5 Best TV Shows Like East of Eden for Epic Family Drama

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Zoe Kazan’s Netflix miniseries “East of Eden” is an absorbing seven-part take on John Steinbeck’s celebrated novel. Florence Pugh anchors the sweeping historical drama as Cathy Ames, a deeply complicated woman whose actions are frequently cruel and destructive. The expanded format gives Pugh room to explore the character’s contradictions, adding layers of humanity without softening the damage Cathy causes.

Whether Cathy will ultimately rank among Florence Pugh’s finest performances remains to be seen, but “East of Eden” is already the kind of series that can leave viewers searching for their next obsession. For anyone craving more historical fiction filled with family conflict, romance, ambition, and moral darkness, these five series offer compelling follow-ups with plenty of their own dramatic weight.

Be warned: This one can be emotionally brutal. Adapted from Laura Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate,” the two-season HBO drama uses food as both a storytelling device and a source of magic. At its center is Tita (Azul Guaita), a gifted young woman forced to remain unmarried and devoted to her family. Her love for Pedro (Andrés Baita), a childhood friend and neighbor, collides with those expectations, while the turmoil of her personal life unfolds against the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution.

“Like Water for Chocolate” is every bit as sad as its premise suggests, but its sorrow is balanced by moments of tenderness, humor, and wonder. The series frequently slips into a dreamlike, almost enchanted mode, building toward a powerful finale. Tita’s domineering mother, played by Irene Azuela, also displays the kind of calculated cruelty that will feel familiar to admirers of Cathy Ames. Beautifully acted, rich with symbolism, and steeped in melancholy, the series is a natural choice for “East of Eden” viewers who don’t mind an emotional breakdown along the way.

The world of “Bridgerton” is not a traditional historical record. Its alternate-history approach to Regency-era England, however, delivers the romance, social pressure, heartbreak, and treachery that should appeal to “East of Eden” fans. Based on Julia Quinn’s novels, the Netflix hit follows a new romantic pairing each season while keeping the influential Bridgerton family at the center of its portrait of 19th-century high society.

Created by Chris Van Dusen, the costume drama has earned seven Primetime Emmys and has become a major television event whenever a new season arrives. Plenty of series have tried to recreate its combination of lavish production, scandal, and romance, but few have matched its particular appeal.

“Bridgerton” does not offer the same relentless anguish as “East of Eden,” but both shows are driven by recognizable human emotions and the pressures of their respective societies. Where “Like Water for Chocolate” suits viewers seeking devastating melodrama, “Bridgerton” is the lighter, more indulgent option — ideal when you want period drama with a generous helping of soap opera.

After watching a miniseries based on a landmark John Steinbeck novel and following several decades in the lives of two troubled families, a natural next step might be another grand literary adaptation. The BBC’s “War and Peace” does just that, bringing Leo Tolstoy’s sprawling 1869 novel to the screen. Set among Russian aristocrats during the Napoleonic Wars, it combines intimate character drama with the scale of a national catastrophe.

The 2016 adaptation stars Paul Dano as Pierre Bezukhov, the awkward, pleasure-seeking but fundamentally decent illegitimate son of a count. As war reshapes the lives around him, Pierre searches for direction and tries to understand what gives life meaning during both conflict and quieter periods.

Dano is surrounded by an impressive ensemble that includes Lily James, Callum Turner, Jessie Buckley, Gillian Anderson, Jack Lowden, Jim Broadbent, Tom Burke, Brian Cox, and Mathieu Kassowitz. Still, Pierre remains the emotional center, and Dano plays him with such sincerity and restraint that his eccentricities remain funny without turning him into a caricature. Pierre is nothing like Cathy’s manipulative menace, yet he is just as absorbing to watch. Dano’s warm, finely judged performance makes him a worthy counterpart to Pugh’s commanding work in “East of Eden.”

Based on Jessie Burton’s novel of the same title, the 2017 miniseries “The Miniaturist” places another major star at the heart of a historical mystery. Anya Taylor-Joy plays Nella Brandt, née Oortman, a young woman sent to 17th-century Amsterdam to begin an unfamiliar marriage. Her new household is packed with secrets, many of which could bring disgrace in the rigid society of the era. Matters become even stranger when Nella commissions miniature replicas of the home — objects that appear to reveal events before they happen.

Ambitious and emotionally resonant, “The Miniaturist” blends social drama with a subtle supernatural edge. Its story centers on outsiders struggling to survive in a world obsessed with reputation and appearances. With its polished production and concise running time, the series is a strong pick for “East of Eden” viewers who want similarly heavy themes and period atmosphere without committing to a sprawling saga.

If “The Miniaturist” is a compact but substantial meal, “Downton Abbey” is an entire banquet. The ITV/PBS period drama explores the major changes of the early 20th century through the residents and staff of the fictional Downton Abbey estate. Like “Bridgerton,” it maintains a heightened, sometimes escapist tone, but its focus on aristocratic privilege provides a rich setting for stories about class, family, duty, and change.

Downton Abbey may not exist, but the historical pressures confronting its characters certainly do. Across its five-season run, the series places its fictional household against a succession of major world events, largely viewing them through the eyes of Britain’s upper class. Its success earned 15 Primetime Emmys, while subsequent films and television projects have given fans even more of Julian Fellowes’ creation. Although its distinctly British setting and sensibility differ from the American world of “East of Eden,” the shows occupy a comparable historical period and make fascinating companion pieces — especially for viewers interested in how different fictional families respond to a rapidly changing world.