Ella Purnell’s blossoming career expands across both film and television, yet it’s in the latter where people might recognize her the most. From her voice roles in Star Trek: Prodigy and Arcane to her turnout as popular high schooler Jackie in Showtime’s Yellowjackets, Purnell’s ferocity and charm thrust her into the limelight, eventually leading to her critically recognized role as Lucy in Prime Video’s Fallout series. Expanding her acting range by implementing comedic undertones came naturally. Now, with the dark comedy series Sweetpea, Ella Purnell flexes her talents even further. Exhibiting a phenomenal range of endearing and genuine emotions, Purnell cements herself as a modern television star here.
Based on the book of the same name by CJ Skuse, Sweetpea follows quiet wallflower Rhiannon Lewis (Ella Purnell), an introverted and frankly forgettable young woman who is invisible to the public eye. Rhiannon is essentially non-existent; her co-workers ignore her during her miserable 9 to 5, she has an embarrassingly lackluster romantic life, and even struggles to be acknowledged by her distant sister. After the untimely death of her father, Rhiannon’s life is upended, and she finds herself rapidly hurdling towards a breaking point and being a mere broken fingernail away from such.
Rhiannon yearns for recognition, to feel seen and appreciated, but the passing of the one person who acknowledged her makes this hurdle feel impossible to overcome. When she comes face-to-face with her high school bully, Julia (Nicôle Lecky), Rhiannon’s mental state accelerates into that of a psychotic sociopath. Driven over the edge by this encounter, Rhiannon is freed from the self-imposed shackles that chain her to an existential prison, with her pent-up frustration exploding into a violent act of murder — a crime she believes she can get away with.
Throughout all 6 episodes of Sweetpea, the self-described coming-of-rage story finds Rhiannon overcoming the constant hurdles that life and, consequentially, murder throw at you. When introduced to the new Junior Reporter in her office job, AJ (Calam Lynch), she develops a beautifully subtle understanding of how it feels to be seen. However, finding herself in this position of a new friendship doesn’t come easy, and neither does navigating the grief of her father’s passing and a looming fear of homelessness. Coupled with the lingering presence of the effervescent and agonizingly successful Julia, Rhiannon must overcome barriers that have haunted her since youth.
Sweetpea offers the whole package as a British black comedy with undertones of murder, never easing in moments of exciting ridiculousness, thus allowing viewers to soak in the refreshingly nail-biting tension across all 6 episodes. Perhaps the most magnificent feat is what it accomplishes with such a short runtime, a series length that is becoming increasingly common despite the storytelling limitations it imposes — but not here. Series creator Kirstie Swain cleverly adapts CJ Skuse’s Sweetpea novel into the TV format, with room to expand upon in future seasons if picked up. The first episode welcomes audiences into Rhiannon’s world with a montage of her quite average daily life, setting low expectations of our leading character and clutching at sympathetic straws, of which viewers are sure to grab a handful.
From the get-go, viewers may resonate with Rhiannon’s lack of belonging and higher purpose, but this feeling dissipates as the episodes roll on, slowly manifesting into a horrifying realization of what the girl next door is capable of. Much of this comes from the palpable trust between Ella Purnell and series director Ella Jones (Back to Life). Throughout Sweetpea, Purnell impressively infuses her character with a gradually festering confidence, depicting a craving to be perceived as a woman of unbridled desire and poise. By the show’s finale, Rhiannon’s personality is an obsessive and stark contrast to her in the premiere. Purnell delivers another prestigious performance and instills an enigmatic charm into Sweetpea. Rhiannon is anything but a meticulously pre-meditating killer, as we are reminded on many occasions, which creates tension that could be cut with a knife.
Never knowing Rhiannon’s next move or the direction of the series itself is where Sweetpea excels as an intensely gripping thriller. It is packed with “heart in your mouth” moments akin to Christian Bale’s American Psycho, from which inspiration is clearly derived. On a similar note, this TV show flaunts some visual inventiveness as well. Baring a bland color palette to represent the world as Rhiannon views it, Sweetpea invokes further emotion and closeness to the character through its cinematography. Displaying nerve-wracking scenes intimately through the camera’s close physical distance to the actors, audiences are thrown right into the middle of the crime. Tricks like this provide subtle visual cues that complement the scene; whether under a bridge, in the kitchen, or at Rhiannon’s desk, every area is intentionally compartmentalized to deliver a claustrophobic uneasiness.
The show is not only elevated by such caring craftsmanship but also by the spiteful yet electric chemistry between Ella Purnell and Nicôle Lecky (BBC’s Mood). Their onscreen relationship is the backbone of the series, allowing it to maintain a delightful consistency throughout. However, other supporting characters aren’t as fleshed out as Lecky’s Julia. The supporting cast varies from one-dimensional to strikingly realistic depictions of people in turmoil, although this could be excused as a product of runtime limitations. Characters with heavier influence possess more nuanced writing, while some actors feel shoved into roles that appear uncomfortable, leading to over-performance. On top of this, storylines verge on predictability, yet expectations are snatched away at the final moment to deliver genuinely surprising twists. Perhaps this is a deliberate decision, but one that may limit the viewer’s perception of Sweetpea’s 6-episode potential.
Such minimal criticisms are not enough to distract from the show’s superb quality. Sky Atlantic’s Sweetpea (which will air on Starz in North America) is a viciously imaginative rollercoaster that is well worth the ride, if not for any other reason than to witness another positively devastating performance from Ella Purnell. An embodiment of Midas, every project she touches turns to gold.
Sweetpea premieres on Sky & NOW in the UK and Starz in the US on October 10!
Premiere Date: October 10, 2024.
Created by Kirstie Swain.
Based on Sweetpea by CJ Skuse.
Directed by Ella Jones.
Produced by Zorana Piggott.
Series Writers: Kirstie Swain, Krissie Ducker, Laura Jayne Tunbridge, & Selina Lim.
Executive Producers: Ella Purnell, Kirstie Swain, Ella Jones, Patrick Walters, Helen Gregory, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman,& Manpreet Dosanjh.
Main Cast: Ella Purnell, Nicôle Lecky, Jon Pointing, Calam Lynch, Leah Harvey, Jeremy Swift, Dustin Demri-Burns, & Luke McGibney.
Cinematographer: Nick Morris.
Composer: Isobel Waller-Bridge.
Production Companies: See-Saw Films, Fanboy, & Sky Studios.
Network: Sky Atlantic (U.K.) & Starz (North America).
Episode Count: 6 (Season One).
