Sweetpea

This review is base on Episode 1 and I will update it once all 6 episodes have aired.

When you are in a tough spot in your life, everything sucks, you are invisible and people around you are the absolute worst, funny ideas can cross your mind. SweetPea take this concept and push it to the extreme, following the life of Rhiannon Lewis (Ella Purnell) an office worker bullied her whole life who suddenly lose her father to illness.

Her fantasies to "remove" people who has done her wrong in her life becomes an obsession as things spiral out of control! Sweet Pea flowers are beautiful to see but they are also toxic, which is the main point of the show.

Although the episode is only 43 minutes including credit, it's insane how much the emotional build up is fantastic. By the end of the episode I understood poor Rhiannon motivation and was hooked. Some movies can't make you feel a thing in 2h, but this show in such a quick lapse of time made me care so much about its plot.

Not only is the writting solid, but the music and the way it is filmed is excellent, which only adds to the intensity of the show. Also how can I not touch on the acting. Is there anything Ella Purnell can't do?! For a lot of people, Ella made fallout such a fantastic show because her acting. This remains true in SweetPea, like in Yellowknife and Fallout. Her acting range is one of the best I have seen in a long time and I can't wait to see where he career will take her!

To summarize, the show is well worth you time and although episode 1 is a build up, it shows amazing potential which is strongly supported by fantastic acting, an engaging story and great atmosphere. Can't wait to see where it goes and will update this review as the season wrap up!

"You made me this way" - Rhiannon.

Mixed messaging is deliberate. Depending on which side of "the worldview" one stands, will start discussions. No issues with that, for me at least. Similar for not really following the book.

Unnecessary though, are abrupt and cringe bits and pieces of "The Message" and politics, which never are factual, nor common sense even, and instead just individual, and often current opinions inserted and ideologies injected, that mostly do not age well. Some actors joined that club, others just do their job and what they are asked to do. Don't know if Ella is the former or the latter, but she obviously did an excellent job playing this character overall.

Ultimately, regardless of "mixed messaging" it is quite clear that our main character is NOT well, and excuses for all done are just her own, inside her head, that as more things progress, less convincing they become, utill they shatter, "exposing" a killer looking to get away with it..

The show concept is pretty good, albeit a story that has been used many times before (someone kills only people they believe deserve to die).

The cast are very, very good and the actor who plays the lead character of Rhiannon really draws you in.

The issue that I have is the huge number of plot holes. A group of young characters who seem blissfully unaware of technology and the digital footprint you leave behind. With everything you do.

They try to explain the technology out of the story, unsuccessfully.

So, you do have to suspend belief somewhat. Take the show at face value and it's pretty enjoyable

I was surprised how graphic some of the scenes were...

Well worth a watch, just don't expect something deep and dark. It's a slasher series with great characters.

I've been waiting for this to air and I can tell you I was highly entertained.

Ella played her role so well I found myself cheering when she had her first kill it was a funny yet horrific release of all her past trauma.

The way she switched between geeky shy Rhiannon and psychopath was excellent I haven't seen a serial killer that made me hoping they'd get away with it since Dexter.

Each and every cast member was matched to personality perfectly.

There was a perfect mix of comedy drama and suspense to make this 100% bingeable.

Highly recommend Sweetpea to anyone who has a love of dark comedy.

Too much of the first episode is to give the audience a taste of how bitter her life is, and they succeed a bit too much, since most of the episode felt awful to watch, but... the origin story ends with the episode, and she bites for the first time, and that's what I think most people watching the show expect.

In comparison, Dexter kills someone in the first 5 minutes, this is the oposite, we are drag trough her horrible existence as much as possible, so much that some people will tune out... but I think there is a pay off and a potential behind hi, she had teeth now, and everything will change because of that... Yes... her moral compass is off... as many pointed out... but is not the point... all that pressure is finally released in a boom... we will see if she matures or devolves, anyway, annoying life, big bang ending, potential for the series, we will see.