which was to follow Donny’s escape from London and Martha, focusing on a soccer outing with Mark Lewis Jones playing his father. Although the episode was initially conceived to offer a breather, it dawned upon Gadd that stripping away Martha’s looming threat loosens the show’s taut threads.
In fact, Martha’s absence, even for one episode, could have dulled the viewer’s edge-of-the-seat grip of Baby Reindeer, according to Gadd. “I felt, in a lot of ways, the sooner you get back to her, the better,” he noted. But letting go of a whole episode was a daunting process. It required amendments and readjustment in episode three, including inculcating elements from other segments.
The respite episode’s climax, where Martha infiltrates Donny’s kitchen, was put to new use as the opening salvo of the restructured episode. And, in turn, that demanded incredible modifications within the script. Gadd was no less frustrated about losing out on the segment, especially Jones’s part in Baby Reindeer. But he seized the opportunity to extol the actor.
Gadd’s advocacy for the tricky call ultimately paid off, cementing his showbiz status further. From Primetime Emmy to Golden Globes, Baby Reindeer brought the award season gold on its coattails. While legal complications may hover, the editorial choice ultimately resulted in a win.