East of Eden: Mini Series Review

"The only true freedom in this world is economic freedom. And for the modern woman, that presents a problem. She could marry into wealth, of course. But those assets will belong to her husband as surely as she does. No, there are only two ways for a woman to acquire her own money. She can be fortunate enough to have a rich relative die. Or she can own and run her own brothel."

These words, spoken by Cathy Ames herself, offer a glimpse into the mind of one of literature’s most fascinating and complex characters.

With the weather getting colder and cosy season officially upon us, it feels as though this mini-series has landed on Netflix at exactly the right time. An adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel, East of Eden is a Netflix original series consisting of seven episodes and boasting a fantastic cast, including Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee, Martha Plimpton, and Joseph Zada.

Spanning multiple generations, East of Eden is a family saga that, at its core, retells the biblical story of Cain and Abel. We're first introduced to the Trask family in Connecticut, where Cyrus Trask lives with his two sons, Adam and Charles. Cyrus favours Adam for his gentle and kind nature, in stark contrast to Charles's darker, more violent personality. After Cyrus passes away, leaving the now-adult brothers a fortune, their lives take an unexpected turn when a beaten and half-dead woman appears on their doorstep in the middle of the night, with no recollection of what has happened to her. We later find out that her name is Cathy Ames.

After helping nurse Cathy back to health, Adam eventually marries her, despite his brother’s disapproval of their relationship. However, after giving birth to twin boys, Cathy abandons her family and shoots Adam, leaving him for dead. He is rescued by Lee, the family’s loyal household servant, while Cathy takes on the name Kate and eventually comes to own and run a local brothel. Left with an absent father, Aron and Cal are raised largely by Lee. Much like Cain and Abel, and even Charles and Adam during their own childhood, the twins are polar opposites. Aron is virtuous and pure, earning their father’s favouritism, while Cal is troubled, resentful, and vindictive.

While Adam, his sons, and Lee, are central to the story of East of Eden, Cathy is undoubtedly the character who makes this story what it is. The antagonist of the story, Cathy is pure evil. Cunning and manipulative from an early age, with a twisted and murderous nature, she is an incredibly layered character who is fascinating to watch. She's rotten to the core, yet you simply can't look away from her or stop wondering what she'll do next, and Florence Pugh does an amazing job of bringing this complex and deeply unsettling character to life.

Given how fascinating Cathy is as a character, it comes as no surprise that the best episode of the series is the fourth one, simply titled “Kate”. The episode follows Cathy in the aftermath of shooting Adam and abandoning her twin sons. She finds work at a brothel in the Salinas Valley, where she grows close to Faye, the kind-hearted madam who runs the establishment, and gradually earns her trust. Cathy eventually manipulates Faye into naming her as her sole beneficiary before slowly poisoning her to death, allowing her to take full control of the brothel.

Florence Pugh has established herself as one of the most talented actors of her generation, and her performance as Cathy is no exception. She does a phenomenal job of bringing Cathy’s devious and manipulative nature to life, making it entirely believable that she could deceive and exploit almost everyone who crosses her path. However, she isn't the only one delivering a standout performance, as Hoon Lee gives her a run for her money in his portrayal of Lee, Adam’s loyal servant and the man who takes on the role of raising Aron and Cal. The two characters couldn't be more different, yet Pugh and Lee deliver two of the strongest performances in the series.

Beyond its complex characters and family drama, East of Eden explores a range of themes, from the struggle between good and evil to family, identity, and the desire for acceptance. At its core, it asks whether we are defined by the people we come from or by the choices we make for ourselves, making it a story that feels just as relevant today as it did when Steinbeck first wrote it.

"And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good."