The most common description I’ve seen of Baby Reindeer is “disturbing.” That’s not wrong, but this thriller with some comedic touches is so much more. It is, quite simply, near perfect storytelling.

Written by and starring Richard Gadd, based on his own true-life story, he plays Donny, a kind of sad sack bartender who dreams of being a famous stand-up comedian. Problem is, in his plaid stage outfit and suitcase full of props, his act is just not funny. We cringe on his behalf when he takes to the stage, often times to deafening silence.

But back to the bar. One day a lady takes a stool and asks for a drink, but turns outs she has no money. Empath that he is, Donny offers her a cup of tea, on the house. She’s ample, bright and has a cheery and disarming laugh—but we smell something fishy. Not least of which is her bragging about being a lawyer who has the personal phone numbers of the British political elite. She even flashes their names from her screen.

But no good deed goes unpunished and soon we see that the lady, Martha (an award-worthy turn by Jessica Gunning), is not mentally well. She begins stalking Donny with numerous visits to his job at the pub and hundreds upon hundreds of texts and emails. What starts as a nuisance turns rather chilling as Donny waits far too long before contacting the police (who aren’t much help) about the big lass who seems more unhinged with each passing day.

It’s the B-story that I think most people are finding disturbing. Donny travels to Glasgow to perform in a fringe comedy festival. There, he meets something of a hero; a famous writer and producer of a national comedy show. Like so many dreamers, his unrealistic ambition becomes just the bait for a sinister showbiz type. What happens to Donny I will leave for you to discover, and how what happened to him by the end—in other words, the actual ending is honest and, by that point, has not much to do with Martha. It is quite a circle and an addictive, fast watch. The episodes fly by as we lean farther into the screen.

So now a month later, people are still talking about and ranking this Netflix series almost unanimously with high praise. And the good news- it’s made Richard Gadd a more celebrated actor and writer than he could have ever dreamt of.