Netflix’s latest viral hit hooks you with a premise of one twisted stalker story—but it is so much more than that. Baby Reindeer, created and starred in by Scottish writer and comedian Richard Gadd, is an emotionally heavy and highly nuanced exploration of abuse and trauma. It is tough and uncomfortable, as it should be.

Based on Gadd’s one-man show and real-life experiences, the seven-episode British drama-thriller follows bartender and struggling comedian Donny (Gadd) whose life does a full 180 after meeting serial stalker Martha Scott (played by the amazing Jessica Gunning). As Donny deals with Martha’s unhealthy obsession, he is forced to finally face his past trauma and proceeds to go on a downward spiral.

It’s evident past the first episode that the limited series goes far beyond the deranged stalker narrative. In fact, Martha’s actions serve as a jumping-off point that propels the true story forward. Baby Reindeer is about far more painful things we often choose to mask: loneliness, self-hatred, abuse, and the lingering, inescapable effects of trauma.

It’s in episode 4 that things take a very dark turn. Undoubtedly the toughest part of the series, this flashback episode introduces Darrien (menacingly played by Tom Goodman-Hill), an experienced and successful TV writer who promises twentysomething Donny entry into the industry. In between drug binges and intoxicated blackouts, Darrien sexually abuses Donny.

Despite his harrowing circumstances, Donny doesn’t let himself escape accountability for his moral frailties. He admits staying with his abuser for months despite all the assault. In the final episode, we even see him walking back into his abuser’s home and seemingly relinquishing control in exchange for another shot at his dreams.

Donny also acknowledges enabling Martha’s delusions. He admits looking for her during her stalking downtimes and finding some kind of strange satisfaction from her attention. In the end, we see Donny obsessing over Martha’s voicemails, finding comfort in them during an emotional crisis.

Martha, messy as she may be, is depicted as a polarizing villain/victim. The empathy for her character is explicitly expressed in Donny’s narration. Sure, she has her fair share of red flags, but audiences can’t seem to forsake her. Toward the end, the show reveals the inspiration behind the monicker “baby reindeer,” which turns out to be the only pleasant memory from Martha’s chaotic childhood.

There’s a lot more to unpack in this series. There’s Donny’s sexual questioning after his abuse, and the police’s ineptitude in handling stalking and sexual assault cases in men. We also experience little doses of joy through his relationships with his parents (Mark Lewis Jones and Amanda Root), Teri (Nava Mau), Keely (Shalom Brune-Franklin), and her mom Liz (Nina Sosanya). Baby Reindeer is rich in layers, proving it’s more than just a salacious stalking case.

Overall, Baby Reindeer is a rough but necessary watch. It’s an emotionally complex and honest depiction of the human condition and what it’s like to deal with buried trauma—all without the sugar-coated veneer of run-of-the-mill fiction.