My Biggest Fear For Ella Purnell's New Show Came True In The Very First Episode

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Sweetpea episode 1. This article also discusses the death of a pet dog!

Well, it only took one episode for my big fear to come true in Sweetpea, Ella Purnell's new dark comedy airing on Starz. Purnell has been on a hot streak as of late, leading two highly-rated video game adaptations, Arcane and Fallout, and serving as a pivotal character in Yellowjackets season 1. She initially caught my attention in Netflix's Army of the Dead, and I'm not surprised to see Purnell's career continue to take off. However, I can't say I expected to see her transform into a serial killer for a dark comedy.

Purnell, of course, is no stranger to playing a character that experiences trauma. Her character's fate in Yellowjackets certainly supports that notion (and still haunts me), but Sweetpea is a different animal. Speaking of animals, I was happy to see that Purnell's Sweetpea character, Rhiannon, has a little dog named Tink in the show. As a dog (and animal) lover, I always welcome seeing pets in movies and shows unless those pets are harmed in any way. And just when I thought I was being overly paranoid about Tink's fate for nothing, something terrible happened.

Sweetpea Episode 1 Killed Off Rhiannon's Dog

Tink Gets Hit By A Car In The Sweetpea Premiere

Like the book on which Sweetpea is based, Rhiannon has a little dog that serves as her trusty companion. After Rhiannon's father tragically passes away, the dog Tink is even brought to the funeral, wearing a cute little bow tie. Without her dad, Tink quickly becomes the only bright spot in Rhiannon's life and a source of comfort that many dog owners, including myself, can acknowledge. Then tragedy strikes Rhiannon yet again when Tink gets hit by a car near the bus stop.

I feared something terrible would happen to the adorable little dog earlier in Sweetpea episode 1, but I truly hoped I would be wrong.

Following her father's death, Rhiannon's emotional spiral is made worse by a few factors, including the return of her former bully, Julia. The woman is not only back in town, but Rhiannon's own sister orchestrates a plan to sell their dad's home with Julia's help. While looking at a billboard of Julia outside of the bus stop, Rhiannon drops Tink's leash before he unexpectedly runs into traffic and is killed. Unfortunately, I feared something terrible would happen to the adorable little dog earlier in Sweetpea episode 1, but I truly hoped I would be wrong.

Why I Was Worried About The Dog's Fate Throughout Sweetpea Episode 1

There Was A Reason To Fear Tink's Fate In Sweetpea

After the funeral, Rhiannon is shown going home with Tink, and though the sequence is clouded in sadness due to the character's grief, I couldn't help but focus on how dangerously fast the cars were moving so close to the sidewalks. The house Rhiannon lives in with her dad is very close to busy streets, and it's confirmed early that the character relies on walking and public transportation to get around town. Sadly, my worry was justified shortly after.

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For those like myself who are heavily affected by pets being harmed or dying, which should really be everyone unless you're a monster, the next few scenes in Sweetpea are difficult to stomach. Rhiannon discovers Tink's dead body after she gets distracted by the billboard, something she obviously didn't intend to happen. She then buries the little dog in her yard after wrapping his body in a blanket. With that, Tink's death becomes another aspect of Rhiannon's life that drives her to become a killer.

Seeing as the show starts with Rhiannon declaring a list of people she'd like to kill, I should have been prepared for anything. But the death of a dog being a key element in the character's serial killer transformation is still quite surprising. Then again, grief can do wild things to people. That's not to say that I would expect to turn into a serial killer if something happened to my pets. However, Sweetpea's focus on Rhiannon hitting her breaking point due to new and renewed trauma is an intriguing premise. I just hope the show doesn't sacrifice any more pets in the process.