I kinda liked it?
The newest tv version of the classical novel created by Zoe Kazan, has debuted to mixed reviews.
The story follows biblical themes of the story of Cain and Abel with two generations of brothers, Adam and Charles Trask, then Adam’s sons Cal and Aron.
The villain being Cathy Ames, who is between Adam and Charles and the mother of Cal and Aron.
The sons fear of becoming their mother and the central idea of “Timshel” or thou mayest or free will is a huge park of the rest of the book.
The biggest criticism audiences have about this newest adaption is the fact that they created a backstory and an almost redemption arc of understanding for the book’s main villain, Cathy Ames.
I am mixed about this critique though. I understand the allure of watching Florence Pugh actually just be a plain and dirty mean person for no reason at all. It’s shocking and the audience will be searching for a reason why, and that’s the point, there is no reason. On the other hand, the addition of a traumatic backstory invests the audience more into the story and the characters, even if one of those characters is a villain.
Advertise on Streaming: East of Eden
Book lovers and prestige drama fans do not turn up in a standard age-and-gender buy, which is where most streaming plans stop. Our guide to advertising on streaming platforms covers targeting past the basics, along with the household frequency range to hold once you find them.
Audience Demographics for CTV Ads (Who is loving)
- Adults 25–54:
- Literature and book lovers
- Female drama viewers
- Affluent, educated entertainment fans
- Fans of prestige TV and star-led dramas
Typical Advertisements (What is currently being seen during)
- Luxury & Fashion
- Streaming & Entertainment
- Beauty & Wellness
- Travel & Experiences
- Food & Beverage
Suggestions for Advertisements (Who could be seen)
- BetterHelp Therapy – “Your family has generational trauma. We have a subscription plan.”
- AncestryDNA – “Find out which relative started all the drama. Spoiler: it runs in the family.”
- Luxury Skincare – “Because revenge is best served with a flawless complexion.”
- DoorDash – “When your family dinner turns into a generational feud, at least you can order takeout.”
- H&R Block – “Family inheritance drama? Make sure the IRS isn’t the final villain.”
Where to Stream:
- Netflix
This arc really showcases the modern times. Everyone needs to question everything, why is she like this? What happened? Who deserved it?
In the past, I feel as if audiences would have just accepted the characters as flawed without needing to know why. They could accept that people could be just evil and have no redeeming qualities.
Today, we need to have an explanation. Why did Cathy do this? Who hurt her? Then, when it comes to her sons becoming scared they will become her it reads as sad and tragic instead of a message that you ultimately make your own decisions.
I don’t think Kazan’s interpretation of the story is wrong or is even necessarily her fault.
The times have called for characters to not actually become evil without being tragic. Maybe, pure evil is just not something we are willing to face head on.
Luxury, beauty, and travel brands already run against prestige drama. If your buyers are adults 25-54 watching East of Eden on Netflix, book a strategy call and we’ll map where your budget fits.
