Netflix’s new seven-episode take on John Steinbeck’s East of Eden arrives Thursday, and it makes one bold decision right out of the gate. Instead of juggling the novel’s sprawling cast, creator Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of 1955 film director Elia Kazan, trims most of the Hamilton family storyline and centers the series on Cathy Ames. Florence Pugh plays the role, and both Kazan and Pugh have said they wanted to make Cathy sympathetic rather than purely monstrous.
That choice has stirred up real debate. One critic argues that humanizing Cathy weakens the novel’s core exploration of good and evil, since the story depends on her being genuinely unsettling. Supporters say a fresh, more complex reading of a 70-year-old classic is exactly what a new adaptation should offer.
Almost everyone, however, agrees on one thing: Hoon Lee’s performance as the housekeeper Lee is the highlight of the series. So whether you’re a devoted Steinbeck reader or you’ve never picked up the book, this one gives you something to chew on. Are you planning to watch, and do you think some villains should stay villains? Let us know in the comments.
