NetflixWe’re getting to the point in the Streaming Era where services are starting to gain certain reputations. Paramount+ is the streaming service for broadcast hits like the Yellowstone Cinematic Universe, HBO is where you go for prestige Sunday night shows, and Apple TV+ is full of innovative sci-fi series. Netflix, however, doesn’t seem to have a firm identity in place: it’s known for Bridgerton as much as Stranger Things. But with its latest series, East of Eden, we may have just seen Netflix corner at least one corner of the streaming landscape: lofty, epic adaptations of multigenerational sagas. Zoe Kazan’s take on John Steinbeck’s masterpiece is a resplendent, candlelit melodrama full of high-concept monologues and a collage-style presentation, and it shows what the streamer does best: big stories on the small screen. The dynamic between Cain and Abel is played out multiple times in East of Eden. | NetflixEast of Eden begins as the story of a victimized young woman named Cathy (Florence Pugh), who is taken in by the brothers Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles (Mike Faist). The two brothers take very different views on Cathy’s character, and it’s not long until she’s moved away with Adam, as his wife. They have two children of their own, and their journey — and the journey of their mother — is crafted into a biblical tale of resentment and forgiveness. East of Eden is one of those books that is almost impossible to adapt: the story spans decades and generations, with characters growing from heroes to villains and back again depending on the focus of the episode; each of the seven episodes highlights a different aspect. Florence Pugh is, rightfully, getting most of the attention for her portrayal of Cathy Ames, but there are some great performances across the whole cast, including a stellar guest role for Martha Plimpton as Faye, the wealthy madam who takes in Cathy as a daughter. But at its core, this is the story of brothers, and the relationship between them. The story of Cain and Abel plays out, over and over, reminding us that we always have the free will to break whatever cycles we are stuck in with enough time. In a TV structure, this recurring point actually gets to fully sink in. Florence Pugh’s Cathy Ames has a modern edge that complicates her character. | NetflixThere’s a cohesiveness to this series that brings to mind Netflix’s previous big family saga, One Hundred Years of Solitude, the massive multi-part adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s book of the same name. Like East of Eden, that series tackled big topics like destiny, curses, and family legacy, and like East of Eden, was regarded as a difficult story to adapt. Co-showrunner Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of film director Elia Kazan who made the first East of Eden, imbues Cathy’s story with moments of girlhood, even if much of the plot focuses on brothers. While the cinematic nature of this story does have its drawbacks — it’s a very dark show, so don’t watch it in a bright room — this series feels so conceptually whole that it could become the defining example of Netflix’s original programming. It’s lush, melodramatic TV that rides the line between a TV movie and a miniseries to create a weekend’s worth of watching that will stay with you for weeks. East of Eden is now streaming on Netflix.