With the constant stresses of modern life, sometimes the best way to relax is through some good old-fashioned escapism to another time, and Netflix has a new period drama sensation – taking us all the way back to 19th-century California. The epic family saga is an adaptation of Steinbeck’s classic East Of Eden – with impressive period settings, dark secrets and complicated relationships – Downton Abbey fans will adore it.
For those who don’t know, the original novel impressively traces one family from the Salinas Valley across decades of a rapidly changing America – but it’s a lot darker than the goings-on at Highclere Castle. This adaptation will flip the focus on to the book’s main antagonist – Cathy Ames, played by the brilliant Florence Pugh.
With the series available to stream in Autumn, here’s everything you need to know about East Of Eden, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is East Of Eden about?
Based on John Steinbeck’s 1952 masterpiece, the series documents the epic saga between the Trask and the Hamilton families in California’s Salinas Valley. The epic story impressively spans decades, from the American Civil War to World War I, with characters coming up against huge societal changes.
The upcoming 7-part adaptation from Zoe Kazan focuses on the novel’s infamous evil villain, Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh). Her life becomes entangled with generations of Trask men, notably Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles (Mike Faist), and the characters live out the darker side of the California dream.
The family’s journey is marked by people they meet across the years, from characters such as Samuel Hamilton (Ciarán Hinds), an Irishman who emigrated to the valley and raised a family, Lee (Hoon Lee), an intellectual and caring Chinese American, and brothel-owner Faye (Martha Plimpton), whose kindness is also her weakness. The story addresses inherent goodness and evil, and how choices shape identity.
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The creator of the ambitious reimagining is Zoe Kazan, who explained why she was attracted to taking on the epic novel. As well as bringing the family saga to life, it was her teenage experience of reading the novel that inspired her. ‘Steinbeck’s writing – personal, shocking, profound and free – that has kept me enthralled by East Of Eden since I first read the book as a young teen,’ she tells Netflix.
Who’s in the cast of East Of Eden?
The cast of East of Eden includes:
- Florence Pugh (The Wonder, Lady Macbeth) as Cathy Ames
- Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, Entergalactic) as Adam Trask
- Mike Faist (Challengers, West Side Story) as Charles Trask
- Hoon Lee (Warrior, See, Banshee, Your Friends and Neighbors) as Lee
- Tracy Letts (The Lowdown, A House of Dynamite) as Cyrus Trask
- Martha Plimpton (The Regime, Task) as Faye
- Ciarán Hinds (Belfast, Game of Thrones) as Samuel Hamilton
- Joseph Zada (We Were Liars, Invisible Boys) as Cal Trask
- Joe Anders (Bonus Track, I Am Ruth) as Aron Trask
Is there a trailer for East Of Eden?
Yes – you can watch the trailer for East Of Eden below.
How can I watch East Of Eden?
Production for East of Eden is currently underway, and it’s set to arrive on Netflix this autumn – we’ll update you here as soon as we have an official release date.
What other period dramas can I watch now?
For another fascinating look back through history, we’d suggest Cable Girls. The series is a powerful tale of friendship set in 1920s Spain, when four women from very different walks of life start working as telephone operators. Together, they come up against dramatic social change with the civil war and the rise of dictator Franco’s authoritarian ideology. Cable Girls is available to watch now on Netflix. If you’re after a lighter period drama, we’d recommend Summer ’36, a French whodunnit that transports you to the dazzling French Riviera in 1936. When a prosecutor dies, four very different women all become prime suspects – and it’s a riveting ride to work out who was actually responsible. Summer ’36 is available to watch now on Netflix.
