Donny and Teri's relationship ended differently in Baby Reindeer deleted scene

Baby Reindeer is on its way to becoming one of the most popular shows on Netflix this year so far, and it's definitely already one of the best (if not the best). The British production is a dark dramedy following an aspiring comedian named Donny. Based on the true story of creator and star Richard Gadd's life, Donny is faced with an incredibly stressful situation after a woman he grows close with, Martha, turns into a stalker. The seven-episode series is a vulnerable look at dealing through grief, and deals with topics of sexual assault, isolation, shame, anxiety, and depression. If you're looking for a gripping story that's emotional and impactful, this is for you.

Throughout Donny's journey dealing with his stalker, he also must confront his traumatic past in which he was groomed and repeatedly sexually abused by his mentor, a famous and successful comedian named Darrien. Through all his misery, confusion, and hopelessness, Donny does find a source of light, though it doesn't end happily. Amid his messed-up relationship with Martha, Donny begins dating a trans woman named Teri, who is absolutely lovely. She provides a small bit of hope for Donny, showing him that it's possible to be happy again. If only Martha wasn't in the picture — or at least, that's what he tells himself.

Unfortunately, Donny and Teri don't work out in the end. He has too much trauma to work through to have a successful relationship, and that's okay. Sometimes the timing just isn't right, even if the two people involved really want it to work. Donny needs to prioritize working on himself and starting to heal from Darrien and Martha. The last time we see Teri is in the penultimate episode, episode 6, where they break up. The two get into a fight, where Donny suggests Teri take her socials down so Martha doesn't find her. He tells her she should remove "the rainbow unicorn stuff" from her accounts, referring to her LGBTQ+ pride. That's really not the best suggestion, and Teri is angered by it.

Nava Mau reveals deleted scene she shot for Baby Reindeer

Teri feels like she's made so much progress so far in her life in terms of being able to walk out in public as a trans woman and be apologetically herself, so she can't go backward. Not for anyone. Teri tells Donny she thinks he secretly loves Martha's attention and stalking before saying she can't do it anymore. She breaks up with Donny, who doesn't understand. He thinks she's breaking up with him because of Martha, but she tells him it's because of him. And that's the ending of Teri and Donny, at least as we viewers see it.

But in an interview with GQ (as reported by Pink News), Teri actress Nava Mau shared there was actually another scene she filmed that didn't make it in Baby Reindeer. When asked about how she felt regarding Teri and Donny's breakup, she revealed:

"There actually was one more piece of Teri and Donny's relationship in the script, and I performed it. Teri leaves Donny a voicemail five months later. So I think, for me, I got closure because Teri did too. That's what gave me so much comfort, knowing that they found peace with regards to their relationship. "

Nava Mau

Mau did not explain what exactly Teri said in the voicemail months after their split, but it's evident that it helped her character move on. Could it have done the same for Donny? I certainly hope so. Gadd has not spoken publicly about this voicemail scene — or any other filmed scenes that didn't make it into the show — but I'd be curious to hear about the decision to cut this one. It could've been for episode runtime purposes or something deeper.

Mau also discussed the importance of Teri having a happy ending, something that isn't always depicted for trans characters. "Teri got her happy ending, you know? Teri found a new man, she didn't lose her friends, she didn't lose her job, she didn't lose her smile," Mau said. "She's good. And I think that is remarkable, because so often we've seen stories of trans people that end with them broken."

After Donny and Teri's split, Donny seeks out closure of his own, or at least support from those around him. In the finale, he tells his parents about the sexual abuse in a heartbreaking scene, and he goes to see Darrien. Darrien tells him he watched the video of Donny's standup performance and invites him to work together, assuring him "it won't be like the last time." Donny agrees, seemingly just to get out of there, and I'm sincerely hoping he never returns.

Donny doesn't necessarily have a happy ending in Baby Reindeer, but parts of his life are starting to look up. And that's, at least, hopeful. The finale is a great ending to a great show.