Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for the first episode of Sweet Pea.Sweet peas is finally here, and Starz’s gripping comedy-drama didn’t disappoint, as the first episode was full of exciting reveals, including Rhiannon’s first murder. The trailer for the series already emphasized that the main character, Rhiannon Lewis, will turn into a killer throughout the series, but it becomes much clearer to understand why she committed suicide in her first life. Sweet peaspremiere. While there is no justification for Rhiannon killing a complete stranger, exploring her difficult living conditions and insecurities helps explain why she snapped, and Ella Purnell does a great job as the leader. Sweet peascast of characters, making Rhiannon both likable and incredibly flawed.
Considering that Pernell was part of one of the best TV shows of 2024 in Fall outUnsurprisingly, she gives another excellent performance that makes her character complex and hard not to root for despite the terrible crimes she commits. Without understanding her motives and background, Rhiannon could have seemed like just another killer, but thanks to Purnell and the excellent script, her slow transition from quiet girl to killer is extremely convincing. Fortunately, Sweet peas gave a lot of information about Rhiannon’s personal life, which made the payback for her first murder much more satisfying.
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Rhiannon killed a man by a canal while drunk.
The main character killed a man after he disrespected her
The biggest reveal of the first episode is undoubtedly that Rhiannon ended her first life. After spending most of the premiere sympathizing with the main character and understanding why she was so timid and unhappy, seeing her stab a man to death was a real shock. Even though the promotional materials made it clear that Rhiannon’s life was taking a dark turn, it was still hard to imagine that such a seemingly sweet girl would become so cruel and violent. Although the murder of the man at the docks was not planned, Rhiannon could not restrain herself and stabbed him several times.
The murder occurred after a drunken Rhiannon told Julia at a club that she had abused her years ago and was now back in her life. As the interaction did not go as planned, the protagonist left the club upset and headed to a nearby canal, where the stranger began urinating next to her, eventually targeting her, prompting Rhiannon to kick him. After the man threatened her, she plunged a knife into his neck and then stabbed him multiple times, in a wild moment that looks set to change Rhiannon’s life forever, making it by far the most important moment of the episode.
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Craig avoided Rhiannon after sexual encounter
Rhiannon said they dated, but Craig has been distant since then
Although Craig’s interactions with Rhiannon during her father’s funeral present him as a relatively nice guy, it is clear that he has been awkwardly avoiding the protagonist after their previous time together. The exact details of Craig and Rhiannon’s relationship are unclear, but the first segment of the show confirms that they had sex. However, it apparently didn’t blossom into a full-fledged romance, as Rhiannon reveals that Craig only replies to her messages with emojis.
He also pretends not to see Rhiannon while she waits at the bus stop and doesn’t initiate conversation after her father’s wake. Instead, Rhiannon almost bumps into him, forcing them to strike up a conversation. With the trailer indicating the duo will get back together, it remains to be seen exactly what kind of person Jonathan Poynting’s character will be, but first impressions of the series suggest he doesn’t want to be seen with Rhiannon. Whether this is due to his shy nature or another factor is anyone’s guess, but Sweet peasThe first episode emphasizes that Craig was deliberately aloof.
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The Gazette treated Rhiannon completely poorly
Rhiannon’s boss and colleagues hardly acknowledge her
Ella Purnell’s best TV shows and films mean she’s no stranger to playing likable, good-natured characters, but sadly Rhiannon seems to be ignored in all areas of her life, including her work. Working as a newsroom secretary seems like a positive social environment given that she is expected to be surrounded by outgoing people, and although this is the case, none of them seem to acknowledge it. Her boss not only uses her as a coat rack, but is completely dismissive of her request to become a junior reporter because she is not a good fit for him.
While his claims may have some validity, Norman really only sees her as someone who will give him tea and answer the phone, making Rhiannon feel invisible. Additionally, her other coworkers rarely interact with her, as Jeff’s lack of awareness often causes her to spill hot tea on her hands while the entire room ignores her when she leaves work. The thankless environment is a pretty important revelation because it helps demonstrate why Rhiannon’s life is so miserable and it’s one of the many factors that pushes her to violence.
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Julia bullied Rhiannon throughout her school years
Trauma has impacted Rhiannon into adulthood
At the top of Rhiannon’s murder list is Julia Blenkinsopp, the school bully who tormented the main character in her younger years. Once again, the trailer has already hinted that Rhiannon hates Julia, but Sweet peasThe first episode goes much deeper into why such animosity exists. “Sorry for Your Loss” reveals that Julia pretended Rhiannon died at school and Julia and her friends pretended not to see her, making Rhiannon feel literally invisible.
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Things got so bad that she started pulling out her hair, resulting in her wearing a wig, which Julia took off during a school dance. Torment clearly still affects Purnell’s character even as an adult, as she instinctively reaches for her hair when she sees her former bully, and Rhiannon still feels invisible. She even pulls out her hair while looking at a real estate ad with Julia’s face on it, emphasizing how much this abuse has damaged her, proving that Rhiannon’s terrible school life is a big factor in her finally breaking.
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Rhiannon’s father passed away, leaving her alone
Her father’s death means she now lives alone
Fall out The ending of season one proved that tragic father-daughter relationships are not new territory for Ella Purnell, and Sweet peas continued this trend. Rhiannon’s father seemed to be her whole world, as she lived in the same house as him and he was the only person who really saw her. Unfortunately, he was killed off before the show’s opening credits, marking the beginning of Rhiannon’s dark path. Although he was in the hospital, his death was quite sudden as he died just seconds after speaking to his daughter.
Rhiannon went after him for help since he was not being examined by doctors; however, by the time she returned, he had already left. Starting with such an emotional moment was a powerful way to introduce viewers to the series, and it confirmed that while there would be plenty of comedy, Sweet peas will also be full of dramatic moments. The loss of her father is undoubtedly a key factor in Rhiannon’s life spiraling out of control, as it directly forces Julia back into her life due to a major decision made by her sister.
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Rhiannon’s sister wants to sell her father’s house
Seren spoke about her intention to sell after her father’s funeral
Even though Rhiannon’s sister Serene lives in France, she wants to sell her father’s house. Unlike her siblings, Seren appears to be leading a successful life abroad and therefore has no problem selling the family home, although Rhiannon still lives there. Although this decision is already quite cruel, Serene also hires Julia as a real estate agent, making Rhiannon’s situation even worse. The main character doesn’t want to leave her house and doesn’t want her bully to help sell it, making it a traumatic experience.
Given that Serene tells Rhiannon this shortly after waking up – where she didn’t even plan to say goodbye – it highlights the lack of relationship between the two sisters. If Seren had been close to Rhiannon, she would have known how important their family home was to her and would not have considered selling it, at least not so soon after their father’s death. Instead, Serene’s dismissive attitude is proof that Rhiannon can’t even rely on her sister, highlighting how isolated she has become since losing the person closest to her.
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AJ got the junior reporter position that Rhiannon applied for.
Norman appointed AJ shortly after Rhiannon put her name forward for the position
Rhiannon was already doing badly enough at work, especially after she was fired while applying for a junior reporter position, but Sweet peasThe first episode showed that things got even worse. Moments after being turned down for the role, a young journalist named AJ walks into the office and after speaking with Norman, he is officially hired. While AJ comes across as nice and even sympathetically asks Rhiannon if he hired her, it’s yet another inciting event that adds even more stress to a life that’s already falling apart.
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AJ may not be a bad person, but he was essentially given the job because his parents knew Norman, which made Rhiannon even more angry. This almost results in the new employee 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 making up an excuse. Knowing that Rhiannon resents AJ for unintentionally stealing her position could still make him a target in the future, suggesting that this revelation is a potentially important detail going forward.
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Rhiannon’s dog died while she was distracted
Tink gets hit by a car after Rhiannon starts pulling out her hair
If losing her father in the first episode wasn’t enough, Rhiannon’s dog was also killed, which was essentially her breaking point. While walking the dog, Rhiannon notices a billboard featuring Julia, already angry that she will be the one to sell her house. This causes her to pull her hair like she did in school. Panicking, Rhiannon looks at her reflection at the bus stop and lets go of the leash to see how much damage she has done to herself, causing Tink to run out into the road and be hit by a car.
Having already suffered a huge loss, this heartbreaking moment sends Rhiannon over the edge as she goes home to bury her deceased pet and drink away her sadness. In the end, losing the dog is what drives Rhiannon to go confront Julia, putting her in a position where she could take her first life. Although the entire scene happens rather quickly, Tink’s death is undoubtedly the defining moment in the story. Sweet peas and completely freaks out Rhiannon, making it one of the key reveals of the show’s first episode.
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Rhiannon has an almost non-existent relationship with her remaining family.
Aunt Rhiannon didn’t even recognize her and her sister lives in France
After her father’s death, Rhiannon’s relationship with her family practically ceased. In addition to her sister ignoring her concerns about home and spending most of her time abroad, Seren also sees Rhiannon’s messages, meaning they hardly ever speak. It took her father’s death to bring them together, and even then Seren didn’t stay long. Perhaps even more terrifying was Rhiannon’s encounter with her aunt during the wake, when she was approached and asked if she was an employee of 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. So, the lack of connections with her family is obviously the main reason why she feels so isolated. Without a very busy social life, Rhiannon really only had her father to turn to, and with him gone, she now has no one. Work is hardly an escape for her, since even there she feels invisible, confirming the role that poor relationships with family can play in this. Sweet peasstory.
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Rhiannon’s mother left when she was little
The main character said that her mother left when she was a child
One of the most significant discoveries Sweet peasThe premiere was that Rhiannon’s mother left when she was still a child. Although she had a strong relationship with her father before his death, having a female role model in her life may have made the main character more open about her insecurities, which could have helped her deal with some of her problems when she was younger. Instead, she let them linger to the point that it effectively ruined her adult life and ultimately led to her becoming a murderer.
Her father was clearly trying his best, but her mother’s absence may have been the deciding factor in why Rhiannon’s life became so bleak. Sweet peas a lot is revealed in the first episode, and while Rhiannon’s first murder is by far the biggest scene, her mother leaving feels like an incredibly important moment. All the details we’ve learned about the main character’s life only make the rest of the season more exciting, and if the series continues on this trajectory, it could be one of the best drama shows of 2024.