Florence Pugh leads new East of Eden series – a gripping but shallow family saga

Netflix has released a new series adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel East of Eden, written by Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of Elia Kazan, who directed the 1955 film version starring a then-unknown James Dean.

The story follows brothers Adam Trask (Christopher Abbott) and Charles (Mike Faist), raised in a harsh household by their domineering father Cyrus (Tracy Letts), a civil war veteran obsessed with retelling his own heroics. After Cyrus's death and an inheritance of questionable origin, the brothers reunite and attempt to build a decent life on their farm — until Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh) enters their world.

A manipulator with murky motives

The second episode reveals Cathy's troubled past: described as a born manipulator who leaves ruined men and suicides behind her, moves into prostitution, commits arson, fakes her own death, and abandons husbands and children in pursuit of wealth and freedom.

The review notes that Pugh does what she can with the role, but Cathy ultimately remains more of a spectacle than a fully realized character — echoing the same criticism levelled at the novel since its publication.

The male characters fare better, according to the review, particularly the tension between the two brothers and the gentler relationship between neighbour Samuel Hamilton (Ciarán Hinds) and Adam's servant Lee (Hoon Lee), which offers relief from the drama's intensity. Martha Plimpton's performance as brothel madam Faye is also singled out.

Overall, the review deems the series highly entertaining and well-produced family drama, though it concludes that it lacks the philosophical weight of the novel's exploration of good and evil in human nature.