The controversy surrounding Baby Reindeer centers on the depiction of several characters, namely Martha and Darrien. Because the series is based on a true story, there has been public speculation that Martha and Darrien represent real-life people who behaved in a similar way as Martha and Darrien in the show, alleging them to have committed the crimes of harassment and sexual abuse. For instance, Fiona Harvey, the woman who online sleuths determined to be the real-life Martha, has endured the emotional distress of a damaged reputation because of how Martha is portrayed. As a result, she makes a case against Netflix and even Richard Gadd (the show’s writer) for defamation due to claims that she never stalked or harassed Gadd in actuality.