Netflix is once again proving that the streaming giant has mastered the art of using a literary classic to craft a phenomenal piece of prestige television. Translating a monumental, 74-year-old classic novel from page to screen requires more than just high-end production value. It demands a fearless creative vision, a meticulous eye for period detail, and a lead performance capable of anchoring a morally complex landscape of ambition, guilt, and familial discord. 

Netflix understood the assignment very well and presented the audience with its ambitious take on East of Eden starring Florence Pugh, which got a formidable 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Now available on Netflix, the seven-episode adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel East of Eden has debuted to a strong 89% on Rotten Tomatoes based on over two dozen reviews, eclipsing the score of the 1955 cinematic adaptation starring James Dean by two points. Notably, the Netflix series is directed by Zoe Kazan, the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, who directed the original 1955 film.

Anchoring the series is Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames, further cementing her status as one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors. Joining Pugh in the cast is Challengers star Mike Faist - who first broke out in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story - alongside Christopher Abbott, who was recently announced to take on the pivotal role of Professor X in the MCU's upcoming X-Men films.

For Pugh, the project marks the highest-profile television series she has ever headlined. Her major foray into the medium came in 2018 with The Little Drummer Girl, arriving just before her breakout mainstream success and the Oscar nomination she earned the following year for Little Women.  Pugh also had a main starring role as Yelena Belova in Marvel's TV miniseries Hawkeye, which drew huge viewership on Disney+.   

'East of Eden' on Netflix Filming Location Revealed: Check How Netflix Recreated John Steinbeck’s World

This might just be a big year for Florence Pugh as she has two more big titles coming up.

The Thunderbolts* star’s packed schedule features starring roles in upcoming blockbusters like Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday, which famously share a release weekend, sparking the viral moniker "Dunesday." This follows a string of major credits that include an appearance in the Best Picture winner Oppenheimer and a role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a massive $2.5 billion box-office hit that came together after Tom Holland specifically requested to work with her.  

Now, she has grabbed the spotlight with East of Eden, which is supposed to debut as the No. 1 show on Netflix’s charts, given its star-studded cast. On September 2, Netflix unveiled the official teaser and fresh images of the cast, which featured Cathy prominently in a moody, tense, and blatantly grim manner. All seven episodes of the series are now available to stream on Netflix.

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Have you already watched the show on Netflix? If yes, how did you like the series? Do let us know.