Toward the end of episode 5 of Baby Reindeer, there’s a sequence where it appears that Donny is sleeping with Martha. Given the intensity and editing of this part, some viewers might be confused as to whether he actually had sex with Martha or if it’s all in his head. Fortunately, there’s a definitive answer to this, and we’ll break it down for you below.
Spoilers below!
Did Donny have sex with Martha in Baby Reindeer?
Donny did not sleep with Martha in Baby Reindeer. The sequence toward the end of episode 5 might lead some to conclude that he has sex with her in an attempt to alleviate the emotional issues he’s going through. However, the encounter with Martha is entirely in his head.
During this part of the show, Donny imagines Martha while having sex with Teri. Earlier in the episode, Donny is shown having intimacy issues with Teri, which causes significant problems in their relationship. Donny’s confused feelings about his masculinity and sexuality and his hang-ups about Teri being trans result in him having erectile dysfunction.
Simultaneously, Martha has stopped talking to him because he finally got the police involved. However, the silence ends up being more nerve-wracking than her constant messages. He also begins to miss the drama and the distraction Martha caused in his life, which allows him to ignore his other problems. Eventually, this manifests into a sexual impulse. However, he’s not turned on by Martha so much as he is by self-destruction. So, he visualizes her while having sex with Teri so he can ignore his real issues and preserve the relationship.
Teri symbolizes the stability and genuine love Donny supposedly craves, and Martha is the chaotic and superficial love to which he’s accustomed. However, Donny himself can only superficially love others because he hates himself. We’ll see this come to the surface during the last two episodes of the show when he’s forced to confront his fears.
