After four years in the making, Zoe Kazan's captivating adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic 1952 family saga, East of Eden, has finally arrived – and viewers are already hooked.
This seven-part historical drama stars Florence Pugh as the formidable Cathy Ames, whose complex life becomes entangled with brothers Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles Trask (Mike Faist), spanning the turbulent decades between the Civil War and World War I.
© COURTESY OF NETFLIXA sweeping story of familial legacy, the project holds special significance: it arrives 70 years after director Zoe's grandfather, Academy Award-winner Elia Kazan, brought the novel to the screen in his iconic 1955 film starring James Dean.
Before you press play, here is everything you need to know about the series, including what critics and viewers are saying.
What is East of Eden about?
Bookended by the American Civil War and World War I, the series follows decades in the lives of antihero Cathy Ames and the men of the Trask family.
© COURTESY OF NETFLIXThe choice between good and evil is at the centre of the tale, which is billed as "a compelling perspective on the ways in which a family's history impacts an individual's present reality," according to Tudum.
Set primarily in the Salinas Valley of Central California, the series follows the villainous yet magnetic Cathy Ames, who drives a wedge between two brothers, "igniting a saga that unfolds across two generations," according to Netflix.
What have viewers said about East of Eden?
It's safe to say viewers are hooked on the new series. Taking to social media, audiences have hailed it as the "best show" in a long time.
One person wrote: "Absolutely brilliant show. Best I've seen in a long, long time," while another said they were "glued" to their screen, adding: "I binged this all day & done & dusted. The storyline, the touching on GOOD & EVIL and the choices we make."
© GEOFFREY SHORT/NETFLIXA third fan penned: "Literally the best book to screen adaptation I've ever watched," while another spotlighted Florence Pugh's outstanding performance, writing: "Florence Pugh absolutely killed it in East of Eden. The way she plays Cathy makes you hate her in one scene, then almost feel sorry for her in the next, and that is what makes her so good to watch!"
What have TV critics said about the show?
The series received a wave of four star reviews upon its release. The Independent hailed Florence's turn as Cathy as "magnificent," while The Guardian described the series as "brilliant, compelling TV."
© GEOFFREY SHORT/NETFLIXElsewhere, Empire praised the drama as an "excellent" and "largely lavish, thoughtful adaptation".
East of Eden is available to stream now.
