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Baby Reindeer (2024)
Human
A powerful illustration of the devastating, all-consuming impact that traumatic events can have on a person, and the associated self-destructive behaviours it can trigger. Analysing such situations rationally misses the point because we are anything but rational when we are in the midst of that trauma.
So often, what we see easily in others, we overlook in ourselves, but most of us probably have something which falls into the category of "I know this isn't good for me but I keep doing it regardless". Gadd and everyone involved in this show have done an incredible job of demonstrating this. While it can be easy in the moment to shout at the TV "no, what did you do that for?" as we see the protagonist make yet another bad decision, this show lingers in the mind, and haunts you hours or days later when you come to realise you have done something similar.
If you've ever been to the brink, a place where you convince yourself that you would probably be more valuable to those around you if you weren't around, or that you can never share your burdens because they are too embarrassing or shameful, then you will know how difficult - nigh on impossible - it is to pull yourself out of the vortex of your own self-destruction. You don't make good decisions, because you don't know how to. You simply bounce from event to event trying to escape your pain, and having absolutely no clue how to. That behaviour can seem selfish or nonsensical to others, those who are likely better adjusted and have never - thank goodness for them - had to deal with that type of pain. Such people may perceive it as wallowing in misery, and question why the person doesn't simply make better decisions. They probably aren't aware of the fact that for the person experiencing that state of mind, it simply isn't possible. Gadd knows this state of mind all too well, and has successfully conveyed onto the small screen exactly what it's like to be trapped in an agony he simultaneously desperately wants to escape, yet craves for its awful reassuring familiarity.
Those pointing out the similarities between Gadd and his stalker as though he were unaware of his own plight as a broken man, and simply self-indulgent and desperate for attention, must surely have missed the very last scene, which circles right back to his very first encounter with his stalker, except placing him in the fragile, shattered position in which he first encountered her. This is a damaged man who recognises damage in another, and has created art from a horrendous experience - and in spite of all he has been through, restrains himself from being judgmental, focusing instead on recognising shared, fragile humanity.
A must watch.
Bitconned (2024)
Malevolent narcissism personified
People will have a field day psychoanalysing the antagonist in this documentary - rarely do we get such clear insight into the mind of a cold-hearted fraudster. Ray Trapani is also an archetype representing those capable of ripping off other human beings without a flicker of emotion (and there's a higher than average representation of such people in the world of alt crypto) - it's fascinating to see such a disgusting example of humanity reveal himself for what he is. He's so disconnected from what it means to be human that he somehow thought it would be a good idea to show the world what a piece of garbage he is. This documentary is worth a watch simply to see that play out.