Netflix's New 7-Episode Florence Pugh Remake of a Classic Is the No. 1 Series in the World

As Netflix‘s TV library overflows with thrillers, true crime docs, and reality shows, an epic drama has overtaken the streamer to become the biggest series in the world. Starring Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh (Midsommar, Little Women, Oppenheimer), this seven-episode miniseries is a new adaptation of a 74-year-old literary classic that places two families at the center of a conflict that spans decades. Prepare for your next binge session with one of the best actors in modern Hollywood.

Florence Pugh Is Brilliant in Netflix’s ‘East of Eden’

A new adaptation of John Steinbeck’s quintessential American classic, Netflix’s East of Eden stars Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames, the ambitious and troubled young woman who’s a central figure in the downfall of the Trask family. Cathy comes between Adam and his brother Charles, and becomes the mother of Adam’s twins, Cal and Aron. After attempting to take Adam’s life and deciding to abandon her children, Cathy escapes and pursues a life as an independent woman, while Cal and Aron are forced to grow up without a mother and in the care of a servant.

East of Eden features Pugh in the lead with a roster of stars in supporting roles. Joining her are Mike Faist, Christopher Abbott, Tracy Letts, Ciarán Hinds, Martha Plimpton, and Hoon Lee. The rest of the cast includes Joseph Zada, Joe Anders, Amelia Reynolds, Josh McConville, and Leeanna Walsman. The show was created by actor Zoe Kazan, best known for her work in Ruby Sparks, The Deuce, and The Plot Against America.

Kazan is the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, the Hollywood legend behind classics like A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. Elia Kazan also directed the 1955 version of East of Eden, starring Jo Van Fleet (she won an Oscar for her role in the film), Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, and James Dean. It appears on AFI’s list of greatest films and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Director and Best Screenplay. East of Eden was Dean’s final film role, with the Academy also recognizing his work with a posthumous Oscar nomination after his death.

Talking about casting Pugh as the unforgettable character in Steinbeck’s masterpiece, Kazan said, “I had seen her in Midsommar and it had made such a huge impression on me. I didn’t have a backup, I didn’t have another person that I thought would be just as good. Every single day on set, she showed up as a leader. There’s no one more hardworking.”

Pugh was drawn to Cathy’s character and her progression into such a complex figure: “One of the things I’ve taken pride in is being able to give unlikable characters another chance. It gives me an opportunity to try and understand these characters, understand their decision-making, have empathy for them, and try and allow for their story to be bigger than just the fact that they made evil decisions at some point in their lifetime.”

‘East of Eden’ Is Officially the No. 1 Series Worldwide

East of Eden premiered worldwide on Netflix on October 1. It quickly received critical acclaim, with many mentioning Pugh’s performance as the definitive standout of the series. It currently holds an 88% critics’ score with a Certified Fresh label on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience score sits slightly lower, at 81%. Writing for RogerEbert.com, critic Lacy Baugher says, “The combination of Pugh’s performance and the show’s unabashed insistence that her story is worth telling in its own right—on her own terms—makes for something that’s still deeply satisfying to watch.”

In just four days, the series climbed the charts to become the latest hit for the streamer, and the No. 1 series in the entire world. At the time of writing, it sits on the No. 1 spot on the global and U.S. top-10 rankings, above recent hits such as Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, Not a Stranger, and The Gentlemen.