“Baby Reindeer” has become a surprise breakout hit for Netflix. The British comedy-thriller has claimed the No.1 spot in both the U.S. and U.K., and it currently ranks as my favorite show of 2024 so far (although "Fallout" on Prime Video is giving it close competition).
Based on Scottish comedian Richard Gadd’s real-life experience of being stalked, harassed and sexually assaulted, it’s an engrossing, and often very challenging, watch and it’s a show that is dominating social media conversation even weeks after its debut.
As it’s only a relatively trim seven episodes long (and a few of those are less than 30 minutes in length), you may have now polished off the Netflix series and are wondering what to watch next.
The odds of a “Baby Reindeer” season 2 feel pretty remote, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find similar series on some of the best streaming services. The show’s careful balance of serious subject matter and dark comedic elements can be seen across the picks on this list, so let’s dive into the best shows like “Baby Reindeer” that you can watch right now.
‘The End of the F***ing World’
If you’re looking for a show that closely resembles the tone of “Baby Reindeer” you can’t go wrong with the equally excellent “The End of the F***ing World”. This British drama also blends its serious subject matter with dark comedy and shares aesthetic similarities. The two shows even come from the same production U.K. company.
“The End of the F***ing World” centers on a 17-year-old named James (Alex Lawther) who believes he might be a psychopath incapable of empathy and with a desire to commit murder. His target is Alyssa (Jessica Barden), a loudmouth classmate with concerning tendencies of her own. However, when she proposes that they run away together, James’ murderous plan takes a backseat as they set out on a road trip full of misadventures.
Watch on Netflix now
‘Beef’
Have you ever had an ill-tempered encounter with a stranger and then after going your separate ways the memory of the event sticks in your mind and consumes your thoughts for hours afterward? “Beef” is a very foul-mouthed comedy-drama that takes that not-uncommon experience to its most extreme after an incident of road rage results in a bitter feud between two people, Danny (Steven Yeun) and Amy (Ali Wong).
After their initial hostile meeting, both parties go to extraordinary lengths to gain petty revenge, and their comically exaggerated feud begins to see their lives spiral out of control jeopardizing everything from their careers to their relationships. “Beef” is part farcical comedy and part cautionary tale, and the leading performances from Yeun and Wong are note-perfect. This 10-episode Netflix show makes for the perfect weekend binge-watch.
Watch on Netflix now
‘Chloe’
Much like “Baby Reindeer”, “Chloe” explores the darkest sides of obsession, and how being fixated on a single person can lead somebody to commit dangerous acts. The lead of this Prime Video show is Becky (Erin Doherty), a lonely woman still living at home with her mother. Comparing herself to the perfect people she sees on social media, she becomes obsessed with the account of an old classmate, Chloe (Poppy Gilbert).
When Chloe suddenly dies, Becky creates a fake identity named Sasha and embeds herself in Chloe’s social circle. This allows Becky to live freely and become the person she always wanted, but as she slips further into her new alter-ego, the lines between real and imagined blur and Becky’s true identity threatens to surface. A thriller series that will hook you from the first episode “Chloe” is compelling, and its comment on social media obsession are timely.
Watch on Prime Video now
‘I May Destroy You’
The most critically acclaimed show of 2020 (according to Metacritic), “I May Destroy You” is a dark fable about our modern dating landscape and how the line between being sexually liberated and exploited is often uncomfortably thin. It stars Michaela Coel as Arabella, a young novelist who found success with her debut book but is now struggling to write a follow-up as she deals with public scrutiny and the pressure that comes with success.
Meeting some friends for a night out in London, the following morning she struggles to recall the events of the evening, but with some help from her pals Terry (Weruche Opia) and Kwame (Paapa Essiedu), she pieces together enough to realize with horror that she was drugged and sexually assaulted. The drama explores her efforts to rebuild her life after experiencing such a harrowing trauma. Much like “Baby Reindeer” it handles a very serious subject matter with a degree of dark humor.
Watch on Max now
‘You’
Netflix’s popular thriller series “You” is set to conclude with its fifth and final season later this year, making now the ideal time to binge-watch the 40 episodes currently available to stream. (In)famous for its ridiculous twists, and over-the-top plotlines, “You” follows Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), a bookstore manager in New York who becomes obsessed with a graduate student named Guinevere Beck and then attempts to manipulate his way into her life.
“You” definitely doesn’t handle the subject of stalking with the same seriousness as “Baby Reindeer”, but to give the show its credit, it’s extremely watchable, so long as you don’t mind glossing over some pretty large plotholes. If you want something to watch post “Baby Reindeer” that you can really sink your teeth into, and spend a couple of weeks binging, then “You” is the best pick on this list. Just don’t expect the same quality of writing.
Watch on Netflix now
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