The chances of Baby Reindeer season 2 get a definitive response. Created by Richard Gadd, who also stars in the lead role, the seven-episode Netflix series is an adaptation of Gadd’s one-man show of the same name. The story focuses on Donny Dunn as he gets stalked by a former lawyer named Martha Scott (Jessica Gunning). Following the recent Emmy wins for Gadd, Gunning, and the spotlight on the Baby Reindeer cast, the conversation has started up once again on a possible follow-up. That has been amplified thanks to a recently announced first-look agreement between Gadd and Netflix.
In recent comments to IndieWire at the 76th Primetime Emmys, Gadd directly shot down the chances of Baby Reindeer season 2. The star and creator shared that he’s really proud of the way the show ended. He added that he fought hard for that ending and detailed why it would be best to leave the story as it is. Read Gadd’s quote below:
“No, I don’t think so. I was I’m proud of that ending. I fought real hard for that ending. I really wanted ‘Baby Reindeer’ to end in the way that it did. I really fought for that and I think it couldn’t have ended better. There’s a full circularity to season one which I love. And so I think some things are best left. And I think there’s so much love for it. I just think leaving it there on the platform as a kind of artistic gem for people to enjoy, for people to discover, I think that’s absolutely fine by me.”
What The Baby Reindeer Season 2 Update Means For Gadd & Netflix
The Star & Creator Will Make Other Projects
As part of Gadd’s first-look deal with Netflix, he will develop scripted series for the platform. The news was announced following the strong showing that Baby Reindeer had at the 76th Primetime Emmys. However, it was reportedly in the works for some time. Baby Reindeer is at the center of a $170M defamation lawsuit, filed by the woman Martha was based on, and the trial is set for 2025. That could complicate plans for a follow-up. Still, in general, Netflix is not a platform that is always in a hurry to create franchises out of their hit shows.
To take the example of Fool Me Once, Netflix did not order a second season of the limited series. When the mystery thriller became a global hit earlier this year, the streamer instead announced that it was moving forward with more adaptations from author Harlan Coben. The situation with Gadd is similar, with the platform turning to the three-time Emmy winner to create more stories, without necessarily forcing more of Baby Reindeer and straining the limited premise.
Part of the reason that Netflix can afford to avoid the temptation to extend any big hit is because, relative to other platforms, it has a greater variety of programming on offer and a truly global subscriber base. This means that Netflix is more likely to cultivate streaming hits. As a result, it can focus on making one of its better-suited action shows a potential franchise without needlessly extending Baby Reindeer.
Our Take On Baby Reindeer Season 2
It Misses The Point Of The Limited Series
If there was interest in exploring a second season, the Baby Reindeer ending leaves a small path for that possibility. There is a potential path forward for Gadd’s character to deal with the ramifications of working with the man that sexually assaulted him, as the final episode features the two having what is a deeply uncomfortable reunion. But to entertain that thought is ultimately a misunderstanding of what made the series work.
Viewers who enjoyed the show probably don’t think of it as a detailed universe that cries out for further exploration.
For some, the appeal of the limited series was the deeply personal story that Gadd was telling. Others might have generally sidestepped the strong performances and the writing to speculate about the real-life truths of Baby Reindeer. In either case, audiences probably didn’t watch the drama because the characters were fun to hang out with.
Viewers who enjoyed the show probably don’t think of it as a detailed universe that cries out for further exploration. The story is closed-ended, speaking to a specific time in the creator’s life. And, thankfully, both Gadd and Netflix seem secure enough not to float a continuation just because Baby Reindeer became a breakout hit.
