Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for episode 1 of SweetpeaSweetpea has finally arrived and Starz’s exciting comedy-drama didn’t disappoint, as the first episode was full of exciting reveals, including Rhiannon’s first kill. The show’s trailer already highlighted that the protagonist, Rhiannon Lewis, would turn into a killer throughout the series, but seeing why she took her first life is much more understandable after Sweetpea‘s premiere. Although there is no justifying Rhiannon murdering a complete stranger, learning about her tough living conditions and insecurities helps explain why she snapped, with Ella Purnell doing a great job of leading Sweetpea‘s cast of characters by making Rhiannon both sympathetic yet incredibly flawed.
Given Purnell was part of one of 2024’s best TV shows in Fallout, it’s no surprise to see her put in another excellent performance that makes her character complicated and hard not to root for, despite the awful crimes she is committing. Without understanding her motivations and background, Rhiannon would come across as just another killer, but thanks to Purnell and the excellent writing, her slow transition from a quiet girl to a murderer is extremely compelling. Thankfully, Sweetpea offered plenty of insight into Rhiannon’s personal life, making the pay-off for her first kill much more satisfying.
10 Rhiannon Murdered A Man By The Canal While Drunk
The Protagonist Killed A Man After He Disrespected Her
The opening episode’s biggest reveal is undoubtedly Rhiannon taking her first life. Having spent most of the premiere sympathizing with the protagonist and understanding why she is so timid and unhappy, seeing her stab a man to death felt like quite a shock. Even though the promotional material left no secret that Rhiannon’s life would take a dark turn, it was still hard to imagine such a seemingly sweet girl becoming so violent and brutal. Although killing the man by the docks wasn’t planned, Rhiannon didn’t hold back and stabbed him numerous times.
The killing happened after a drunken Rhiannon confronted Julia in the club about bullying her years ago and now coming back into her life. With the interaction not going as planned, the protagonist left the club upset and headed down to a nearby canal where a stranger began urinating next to her, eventually aiming towards her prompting Rhiannon to kick him. After the man threatened her, she plunged her knife into his neck before stabbing him repeatedly, and this unhinged moment looks like it will have a permanent change on Rhiannon going forward, making it the episode’s biggest moment by far.
9 Craig Has Been Avoiding Rhiannon After A Sexual Encounter
Rhiannon Revealed That The Two Hooked Up, But Craig Has Since Been Distant
While Craig’s interaction with Rhiannon during her dad’s funeral presents him as a relatively nice guy, it’s clear he has been awkwardly avoiding the protagonist after they were previously together. The exact details surrounding Craig and Rhiannon’s relationship are unclear, but the show confirms in its opening segment that the two had sex. However, this obviously didn’t blossom into a wholesome romance, as Rhiannon reveals that Craig only responds to her texts with emojis.
He also pretends not to see Rhiannon while she is waiting at the bus stop and doesn’t instigate the conversation at her father’s wake. Instead, Rhiannon nearly bumping into him forces the two into a conversation. With the trailer indicating the duo will get together again, it’s yet to be seen exactly what type of person Jonathan Pointing’s character will be, but the show’s early impression indicates he doesn’t want to be seen with Rhiannon. Whether it is because of his shy personality or another factor is anyone’s guess, but Sweetpea‘s opening episode highlights that Craig has been intentionally distant.
8 The Gazette Has Completely Mistreated Rhiannon
Rhiannon’s Boss & Coworkers Barely Acknowledge Her
Ella Purnell’s best TV shows and movies mean she is no stranger to playing likeable and good-natured characters, but unfortunately, Rhiannon seems to be neglected in all parts of life, including her job. Working as a receptionist in a newsroom seems like a positive social environment considering she should be surrounded by outgoing people, and while this is the case, none of them seem to acknowledge her. Not only does her boss use her as a coat rack, but he is also incredibly dismissive of her request to become a junior reporter, since she wasn’t the right fit in his eyes.
While there could be some validity to his claims, Norman only really sees her as someone to make him tea and answer the phone, making Rhiannon feel invisible. Additionally, her other colleagues rarely interact with her, as Jeff’s lack of awareness frequently causes her to spill hot tea on her hands, while the entire room ignores her when leaving work. The unrewarding environment is a rather big reveal as it helps showcase why Rhiannon’s life is so miserable, and it’s one of the many factors that push her towards violence.
7 Julia Bullied Rhiannon Throughout Her School Years
The Trauma Has Impacted Rhiannon Into Her Adult Life
At the top of Rhiannon’s kill list is Julia Blenkinsopp, a high school bully who tormented the protagonist during her younger years. Once again, the trailer already hinted at Rhiannon hating Julia, but Sweetpea‘s first episode goes into much deeper detail as to why there is so much animosity. “Sorry for Your Loss” reveals that Julia used to pretend Rhiannon had died in school, with Julia and her friends all pretending they couldn’t see her, making Rhiannon feel literally invisible.
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Things got so bad that she began pulling her hair out, resulting in her wearing a wig that Julia pulled off during a school dance. The torment clearly still impacts Purnell’s character into her adult years, as she instinctively reaches for her hair when she sees her former bully, and Rhiannon still feels invisible to this day. She even pulls a bit of her hair out while looking at a real estate ad with Julia’s face on it, highlighting just how badly this mistreatment damaged her, proving that Rhiannon’s awful school life is a big factor in her finally snapping.
6 Rhiannon’s Father Passed Away Leaving Her On Her Own
Her Father’s Death Means She Now Lives By Herself
Fallout season 1’s ending proved that tragic father-daughter relationships aren’t new territory for Ella Purnell, and Sweetpea has continued this trend. Rhiannon’s dad seemed to be her whole world as she stayed in the same house as him, and he was the only person who truly saw her. Sadly, he was killed off before the show’s opening credits, starting Rhiannon’s dark path. Although he was in hospital, his death was rather sudden, as he died just moments after having a conversation with his daughter.
Rhiannon went to get him help as he hadn’t been checked up on by any doctors; however, by the time she returned, he was already gone. Starting off with such an emotional moment was a powerful way to introduce audiences to the series, and it confirmed that while there will be plenty of comedy, Sweetpea will also be full of dramatic moments. Losing her father is undoubtedly a key factor in Rhiannon’s life spiraling out of control, as it directly causes Julia to come back into her life, due to a major decision made by her sister.
5 Rhiannon’s Sister Wants To Sell Their Father’s House
Seren Revealed Her Intention To Sell After Her Father’s Funeral
Despite living in France, Rhiannon’s sister, Seren, wants to sell their dad’s house. Unlike her sibling, Seren seems to have a successful life abroad and, as such, has no problem selling their family home, even though Rhiannon still lives there. While this decision is already pretty cutthroat, Seren also books Julia as the estate agent, making things even worse for Rhiannon. The protagonist doesn’t want to move out of her home, nor does she want her bully to help sell it, making it a traumatic experience.
Given Seren springs this on Rhiannon shortly after the wake – where she didn’t even plan on saying goodbye – it highlights the lack of relationship the two sisters have. If Seren was close to Rhiannon, she would know how important their family home is to her and wouldn’t think about selling it, at least not so soon after their father’s death. Instead, Seren’s dismissive attitude is proof that Rhiannon can’t even rely on her sister, highlighting how isolated she has become after losing the person closest to her.
4 AJ Was Given The Junior Reporter Job That Rhiannon Applied For
Norman Appointed AJ Not Long After Rhiannon Put Her Name Forward For The Position
Things were already bad enough at work for Rhiannon, especially after being dismissed when applying for the junior reporter position, but Sweetpea‘s opening episode revealed that it got even worse. Moments after being rejected for the role, a young journalist named AJ walks into the office, and after a chat with Norman, is officially hired. While AJ comes across as sweet and even sympathetically asks Rhiannon if he took her job, it’s yet another triggering event that adds even more stress to a life that is already falling apart.
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AJ may not be a bad person, but he was essentially handed the job due to his parents knowing Norman, making Rhiannon even angrier. This almost results in the new hire becoming the protagonist’s first victim, as she follows AJ and plans to take her frustrations out on him before accidentally cutting herself and awkwardly coming up with an excuse. Knowing Rhiannon resents AJ for unintentionally stealing her position could still make him a target in the future, suggesting that this reveal is a potentially crucial detail going forward.
3 Rhiannon’s Dog Died While She Was Distracted
Tink Was Run Over By A Car After Rhiannon Began Pulling Her Hair Out
If losing her dad in episode 1 wasn’t enough, Rhiannon’s dog is also killed, which essentially acts as her breaking point. While walking her dog, Rhiannon spots a billboard featuring Julia after already being angry that she’d be the one selling her house. This causes her to pull her hair like she did when she was at school. In a panic, Rhiannon looks at her reflection at the bus stop and lets go of her leash to see what sort of damage she did to herself, resulting in Tink running onto the road and getting hit by a car.
Having already suffered great loss, this heartbreaking moment pushes Rhiannon over the edge, as she goes home to bury her deceased pet and drink away her sorrows. Ultimately, losing her dog is what makes Rhiannon head out to confront Julia, putting her in the position to take her first life. While the scene all happens fairly quickly, Tink’s death is undeniably a crucial moment in Sweetpea and completely sets Rhiannon over the edge, making it one of the key reveals of the show’s opening episode.
2 Rhiannon Has An Almost Non-Existent Relationship With Her Remaining Family
Rhiannon’s Aunt Didn’t Even Recognize Her & Her Sister Lives In France
With her dad gone, Rhiannon’s relationship with her family is nearly non-existent. Alongside her sister ignoring her concerns about the house and spending most of her time abroad, Seren also ghosts Rhiannon’s texts, meaning the two barely ever speak. It took their dad passing away to bring them together, and even then, Seren didn’t stick around for long. Perhaps even more damning was Rhiannon’s encounter with her aunt during the wake, as she was approached and asked if she was a member of staff by her own family.
Not only did her aunt not recognize her, but when Rhiannon explained who she was, her aunt asked her if she was the daughter who lived in France. Therefore, the lack of connections to her family is clearly a big reason as to why she feels so isolated. Without a very lively social life, Rhiannon only really had her dad to turn to, and with him gone, she now has no one. Work is hardly an escape for her, as she feels invisible there too, confirming how much of a role the poor relationship with her family could play in Sweetpea‘s story.
1 Rhiannon’s Mother Left When She Was Young
The Protagonist Revealed That Her Mother Walked Out When She Was A Child
One of the most significant reveals from Sweetpea‘s premiere was that Rhiannon’s mother left when she was just a child. Although she had a strong relationship with her dad before he passed away, having a female role model in her life may have made the protagonist more open about her insecurities, which could have helped her deal with some of her problems when she was younger. Instead, she has let them linger to the point where it has essentially destroyed her adult life and eventually led to her becoming a killer.
Her father clearly did his best, but an absent mother could be a decisive factor in Rhiannon’s life becoming so bleak. Sweetpea unveiled a lot in its opening episode, and while Rhiannon’s first kill is easily the biggest scene, her mother walking out on her feels like an incredibly significant moment. All the details we have learned about the protagonist’s life only make the rest of the season feel more exciting, and if the show continues on this trajectory, it could become one of the best drama shows of 2024.
Sweetpea (2024) follows Rhiannon Lewis, an unremarkable woman who goes unnoticed by those around her. However, her life takes a dark turn when she loses control, leading to a transformation filled with dangerous secrets she must conceal.
- 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
- Character(s)
- Rhiannon Lewis , Julia , Craig , AJ , Phil , Andy , Shaun , Lucille , Pidge , Marcus , Marina , Anni , Big Earred Mike , Nurse , Seren , Older Son with Tablet , Police Officer , Bouncer , Wheelchair User , Funeral attendee
- Release Date
- October 10, 2024
- Creator(s)
- Kirstie Swain
