The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) has primarily churned out television programming for women, particularly Black women. For their scripted programming, Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar, a series based on a novel of the same name, became a focal point for the network, followed closely by Greenleaf. Both series followed predominantly Black families, their familial drama, and their particularly nuanced and complicated existence as Black people in America. Unsurprisingly, Charmaine Wilkerson’s ambitious novel about family history, race, and womanhood would find a home at OWN. The series adaptation of Wilkerson’s debut novel perfectly fits within the TV landscape at OWN.
Black Cake tells the story of Eleanor Bennett after she has passed from cancer. Her estranged son and daughter, Byron and Benny, are brought together to listen to their mother’s final words to them in seven recordings. Throughout these recordings, Eleanor reveals the dark secrets that made her the woman that she was to her kids, secrets that haunted her till her dying day. Black Cake is a tale of one woman’s extraordinary battle to survive exhausting odds, but as the story penned by Marissa Jo Cerar explores, survival sometimes comes at a price. Byron and Benny are now left to reckon with the reality that they did not know their mother, and maybe even less so, themselves.
The series subtly weaves a tale of tragedy and hope with a gentle and demure approach. While there are undoubtedly shocking and intense moments, the drama is not salacious or exploitative. Instead, the show’s atmosphere evokes the feeling that you are taking a walk down memory lane. Through narration by Chipo Chung, Eleanor gently guides the audience (and Byron and Benny) on a journey into Eleanor’s mind; time moving quickly as we flash from one crucial event in Eleanor’s life to the next. Time moves with fluidity as we uncover Eleanor’s story and how her choices and the events that happened caused ripple effects that impact her children today. The constant imagery of the ocean and the reminder of Eleanor’s love for swimming are reflected in how the series is filmed and edited. Impressive performances and intentional directing maintain the ebb and flow of the past to the present. I imagine the novel to be incredibly enthralling if the series indicates how it pulls you further without any warning that you are fully submerged under Eleanor’s heartbreaking yet powerful story of resilience.
The casting earns major points with this ensemble. Chipo Chung and Mia Isaac share the roles of older and younger Eleanor and are incredible as they play two sides of a layered character. Isaac does the heavy lifting as she transforms from the girl Eleanor used to be to the woman who becomes Byron and Benny’s mother. Isaac’s graceful and fearless performance captures the gradual hardening of her character as tragedy befalls Eleanor. Chung imbues Eleanor with a quiet sadness that lingers alongside a hint of contentment. It is a challenging role to take on when the reality is that Eleanor is holding onto a shred of hope and constantly holding her breath–yet Chung captures the bright spirit that resides deep within her, the key element of her survival.
Ashley Thomas and Adrienne Warren are bound to characters that do not get the same amount of time or space as Eleanor but are no less impactful in their respective roles. Warren, in particular, is finding her way to becoming a staple of the screen as the Broadway starlet explores new aspects of her gifts. The cast is not in short supply of great performances, and the creative team here does give each character their due without entirely distracting from our focal point, Eleanor.
The story can be firmly categorized as a mystery drama, as the series presents us with some questions that are answered with each new recording. The answers are less yes or no, and instead, offer context for why Eleanor become who she was, and Byron and Benny are left with the question: if I didn’t know my mother, then who am I? This question exists in between the text and is touched upon effectively throughout various episodes. The novel was critiqued for not peeling back the layers of systemic racism and the shifts in the social-political landscapes in the Caribbean, Europe, and the US that have affected Eleanor’s life, as well as the lives of her parents. Still, something must be said about subtly acknowledging the reality that these characters cannot escape due to their skin and heritage. Here, it is beneficial as the character-driven narrative gives the characters space to exist simply. Additionally, the story has much to unpack as it is.
Black Cake is an emotional, relentless and satisfying journey. Fans of the novel will undoubtedly be pleased as the series is well-made and beautifully executed. Does it hold the same weight in a new medium? It’s hard to say. On its own, it is a digestible piece of work that intrigues and stirs up emotion.
Muses of Media 
Leave a comment