I took a deep dive into watching the new “Black Cake” series on Hulu. I finished the 8 episode series within a day, watching each suspenseful episode back to back. I know that the title makes the series seem innocent/childlike, but it fits more into the murder mystery and drama genres.
Eleanor Bennet (Chipo Chungo) dies from cancer and leaves nothing behind except a black cake and a flash drive. Her children Byron (Ashley Tomas) and Benny (Adrienne Warren) are left to grieve while uncovering the hidden secrets left behind by their mother. The series displays how motherhood, migration, and adulthood can affect people’s lives even in death. Eleanor’s story shows watchers that secrets may remain secret for a while, but the truth will always come to the surface. Eleanor tells the story of life before coming to America and the hardships that came with traveling all alone as a young teenager. The past can’t be changed and lies can’t be undone, but will the future play out in favor of Eleanor and her children?
I would deem this series a necessity. It pictures the common struggles of teenagers: teenage love, breakups, running away, suicidal thoughts, toxic parents, secrets, lies, sexuality, betrayal, and racism. It also presents the daily struggles of being an immigrant: struggling to interact and adapt to new surroundings and people, finding a job, and being homesick. If you want to watch a series that features the life and death of a main character combined with the secrets they kept, then this series should be at the top of your list.
Will the secrets of Eleanor’s forgotten life in the Caribbean resurface and damage the family she has left behind? Will Benny and Byron reveal the skeletons in Eleanor’s closet or will they stay hidden forever? Tune into “Black Cake” on Hulu to find out.