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.

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.

Sweetpea is a dark comedy/revenge fantasy starring the charming Ella Purnell, who's been on a lot of big things lately, wich is justifiable since she's a very charismatic and versatile actress. Once again, Purnell's performance elevated an otherwise clichéd and disposable project, her portrayal of a shy, lonely, and traumatized young woman pushed to the edge is just as entertaining as it is disturbing. Throughout the fast paced 6 episodes, we get invested in the main character's inner drama, even to the point of feeling very bad for her, the character work was so good that i forgot this was a typical unreliable narrator type story, i cared for Rhiannon despite knowing she is a sick, dangerous person. The pacing was very good for the most part, it never felt like they were dragging things too much, however the last episode felt like they were trying too hard to create cliffhangers and setups for a second season, instead of wrapping things up on a coherent way. This is the problem with modern entertainment, everything needs to be a franchise, or a whole ass series with multiple seasons, nothing is allowed to have a clear begging, middle, and END anymore, it all depends on the ratings... I think this could've been a very good 2h movie, if only they had a clearer vision for this story, i don't know much about the book in wich the show is based on, but damn i think the script could've been a lot better. Most of the supporting characters are played by mid-tier actors, nowhere near the same level of the protagonist, specially the actress playing Julia, she came across as a bit forced to me, i didn't buy her motivations, nor felt any sympathy for her, and that scene with her husband in episode 05 was ridiculous. Overall, Sweetpea might not be the most creative, deep, or remarkable series, but Ella Purnell's usual charm, appropriately quirky English humour, and some good gory killings make this a strong option to those looking for darker, adult orientated content.

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 episodes flow very well and easy to watch, Dark yet funny, defiantly shows the danger of mental health. This might just be a tv show but it reflects todays world of fake wellbeing.

Not sure its everybody's taste but if you like your humour on the dark side then this is for you.

Ella Purnell is brilliant as normal but shout out to Jeremy Swift very funny.

I am not 100 on the ending but thats just me, some of the twists are good but you could see them coming.

British drama at its best and not dragged out over far too many episodes, too many shows drag it out .

Defiantly need more shows like this.