User reviews

I was initially a little annoyed with this show because it as too obvious what her character turn would be, from the first five minutes... Additionally, it reminded me way too much of the show Obituary, also from the UK, release only not so long ago. Similar quirkiness, dark comedy, office setting, reporter job, character turn and plot - but I felt the Obituary show was more unique in its nuance and story plot. I feel the striking resemblance has to be called out, and the plot is predictable , BUT neverthless- I eventually got into a groove with it and it turned out to be quite a fun romp of a show, even if the storyline wasn't particularly original, unique or powerful- it's a fun dark comedy and you eventually get taken along for the ride ... And swept into binging the series ;)

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..

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.

At times, particularly in Ep1, this show can drag and be a bit flat, but it builds well into an unusual thriller. It leaves you feeling uneasy as the main character while in many ways worthy of sympathy and understanding, is a killer.

The interest comes from the viewer wondering if she is going to get away with it all, and even at the end you are still left a little unsure, probably set up for Series 2.

The charm comes from the 'normal' English backdrop and the lead characters, at times, endearing behaviour, so again you feel a bit twisted, after all, she's a killer.

A bit of an English Dexter, but very quirky, in all well worth a look.

Really great series, super acting! Loving every second of it! Only two episode left to watch and I really can't to watch it. I didn't read the book so I don't know if there is more books to it (ergo, I hope there will be more season!)

Love Ella so much! So glad to see her in new things! I wish her the best! She's such a sweetpea ;) Lol.

Never felt bored, and the chemistry between the characters was spot on. Each character brought something unique, especially Ella Purnell, who truly stood out with her remarkable performance.

I love dark humor and this was amazing!

I know Ella was in a Tim Burton movie already (at least I think so) but I really hope she'll be in more of them!

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 saw the trailer and was immediately intrigued. I thoroughly enjoyed early Dexter seasons and was hoping for something grittier but along the similar lines, with viewers put in the situation of 'do I root for a murderer or support the side if justice' and I have not been disappointed. The series meets its goal of being both funny and very dark, (no doubt about the latter!) but, in my opinion, the episodes are also well written and acted. Ella Purnell is perfectly cast. Is it wrong to admit that for now at least, approaching the finale I'm siding with a killer and would love to see a second season given the green light..

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.

Sweetpea starts from a decent premise. It's ok, but it doesn't quite work.

Ella Purnell plays Rhiannon. In her twenties, she is a downtrodden and disregarded administrative assistant at a local newspaper. As a kid at school, she was on the receiving end of some "treatment" by other girls. Rhiannon believes that this experience has ruined her life.

No spoilers, but what proceeds is an unraveling.

There is some decent drama here, and we soon find ourselves rooting for Rhiannon, even though she commits horrible acts. In this respect, Sweetpea has the same effect as Breaking Bad - we side with the bad guys because we sort of have a connection with them through our own life experience. But that's as good as it gets.

The problem with Sweetpea is that it's too much of a stretch to believe that a timid bullied schoolgirl can turn as bad as she does as quickly as she does. A lot of it trades on Ella Purnell and her big expressive eyes! She does ok with a limited script. The supporting players are ok.

Sweetpea is engaging and entertaining enough, and I will be tuning in for season 2.

I really wanted to like this as I love the books but the only thing the series seems to have in common is (some) character names, and a bit of murder. I don't understand why this was created, it has lost all of the charm and honestly, all of the story. TV Rhiannon is insipid and her motivations differ entirely from book Rhiannon, to the point where the entire series seems pointless.

What was a brilliant story about trauma, female rage, and turning male violence on its head, has become a boring slog that feels shallow and underdeveloped. Not to say that Ella Purnell doesn't do a good job, but I can't imagine anyone involved in the creation of this has read the books.

I understand that adaptations from books cannot always be entirely faithful but this is a completely different story.

I enjoyed the premise of it at the start, the premise of the show is good and it's cool to get a new story in a TV programme.

The first few episodes where the scene is being set are good and went well but by the third or fourth episode the plot holes start to arrive and what happens just couldnt really happen. People not noticing things or not following things up or just generally being stupid.

Makes it hard to keep going.

I did watch it all the way to end though but I think this is likely because it's 6 episodes, if it was 9 i probably would have given up.

Will most likely try to watch the next season if there is one.

I seen the trailer for this and it took my interest but was Surprised at how much i actually enjoyed this. The acting was great too. Its funny because even though Rhiannon does terrible things etc you cant help but not be against her. Anyone who has been treated like crap in work or in school can totally understand the thought of wanting to harm those people. I like the fact we got an anti hero done properly which so many shows nowadays never seem to get right in my opinion. I think Ella the lead actress will be one to watch in future. Would not be shocked if she makes it big after her role in this and yellowjackets.

Besides the murder part, she is very relatable. Almost like the movie Falling Down 1993 with Michael Douglas. Putting people over the edge. Everyone has their limits with the way they are treated. I kept seeing this advertised on Facebook and decided to give it a go. I did not get bored once or even look at my phone. It kept you engaged. You kept wondering if and when she would do "something". They did a great job of making everyone in her life look like horrible people and you really start feeling for her. Ellen Purnell is the perfect casting choice for this character. She literally can do everything.

Just watched the first episode, and here's my review:

Positives: The first episode was watchable. The lead actress did a good job, and the ending was awesome.

Negatives: It would have been better if the episode duration was under 30 minutes, as it felt a bit slow. There are quite a few over-the-top scenes, such as the boss treating her like a suit hanger, everyone failing to notice her despite her being pretty, and her bully ruining her life to the point where she lost all her hair and now wears a wig. The backstory could have been presented better to evoke more sympathy for the lead character.

Overall, it's a decent watch. This episode serves as an introduction to her journey from victim to killer. I hope the next five episodes are more thrilling, entertaining, and realistic. Ratings: 2.5/5.

Update: Just finished the second episode, and it has gotten so much better-more thrilling, engaging, and exciting! I can't wait to see what happens next. The other characters are also looking better now. It's nice that they've shown her doing amateur things during and after the killings, which is cool. Although it would have been better if they had shown her wearing gloves at least while killing. But anyway, as long as it keeps up the entertainment, I won't care about the logic. I loved the trailer but was disappointed with the first episode. This second one, though, is truly awesome! I'll update my review after finishing it. Ratings: 3.5/5.

Update: I just finished Season 1, and I'm like, OMG! The finale episode was amazing-one scene after another, full of twists. The last cliffhanger was intense! Please renew this show. The characters are great; I want to see more of them-not just the lead, Rhiannon, but also Julia and others.

I hope they filmed Season 2 at the same time as Season 1 or that it gets the hype it deserves and is renewed ASAP because I would love to see what's coming next. After watching the trailer, I thought it would be awesome, but this level of entertainment was unexpected.

Sure, some scenes don't make sense; the killing is shown as if it's super easy. For example, when she's following someone to kill, the person never looks back or notices she's there. In many of these killer-type shows, the lead killer just kills wherever, indoors or outdoors, but no one ever checks the cameras. It's good that in this show, it's there. If you don't think too much about it, starting from the second episode, it's totally binge-worthy. If you like shows like Chucky, Dead to Me, or You, you will definitely enjoy this one.

She seems like a cute, sweet, slightly nervous girl, but every killing she did felt so real. The direction and Ella's acting made it believable. At first, I felt like the 40-minute-plus duration was too much, but after the second episode, they had so much content that this length was needed.

Overall, it's a must-watch, binge-worthy, entertaining show, though the first episode is average, and there are some illogical elements. I'd give it a 3.75/5.

I've waited a long time for this to come out on Sky, and it did not disappoint! Brilliant dark comedy, it's right up my street. No spoilers here, just a basic review to say I loved it!

I binged the whole series in one night, I just couldn't turn off, the end of each episode leaving me wanting more, and to know "what next!?" It may be a little slow to get started initially but it had me hooked straight away.

The lead character superbly played by Ella Purnell, as a quiet, innocent and "invisible"young woman who finally has enough and flips out. The LOL moments cutting through the dark side brilliantly.

Good storyline and well written in the main, it's definitely well worth a watch in my opinion.

The show is quite fun and interesting. There's only one main concern: there's too much similarity between this show and an Irish show titled "Obituary." The Irish show is way better (directing, acting, humour, plot, you name it). I wonder if anyone else has noticed this similarity.

The other issue, I think, concerns acting and directing. It is understandable that the protagonist gets to a breaking point and takes to violence (murder here). So it seems like the audience is invited to sympathize with her. Her victims seem to be bullies and jerks. She seems like she needs to justify such violence, which by the way is more about her reclaiming of her power of assertion than justice. She actually becomes very happy when she finds out that her first victim was a "bully." That said, when she is murdering her victims, there's a troubling expression of sociopathic pleasure on her face. That creates a confusion for the audience. Is she a sociopath or someone who kills rid the society of bad people?!

Great show really keeps you hooked but the end did not sit well with me. Story starts off well with backstory and the main character's motives which is nice. However all the support characters are annoying, like they have no real purpose in the show other than potentially being the next victim. Don't think this will go beyond season 1 unless they completely overhaul the shows direction. Think of this show as a clumsy Dexter "oops I did it again" type vibe. At least Dexter had a sister and a good supporting cast to help navigate the story. If this does get picked up for season 2, they need to add some relevant 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.

The first episode was so great, both in the meaning of directing and writing. I enjoyed it a lot and thought to myself i have finally found a great show to binge on. But as someone who loves this genre of TV shows, the following episodes were so cliche and predictable... it got so unrealistic, dumb and boring at some point i stopped watching it. It had such great potential it's a shame.

Why would they keep making the same TV shows, with the same narratives? Same scenes?

The main actress is amazing and it's worth watching just for her amazing acting skills, even though the writing was pretty poor for the rest of the show..