The girl Rhiannon Lewis, played by Ella Purnell, everyone overlooks might just be able to get away with murder. “It’s always the quiet ones!”
The Sweetpea TV series, which premiered on Starz, is based on C.J. Skuse’s dark and twisted thriller novel. It centers on Rhiannon, portrayed by Ella Purnell, a seemingly ordinary woman who hides a disturbing secret: she maintains a personal kill list and acts on her violent impulses.
Rhiannon’s life appears typical on the surface, with a mundane job she dislikes and a lackluster relationship with her oblivious boyfriend, Craig. However, beneath this facade lies a deep-seated rage rooted in a traumatic childhood experience. This trauma fuels her desire for revenge, leading her to execute a series of murders that she justifies as acts of vigilante justice. Her targets are often people who, in her eyes, have evaded true punishment for their misdeeds, such as sex offenders.
The show explores themes of trauma, justice, and empowerment, presenting Rhiannon as a complex antiheroine. It challenges viewers by mixing dark humor with psychological tension, showcasing the thin line between personal empowerment and self-destruction. The tone is often made eerier by the contrast between Rhiannon’s violent thoughts and the ordinary settings around her, accentuated by an ironically upbeat soundtrack that blurs the line between comedy and horror.
Ella Purnell’s performance as Rhiannon has been praised for capturing the character’s charismatic yet unsettling nature. The series balances elements of psychological thriller and dark comedy, creating an engaging and morally ambiguous narrative that keeps viewers guessing.
