Not only did Baby Reindeer become a cultural phenomenon after becoming one of the best Netflix shows, but it also called attention to the outstanding acting talents of Jessica Gunning. While her unnerving portrayal of stalker Martha Scott in Baby Reindeer has won her critical acclaim, she also steals the show in The Outlaws, which is streaming on Prime Video in the US and Australia (those in the UK, can catch it on Sky or the BBC iPlayer).
Baby Reindeer has taken the 2024 Emmy Awards by storm, with Gunning winning the award for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series’. Now that Gunning’s scene-stealing ability has been recognized on a global scale, it’s the perfect time for a bigger audience to watch her in the comedy drama series The Outlaws, which has arguably flown under the radar since it aired on one of the best streaming services in 2021.
Written by The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant, The Outlaws follows seven petty criminals who become involved in a drug money-laundering scheme while on community service in Bristol. It’s not just The Outlaws‘ 86% Rotten Tomatoes score that makes it one of the best Prime Video shows, it’s Gunning’s role as community service supervisor Diane Pemberley that proves to be an unmissable watch just like Baby Reindeer.
Gunning for glory in The Outlaws
Gunning’s comedic muscles come out to play in The Outlaws, where she takes on the role of community payback officer Diane, who was once a juvenile delinquent and is now a supervisor of The Outlaws.
Now a fully qualified police community support officer (PCSCO) in season three, a shades-wearing Gunning policing the streets on an electric scooter and exerting her newfound authority over motorists is definitely one of the best things you’ll see on TV. However, her no-nonsense and by-the-book attitude becomes hilariously undone when she often misses criminal tricks right under her nose.
The Outlaws is an ideal watch if you want a break from the intensity of Baby Reindeer, which is based on Richard Gadd’s autobiographical one-man stage play of the same name. Gadd plays Donny Dunn, a struggling stand-up comedian who is forced to confront a dark trauma when a woman called Martha Scott (Gunning) starts stalking him.
But while there are stark differences between Diane and Martha, the Bristolian jobsworth channels an inner Martha with her forceful ways and heightened sense of self-importance when she has her eager protégé by her side. Much like Martha in Baby Reindeer, Diane tends to break social boundaries, use vulgar phrases, and arouses sympathy for a character that might not show it, but in a comedic setting.
The Outlaws is worth watching to see Gunning’s impressive ability to morph into whatever character is thrown at her, whether it’s a disturbing stalker or a bumbling PCSO, which is just another show-stopping performance to count towards her astronomical rise to stardom.
