Florence Pugh’s Netflix Western Becomes One of the Platform’s Most Resilient Limited-Series Hits

A slow start has turned into a remarkable streaming run for Florence Pugh’s latest Netflix drama. After five consecutive weeks in the platform’s Top 10, the Western-inspired limited series has attracted around 30 million views, with its ability to keep viewers coming back placing it among Netflix’s strongest recent performers.

Its audience-retention record is particularly notable: since 2025, only Adolescence has recorded a stronger four-week growth multiple among Netflix limited series that remained in the English-language Top 10 for four straight weeks.

A Slow-Burning Hit With Impressive Audience Retention

The series opened with 6.5 million views in its first week before more than doubling that figure to over 12 million in week two. Netflix subsequently reported 6.2 million views in the third week and 3.6 million in the fourth. By its fifth week, it had added another 2.2 million views, bringing its overall total to approximately 30 million.

The growth is even more striking when measured against its debut. According to a report by Deadline, the series accumulated 28.9 million views by the end of its fourth week — 4.4 times its opening-week figure. Among 11 limited series that have remained in Netflix’s English-language Top 10 for four consecutive weeks since 2025, only Adolescence performed better, with a 4.7-times multiple. That puts the new drama ahead of other major Netflix titles, including His & Hers and I Will Find You.

Its international reach has also been considerable. Netflix reported that the show entered the Top 10 in 86 countries and reached No. 1 in 34. Its popularity has even revived interest in the book behind the adaptation, with Penguin Classics reporting a nearly 200% increase in sales across all formats.

Florence Pugh Leads a Critically Acclaimed Steinbeck Adaptation

The series is East of Eden, created by Zoe Kazan and adapted from John Steinbeck’s celebrated 1952 novel. Florence Pugh leads the cast alongside Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist, with Hoon Lee and Ciarán Hinds also among the key performers.

The story follows the Trask family across generations in California’s Salinas Valley, exploring the destructive rivalries and moral conflicts that echo the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Pugh plays Cathy Ames, the novel’s complex and notorious antagonist, whose perspective receives particular attention in Kazan’s adaptation.

The production has also earned strong reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an 88% critics’ score and an 85% audience score. The critics’ consensus praises Kazan’s handling of the source material, highlighting its moral complexity, striking landscapes and expanded character work from Pugh and Lee.

A Family Connection to the Original Film

There is an interesting piece of Hollywood history behind Kazan’s involvement. Her grandfather was acclaimed filmmaker Elia Kazan, who directed the 1955 film adaptation of East of Eden. More than 70 years later, his granddaughter has brought the same literary work to a new generation through Netflix.

The streaming service has also found success with other adaptations of classic books. Its new version of Little House on the Prairie has already secured a second season, while Kazan is preparing to work on another major literary adaptation: Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove, alongside co-showrunner Jeb Stuart.

With strong reviews, sustained viewership and renewed interest in Steinbeck’s original novel, East of Eden has become one of Netflix’s most notable recent limited-series successes.

All episodes are now available to stream on Netflix.