Black Cake is an American drama television series.[1] It is based on Charmaine Wilkerson's novel of the same name and premiered on Hulu.[2] It stars Chipo Chung, Mia Isaac, Adrienne Warren, Ashley Thomas and Glynn Turman.[3] It is produced by Harpo Productions and shows Oprah Winfrey as one of the main executive producers.[4][5]
| Black Cake | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Marissa Jo Cerar |
| Based on | Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson |
| Starring |
|
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Running time | 54–61 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Hulu |
| Release | November 1 – December 6, 2023 |
The show received generally positive reviews from critics,[6][7] being nominated at the NAACP Image Awards and GLAAD Media Award.
The series was canceled after one season.[8]
Premise
editTwo siblings learn about their late mother's dark past after she leaves her recordings to them.
Cast
editMain
edit- Chipo Chung as Eleanor Bennett
- Mia Isaac as Coventina "Covey" Lyncook
- Adrienne Warren as Benny Bennett
- Ashley Thomas as Byron Bennett
- Lashay Anderson as Bunny Pringle
- Faith Alabi as Pearl Thomas
- Glynn Turman as Charles Mitch
- Ahmed Elhaj as Gibbs Grant
Recurring
edit- Jade Eshete as Mathilda
- Jeremiah Birkett as Bert Bennett
- Rupert Evans as Everett
- Samuel Lorenzo Bulgin as Percival Henry
- Anthony Mark Barrow as Clarence "Little Man" Henry
- Simon Wan as Lin
- Karise Yansen as Eleanor "Elly" Douglas
- Elliot Cowan as Steve
- Sonita Henry as Mabel Mathilda Martin
Episodes
edit| No. | Title | Directed by | Teleplay by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Covey" | Natalia Leite | Marissa Jo Cerar | November 1, 2023 |
| 2 | "Coventina" | Natalia Leite | Teleplay by : Heather Jeng Bladt Story by : Marissa Jo Cerar & Heather Jeng Bladt | November 1, 2023 |
| 3 | "Eleanor" | Natalia Leite | Marissa Jo Cerar & Ihuoma Ofordire | November 1, 2023 |
| 4 | "Mrs. Bennett" | Tara Nicole Weyr | Kara Smith | November 8, 2023 |
| 5 | "Mother" | Tara Nicole Weyr | Hayley Tyler | November 15, 2023 |
| 6 | "Ma" | Mario Van Peebles | Yasmin Almanaseer | November 22, 2023 |
| 7 | "Birth Mother" | Zetna Fuentes | Marissa Jo Cerar & Hayley Tyler | November 29, 2023 |
| 8 | "Nine Night" | Zetna Fuentes | Marissa Jo Cerar | December 6, 2023 |
Release
editThe trailer of Black Cake was released on October 2, 2023.[9] The television series premiered on Hulu in the United States, Disney+ under the Star banner internationally and Star+ In Latin America. on November 1, 2023.[10]
Reception
editCritical response
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.80/10. The website's consensus reads: "Cleverly plotted and viscerally well-acted, Black Cake is an engrossing drama that can have its surprising twists and eat them, too."[11] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 68 out of 100, based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[12]
Ronda Racha Penrice of TheWrap described Black Cake as groundbreaking and entertaining, praised the performances of the cast, and said, "It cracks open the door for never-ending narrative possibilities for truly diverse and dynamic stories."[13] Judy Berman of Time stated Black Cake is one of the few examples of a show in which the "floridly emotional tone serves the story," praised the performances of the actors, and complimented how the television series approaches the concept of family secrets. [14]
Accolades
editAt the 55th NAACP Image Awards Black Cake was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, while Marissa Jo Cerar was nominated for Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series.[15] At the 35th GLAAD Media Awards Black Cake was nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.[16]
References
edit- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 2, 2022). "'Black Cake': Mia Isaac To Headline Hulu Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Giorgis, Hannah (November 9, 2023). "A Show About the Secrets Parents Keep From Their Children". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ Behzadi, Sofia (July 20, 2022). "'Black Cake': Lashay Anderson, Faith Alabi & Ahmed Elhaj Join Hulu Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Sarner, Lauren (November 2, 2022). "Oprah Winfrey's 'Black Cake' is 'so much pressure,' showrunner says". New York Post. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 22, 2021). "'Black Cake' Drama Series From Marissa Jo Cerar, Oprah Winfrey & Aaron Kaplan Ordered By Hulu". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Tinubu, Aramide (October 27, 2023). "Hulu's Oprah-Produced Mystery 'Black Cake' Is Most Enticing When It Looks Toward the Past: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Watkins, TanChun (November 7, 2023). "Why Hulu's Newest Mystery Series Should Be Your Next Watch". Collider. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 27, 2024). "'Black Cake' Canceled By Hulu After One Season". Deadline. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ Larasati, Dyah Ayu (October 29, 2023). "'Black Cake': Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything We Know". Collider. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ Narayanan, Varsha (September 13, 2023). "Black Cake Season 1 Streaming Release Date: When Is It Coming Out?". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ "Black Cake: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ "Black Cake". Metacritic. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ Penrice, Ronda Racha (October 31, 2023). "'Black Cake' Review: Tale of Family Secrets Centers Caribbean Diaspora". TheWrap. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ Berman, Judy (November 1, 2023). "Hulu's 'Black Cake' Is a Remarkably Rich Family Melodrama". Time. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ "Nominees Announced for the 55th NAACP Image Awards | NAACP". National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. January 25, 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 17, 2024). "GLAAD Media Awards Nominations Revealed". Deadline Hollywood.
External links
edit- Black Cake at Hulu
- Black Cake at IMDb