Ella Purnell has been having a bit of a moment. Actually, make that a winning few years, including her roles as the unfortunate Jackie in Showtime’s Yellowjackets and as a very different type of survivor on Prime Video/Amazon’s smash hit, Fallout. Before that, Purnell starred in two seasons of the underappreciated Sweetbitter series (which will appeal to devotees of The Bear) for Starz, and with her star rising, the cable network decided to proceed with a Sky-planned TV series that was greenlit in 2020 but still hasn’t seen the light of day.
That would be Sweetpea, and let’s not waste any more time with filling in the details known so far.
Plot
The series is based upon C.J. Skuse’s same-named 2017 novel and is described by Starz as a “coming-of-rage” tale. Expect a dark comedy about Purnell’s character, Rhiannon, not to be confused with the 1970s Fleetwood Mac song about a witch. The Sweetpea book is not based upon the song, but Skuse did previously reveal that she changed the character’s name to Rhiannon after listening to the Fleetwood Mac song.
For some not-incidental info: Stevie Nicks wrote that song about a mystical figure called Rhiannon, framed as a witch in the song and based upon Mary Leader’s 1972 book, Triad: A Novel of the Supernatural, and Skuse’s novel also happens to revolve around a young woman who comes into a killer ability of her own. With that said, the story of Sweetpea is its own creation and a dark comedy, and Skuse’s book has drawn comparisons to Bridget Jones and some of cinema’s most terrifying villains. We’d say more about those villains, but those would spoil the fun. From Sky’s initial synopsis:
Rhiannon Lewis doesn’t make much of an impression – people walk past her in the street without a second glance. She’s continually overlooked for a promotion at work, the guy she likes won’t commit, and her dad is really, really sick. So far, so sh*t. Then everything in her life turns upside down. Rhiannon is pushed over the edge, and loses control. Suddenly the wallflower is gone, and in its place is a young woman capable of anything… Rhiannon’s life transforms as she steps into a new, intoxicating power, but can she keep her killer secret?
Cast
Purnell will be joined by Leah Harvey, Tim Samuels, Dino Kelly, Elliot Cable, Lucy Heath, and Jessica Brindle.
Release Date
Originally planned in 2020 for Sky, the Starz pick up means that Sweetpea will see the light of day before 2024 is over.
Trailer
Sweetpea hasn’t surfaced in trailer form yet. However, Purnell fans might want to revisit Sweetbitter (with the trailer below), which (again) will also appeal to fans of FX’s The Bear.
