The sensational Ella Purnell is swiftly becoming one of the small screen's most dazzling and dynamic talents, with the gifted actress appearing in a slew of critically acclaimed hits like Yellowjackets, Arcane, and the post-apocalyptic knockout Fallout. Purnell continues to showcase her impeccable range as a performer and her fearless approach to any character she tackles, impressing audiences everywhere yet again with her delightfully wicked role in the dark dramedy series Sweetpea.
The edgy and immersive show focuses on the timid Rhiannon Lewis, who, after becoming tired of being constantly taken for granted and overlooked by society, decides to shake up her lackluster existence and finds comfort in a spine-tingling outlet: murder. Rhiannon goes on a violent killing spree, hunting down those who have wronged her and making them pay in a truly gruesome manner. Sweetpea has become a bona fide hit with both fans and critics and currently holds a massively impressive 92% Rotten Tomatoes score; let's take a closer look at what the intriguing series is all about.
Sweetpea (2024) DramaComedy
Release Date October 10, 2024 Cast Ella Purnell , Nicôle Lecky , Jon Pointing , Calam Lynch , Tim Samuels , Alexander Bellinfantie , Elliot Cable , Lucy Heath , Jessica Brindle , Dino Kelly , Leah Harvey , Jessye Romeo , Luke McGibney , Gurjot Dhaliwal , Alexandra Dowling , Nathan Hall , Cain Aiden , Mark Rainsbury , Malcolm J K Baker , Lee Byford , Guy Robbins Creator(s) Kirstie Swain Expand What Is Sweetpea About? Close
Based on the CJ Skuse novel of the same name, the engrossing dark dramedy series Sweetpea centers on the underappreciated and overlooked Rhiannon Lewis (Ella Purnell), a timid administrative assistant who grows tired of being constantly mistreated by those around her as she is plagued by one emotional hurdle after another. From her grueling, thankless job where no one respects her to looking after her ailing father, Rhiannon feels stuck in her lackluster life and longs to find her voice and some semblance of hope.
After a devastating tragedy strikes Rhiannon, she is pushed to her limits and discovers a new and downright chilling way to channel all her pent-up rage and frustration: cold-blooded murder. Rhiannon begins to meticulously eliminate anyone who ever dared to wrong her, from obnoxious co-workers to her cruel high school bully, and even rude strangers in the supermarket. With each crime she carries out, the revenge-fueled young woman blossoms into a confident and fearless killer with an ever-growing list of adversaries whom she sets her sights on. Rhiannon must figure out a way to outsmart the police and keep the skeletons safely locked away in her closet.
Purnell Continues Her Television Domination Close
The delightfully diabolical revenge series features six riveting episodes and is yet another television hit for the talented Ella Purnell, who has made quite a name for herself on the small screen with dazzling performances in lauded hits like Yellowjackets, Arcane, and Fallout. Purnell began her impressive career as a child star, having made her film debut in the 2010 dystopian romantic drama Never Let Me Go, in which she portrayed the younger version of Keira Knightley's character. The actress would follow up the role in movies including Kick-Ass 2, Maleficent, and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, before shifting her focus back to TV projects.
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2021 was the year that truly marked Purnell's spectacular rise to prominence and superstardom, as she not only began voicing the character of Jinx in the steampunk animated series Arcane but also portrayed high school soccer player and plane crash survivor Jackie Taylor in the spine-tingling psychological thriller Yellowjackets. She continued starring as complex characters in 2024 when she was cast as nuclear war survivor Lucy MacLean in the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama Fallout, appearing alongside Walton Goggins and Aaron Moten.
Sweetpea is yet another captivating series that showcases Purnell's phenomenal range as a performer, with the powerhouse actress truly sinking her teeth into the role of the wonderfully wicked Rhiannon. Purnell believes that the show explores many profound themes, like female empowerment, emotional trauma, and blatant sexism in society, with the talented star describing Sweetpea as the "female Dexter meets Fleabag." In an interview with CinemaBlend, Purnell explained the heart of the series:
"It's a story of morality, of grief, trauma, childhood trauma. And there's so many different elements - it, at times, can be challenging to tie all of those things in. But I think the one thing that ties all of it in is this question that I kept coming back to: how much can one person take? We kind of relate to Rhiannon, we relate to her emotions, we relate to her motivations, even though we don't relate to her actions."
Sweetpea Becomes a Certified Streaming Hit Close
Deemed a "coming-of-rage story" with a slew of juicy twists and turns, Sweetpea debuted on Starz on October 10, 2024, and swiftly became a streaming hit on the network, attracting widespread praise for Purnell's commanding portrayal of the bruised and battered protagonist, its witty screenplay, and biting dark humor. The stylish and sleek dramedy will make audiences feel all of Rhiannon's extreme emotions as she acts on her dark impulsive urges and finally takes control of her life after years of being held down by society and those closest to her.
Sweetpea currently holds a stellar 92% Rotten Tomatoes score and 83% on the Popcornmeter, proving that both viewers and critics are in agreement that Purnell's Rhiannon is undeniably one of television's most absorbing and enthralling characters, with fans captivated by the wallflower-turned-vicious serial killer. Each thrilling episode ominously opens with the spine-tingling line, "People I'd love to kill," thus setting the scene for Rhiannon's bloody warpath as she walks the progressively thin line to self-destruction.
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A winning blend of horror, humor, and some truly heartbreaking psychological warfare, Sweetpea chronicles Rhiannon's descent into madness as she tries to justify her increasingly gruesome actions to not only herself but to audiences, leaving fans on the edge of their seats with a shocking cliffhanger finale. The Hollywood Reporter commended the fearless new series, writing in their rave review, "What makes the British series more unsettling and ultimately more compelling is its willingness to sit in the murky middle ground separating vengeance and cruelty, victim and perpetrator."
Stream Sweetpea on Starz.