Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘East of Eden,’ different generations of the Trask family face the doomed fate of Cain and Abel and find out whether they can write their own story. A major focus is on Adam Trask and his sons, Cal and Aron, on whom hangs the shadow of their mother, Cathy Ames. The seven-episode season weaves a complex tale that raises questions about morality and a person’s control over their actions, regardless of their origins. The final episode leaves the fate of some crucial characters somewhat uncertain. However, this doesn’t make them cliffhangers, and with a proper resolution already in place, the show is unlikely to continue the story in another season. SPOILERS AHEAD.
East of Eden was Conceived as a Miniseries
‘East of Eden’ is an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name. While the show leaves out certain portions of the book, it traces the complete story of the Trask family. In the end, following Aron’s death, Adam suffers a stroke and is on his deathbed when Lee implores him not to reject his other son, Cal. Adam says just one word, “timshel,” which means that he is telling Cal to forge his own destiny by choosing to be good rather than letting his parents or anyone else define who he is. With this, he places Cal’s fate in his own hands, while also signifying that what happened to Aron was the consequence of his own actions. Steinbeck’s novel ends at this point, and there is no sequel to carry the story forward.
Since the show was intended to be a faithful adaptation of the book, there is little to no chance it will be renewed for another season. It is marked as a miniseries, which reveals the show’s fate as is, but a miniseries getting another season isn’t entirely unheard of. There have been book adaptations that went beyond the plot of the single book. Shows like ‘Big Little Lies’ and ‘Dark Matter’ have shown that drama and conflict can be found in the unlikeliest of places, especially when a thread of uncertainty is left behind. ‘East of Eden,’ however, falls in a different genre than the aforementioned shows. Still, if the show is successful enough, some things could help churn out a sophomore season.
While the Trasks are the main characters in the story, the show pays little attention to the Hamiltons. In the book, Samuel Hamilton and his large family play a crucial role. They stand in contrast to the Trasks, though they also seem doomed to tragic fates despite their differences. The series’ limited scope prevented the show’s creators from giving the Hamiltons more screen time. A second season could rectify that situation. It could run parallel to the first season, going in depth into the Hamilton family tree, tracing the origins of Samuel Hamilton to the tragic and heartbreaking deaths of his children. The show could also continue Cal’s story, but that would be redundant since it has already reached its natural conclusion.
East of Eden Season 2 Could Bring the Hamiltons to the Forefront
In John Steinbeck’s book, the Hamiltons are a great big family, with each member representing a different kind of life. Some remain dirt poor, while wealth seeks others. Some spend the rest of their lives in happy families, while others are either permanently heartbroken or never find love at all. The tragedy is exacerbated by the fact that, unlike the complex Trasks, the Hamiltons remain majorly good people. If a second season delves into their storyline, a whole new cast of characters might be added to the second season. Samuel (Ciaran Hinds) remains the most prominent Hamilton in the show, and the family’s story would be nothing without him. In the same vein, his wife, Liza (Anita Hegh), is the steadfast force that keeps the family together.
Another Hamilton to have an important interaction with the Trasks is Will (Jack Barry). While we see other family members at Samuel’s funeral, their screen time is too fleeting to be memorable. For the second season, the show could bring back those actors or recast the roles with more prominent actors. At the same time, younger cast members would be added to the mix to depict the childhood and adolescence of the Hamilton brood. All of this could intersect with the Trask family, and we might see the return of young Cal (Bodhi Aisher) and Aron (Jonah Wren Phillips). More supporting characters from the book might also factor into the equation, adding fresh faces to the cast.
Read More: Why Aren’t the Hamiltons in Netflix’s East of Eden?
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