Oct 03, 2026 6:32pm IST
‘East of Eden’ Review: Florence Pugh’s Formidable Cathy Ames Is a Career-Best In This Sweeping Adaptation of a Great Novel
One of the biggest concerns for readers of John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel, “East of Eden,” when they watched the trailer for the Netflix adaptation was whether the chaotic evil of the character of Cathy Ames would be mellowed down. But Florence Pugh’s Cathy is a terrifying revelation, one that instantly makes the limited series, also starring Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist, one of her best performances. The series is created by American actor and writer Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel starring James Dean. The first four episodes of the series are directed by Garth Davis (“Lion”) and the remaining three by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre (“Lady Chatterly’s Lover”).
“East of Eden” is a great American novel that Steinbeck claimed he was preparing all his life to write, his magnum opus. While the family saga chronicles the lives of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—living in the Salinas Valley in California around the time of World War I (1918), the Netflix limited series focuses on the Trasks, elaborating on the Cain and Abel allegory within two generations of the family, starting as far back as the American Civil War in 1862. Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles (Mike Faist) Trask are stepbrothers raised with military discipline by their father, Cyrus Trask (Tracy Letts), a war veteran. Trask Sr. dispatches Adam to the army and makes Charles stay back to tend the farm, even though the brothers want the exact opposite.
The brothers reunite after their father’s death when Adam is discharged from the army. However, the arrival of Cathy Ames (Pugh) on their doorstep, beaten within an inch of her death, changes everything. The series then follows the lives of Cathy, Adam and Charles across several years: Cathy and Adam’s marriage, their move to California when Cathy gets pregnant, the arrival of the “Chinaman” Lee (Hoon Lee), their housekeeper, into their lives as Cathy departs, abandoning Adam and her twin sons, who are named Caleb (Joseph Zada) and Aron (Joe Anders) after the biblical brothers Cain and Abel.
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Kazan and co-showrunner Jeb Stuart manage to mount a proper epic with “East of Eden,” not just in the production scale a period piece like this demands but also in capturing the sweeping emotions this beloved classic ought to evoke. The set pieces look lived-in and era-appropriate. The outfits and the attention to detail are immaculate. Her all-black look with sassy sunglasses and stacks of gold jewelry is iconic.
Cathy Ames is an incredible literary character because she doesn’t suffer the writer’s pity. Kazan and co-writer Alexander Chee manage to give Cathy the depth and nuance she needs. In fact, in a week when two female characters from two adaptations give themselves a horrifying at-home abortion, “East of Eden” retains it, whereas “Verity” chose to omit it.
Florence Pugh plays her with ice-cold indifference. Her portrayal of Cathy’s turn in the final two episodes cements this as one of the best performances of the year. The casting overall is rather impeccable, with everyone from Tracy Letts to Martha Plimpton (Faye) delivering masterfully on their character’s promise. Anyone missing Mike Faist post “Challengers” is in for a treat with the sexy and desirable Charles Trask, who sees through Cathy’s façade. His Southern accent and “She’s a whore!” line delivery cast a huge shadow despite his limited screen time. Christopher Abbott delivers Adam Trask’s wounded pride with finesse, evoking both pity and anger. But it is Hoon Lee’s Lee that might steal your heart.
Steinbeck wrote the entire novel around the concept of “Timshel,” a Hebrew word from the story of Cain and Abel from the Book of Genesis. As Lee explains to their neighbor Samuel Hamilton (an underutilized Ciarán Hinds), a bunch of Chinese scholars translating the Bible believed that the word translated in English as the phrase “Thou mayest,” which, in the context of the story and of “East of Eden,” means that our lives are defined not by God’s will but by the choices we make.
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Even as the series in its second half tackles the lives of Caleb and Aron Trask, it is able to beautifully draw parallels between the generational trauma of all Trask brothers and their paths. The final episode, also titled “Timshel,” delivers on the emotional closure, led by Joseph Zada’s Caleb—a performance that might get you even more excited for his Haymitch in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.” By the time the credits roll, there won’t be a dry eye.
“East of Eden” is a triumph in adaptations and proves why classics will always endure the test of time. A must-watch, if ever there was one.
2026 is clearly the year of book adaptations, with about 15 of them coming through in October alone. And “East of Eden” stands out from the throng for adapting its source material authentically, giving readers an unapologetic Cathy Ames, and taking it beyond the pages by extending Lee’s story arc. Powered by incredible performances from Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee, Martha Plimpton, Joseph Zada, and Joe Anders, this Netflix limited series is truly one for the books.
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