‘Sweetpea’ Recap: ‘Life 2.0’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Ella Purnell as Rhiannon in Episode 106 of ‘Sweetpea’ – ‘Life 2.0’. (Photo Courtesy of STARZ.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season One Finale of ‘Sweetpea’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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If there is one particular question that was on everyone’s mind when they tuned into the fascinating STARZ series, Sweetpea, the other day, it was… would Rhiannon find redemption for the horrible things she’s done? After all, she stopped herself from killing the one person that put her down a dark path to begin with, and instead worked to save her through a touch of manslaughter. Which freed Julia from the hell she lived within and would undoubtedly make Rhiannon a hero of sorts, prompting the real possibility that she might be redeemed, and well… it just so happens that the season one finale of this incredible show, took the time to finally answer that question in a complex manner.

Because early on in ‘Life 2.0’ it really did lean toward… redemption. After all, Julia and Rhiannon’s story worked and eventually, they were released, and no trouble came forth for Rhiannon. Despite the tough efforts of Marina to get her to crack and confess. Which in turn, led to joy. Where Rhiannon was finally one with the popular crowd and lusted after by men and able to just… enjoy her life for a change. That led her to believe that a new chapter was beginning, especially since she was cemented at work as someone more as well, and all it took, was losing her mind for a bit and killing a couple of rotten asshats. But soon it became clear, that the real answer to that question… was a hideous no.

For Julia began to think deeply upon the fact that despite being saved and being free from her awful relationship with her now dead fiancé, her new ‘bestie’… kidnapped her and held her at knife point and put her through utter hell to make her free, and that was enough… to leave her life behind. Not to mention, Craig wasn’t the romantic savior she expected him to be, he was just an opportunist and that left Rhiannon to wonder, what then did she accomplish and what redemption did she find? But a twisted encounter with Marina, who decided to break and enter and get evidence of what happened, helped her to forget about that. Because she truly enjoyed the thrill of getting away with it, of being seen in a different light, and well, that’s when things took a turn.

Because that little boost of confidence helped her finally seal the deal with AJ and allowed for her to believe that a real love was in the cards. But AJ’s desire to get the scoop and write the final piece to this led to a horrifying discovery. In that the woman he was enamored with, was a monster. One that he was far too close to and where justice needed to be served and that led, to exactly what Marina said would happen… a fresh kill. Because keeping her secret, keeping this delicate little lie she constructed, was more important than consequences and truth. Which committed her to true darkness and made it clear, there would be no redemption for her.  Especially not with her sister walking in the door.

All of which brought about, a sour season finale, but also… the right one. Because there’s nothing quirky or kitschy about murder, it’s the darkest act we as a species commit. And no matter how much we think it will solve our problems or change our lives for the better, it won’t. It just creates more darkness, more suffering and an emptiness that cannot be filled and consequences. As to what those will be for Rhiannon, well we need a second season to figure that out, and hopefully the series gets a second season order. To further explore what lie ahead for this budding serial killer, and to continue this unique tale. One that truly dug into murder and the demons we carry like never before.

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