Stephen King loves 'Baby Reindeer' so much he's written an essay about it

The horror writer compares the Netflix show to "Misery".
By Sam Haysom  on 
A side-by-side image shows an older man on the left and a younger man behind a bar on the right.
Credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images/Ed Miller/Netflix/Mashable composite

Stephen King often recommends shows he likes on X (formerly Twitter), but it's not often he writes a whole essay about them.

That's exactly what the horror master has done for Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd's limited Netflix series based on his own experience of being stalked.

"I have an essay about BABY REINDEER in the London Times," posted King. "I can’t believe they paid me for writing about such a cool show, but they did."

The essay sees King talking about how he discovered Baby Reindeer, which he goes on to compare and contrast with his own novel Misery.

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"Unlike most streaming series’ episodes, which can feel bloated at 50 minutes — or even longer — the episodes of Baby Reindeer, each about 30 minutes, are like short, swift stabs administered by a very sharp knife," King writes.

The essay is essentially a very positive review, with King even saying that the penultimate episode is "one of the best things I’ve ever seen on television (or in the movies, for that matter)."

The show already has a very high score on Rotten Tomatoes and a large viewership — but a glowing essay from one of the world's most successful writers isn't something you get every day.

How to watch: Baby Reindeer is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix

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Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.


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