Black Cake (TV series)

Black Cake
Created byMarissa Jo Cerar
Based onBlack Cake
by Charmaine Wilkerson
Starring
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
  • Oprah Winfrey
  • Marissa Jo Cerar
  • Aleksander Krutainis
  • Carla Gardini
  • Brian Morewitz
Running time54–61 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHulu
ReleaseNovember 1 (2023-11-01) –
December 6, 2023 (2023-12-06)

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]

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

Two siblings learn about their late mother's dark past after she leaves her recordings to them.

Cast

Main

Recurring

  • 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

No.TitleDirected byTeleplay byOriginal release date
1"Covey"Natalia LeiteMarissa Jo CerarNovember 1, 2023 (2023-11-01)
2"Coventina"Natalia LeiteTeleplay by : Heather Jeng Bladt
Story by : Marissa Jo Cerar & Heather Jeng Bladt		November 1, 2023 (2023-11-01)
3"Eleanor"Natalia LeiteMarissa Jo Cerar & Ihuoma OfordireNovember 1, 2023 (2023-11-01)
4"Mrs. Bennett"Tara Nicole WeyrKara SmithNovember 8, 2023 (2023-11-08)
5"Mother"Tara Nicole WeyrHayley TylerNovember 15, 2023 (2023-11-15)
6"Ma"Mario Van PeeblesYasmin AlmanaseerNovember 22, 2023 (2023-11-22)
7"Birth Mother"Zetna FuentesMarissa Jo Cerar & Hayley TylerNovember 29, 2023 (2023-11-29)
8"Nine Night"Zetna FuentesMarissa Jo CerarDecember 6, 2023 (2023-12-06)

Release

The 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

Critical response

On 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

At 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

  1. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 2, 2022). "'Black Cake': Mia Isaac To Headline Hulu Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood.
  2. ^ Giorgis, Hannah (November 9, 2023). "A Show About the Secrets Parents Keep From Their Children". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  3. ^ Behzadi, Sofia (July 20, 2022). "'Black Cake': Lashay Anderson, Faith Alabi & Ahmed Elhaj Join Hulu Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  4. ^ Sarner, Lauren (November 2, 2022). "Oprah Winfrey's 'Black Cake' is 'so much pressure,' showrunner says". New York Post. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Watkins, TanChun (November 7, 2023). "Why Hulu's Newest Mystery Series Should Be Your Next Watch". Collider. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 27, 2024). "'Black Cake' Canceled By Hulu After One Season". Deadline. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  9. ^ Larasati, Dyah Ayu (October 29, 2023). "'Black Cake': Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything We Know". Collider. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  10. ^ Narayanan, Varsha (September 13, 2023). "Black Cake Season 1 Streaming Release Date: When Is It Coming Out?". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  11. ^ "Black Cake: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  12. ^ "Black Cake". Metacritic. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  13. ^ Penrice, Ronda Racha (October 31, 2023). "'Black Cake' Review: Tale of Family Secrets Centers Caribbean Diaspora". TheWrap. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  14. ^ Berman, Judy (November 1, 2023). "Hulu's 'Black Cake' Is a Remarkably Rich Family Melodrama". Time. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  15. ^ "Nominees Announced for the 55th NAACP Image Awards | NAACP". National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. January 25, 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  16. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 17, 2024). "GLAAD Media Awards Nominations Revealed". Deadline Hollywood.