Baby Reindeer has been at the top of Netflix’s chart for over a week — but people have just realized the true meaning behind one of the finale’s most emotional scenes.
In the closing episode of Baby Reindeer, Donny (Richard Gadd, also the Netflix series’ creator) visits his mother and father in Scotland to confess everything he told the crowd in his viral breakdown video; everything about his stalker Martha (Jessica Gunning), his sexuality and relationship with Teri (Nava Mau), and the fact he was raped.
He admits he didn’t want them to think “less of [him] as a man.” However, with tears in his eyes, his dad responds: “Would you see me as less of one? I grew up in the Catholic Church.”
OMFG this moment in #BabyReindeer took me a minute to get it… speechless. pic.twitter.com/vGpJP7Z7r6
— wouldst thou like to live deliciously? (@ElBlackPhillipp) April 23, 2024
It’s one of the most powerful moments in the series, especially after he gives his son a long-needed hug. When he’s first introduced, Donny’s dad is played for comic relief, swearing angrily and shouting down the phone at Martha as she tries to taunt and harass him — but just like Donny, there’s trauma bubbling under his surface.
However, while that line heavily implies he was sexually abused at the hands of the church (no other details are given), its impact has just hit some viewers. “I didn’t get why the dad said that but when it finally hit me I felt like I would vomit,” one wrote.
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“The father saying, ‘Would you see me as less of a man? I grew up in the Catholic Church’ in Baby Reindeer broke my heart,” another tweeted. “When he said he grew up in the Catholic Church… I just like felt my heart drop. Baby Reindeer is not for the weak,” a third wrote. “I thought this scene was obvious but I’m glad the dots are being connected now. Because it was a very powerful moment. Chills,” a fourth posted.
While Gadd’s parents are his “biggest fans”, he’s admitted he doesn’t want them to watch Baby Reindeer, considering its harrowing subject matter. He’s “warned them that he will be able to see if they have watched,” he told The Times.
You can check out our breakdown of Baby Reindeer’s ending, why fans should stop searching for Richard Gadd’s stalker, and 10 movies and TV shows to watch next.