hulu this week
“Black Cake” - Season 1
Based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name by Charmaine Wilkerson, the new drama series “Black Cake” premieres Wednesday, Nov. 1, on Hulu. Set in the late 1960s, a runaway bride named Covey (Mia Isaac, “Don’t Make Me Go,” 2022) disappears into the surf off the coast of Jamaica and is feared drowned or a fugitive on the run for her husband’s murder. In present-day California, a widow named Eleanor Bennett (Chipo Chung, “Into the Badlands”) loses her battle with cancer, leaving her two estranged children, Byron (Ashley Thomas, “Them”) and Benny (Adrienne Warren, “The Woman King,” 2022), a flash drive that holds previously untold stories of her journey to America. This leads them through an astounding adventure that spans decades, taking them from the Caribbean to London to California and ending with her famous black cake, ultimately forcing the siblings to rethink everything they thought they knew about themselves and their family. Created by Marissa Jo Cerar, “Black Cake” also stars Rupert Evans (“The Man in the High Castle”), Cara Horgan (“The Sandman”), Rebecca Calder (“Love Me Do,” 2015), Faith Alabi (“We Are Who We Are”) and Anthony J. Abraham (“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”).
“Reporting for Christmas” (2023)
It’s never too late to find your true calling (and love) in life. That’s what happens to idealistic reporter Mary Romero (Tamara Feldman, “Hatchet,” 2006) in “Reporting for Christmas,” streaming on Hulu starting Thursday, Nov. 2. Over the holidays, Mary is sent to Brunswick, Iowa, to produce a puff piece on a local toy manufacturer. During her time there, Mary grows close with charming toymaker Blake Johnson (Matt Trudeau, “General Hospital”), who helps Mary embrace what truly makes her happy. However, when Mary’s boss (D.B. Sweeney, “The Cutting Edge,” 1992) changes the angle of her piece, her relationship with the town and Blake is put in jeopardy. Joining the main cast are Maura Kidwell (“Sirens”), Jeremy Warner (“The Unseen,” 2023), Ira Amyx (“Fargo”), Cedric Mays (“Candyman,” 2021), Kimberly Michelle Vaughn (“North of the 10,” 2022), Suzanne Johnson (“The World Without You,” 2019),Torrey Hanson (“The Exorcist”) and Kelvin John Davis (“The First Lady”). “Reporting for Christmas” was written by Adam Rockoff (“Christmas Matchmakers,” 2019) and directed by Jack C. Newell (“Monuments,” 2020).
“A Christmas Frequency” (2023)
The holiday cheer continues when “A Christmas Frequency” premieres Thursday, Nov. 2, on Hulu. Kenzie Parker (Ansley Gordon, “The Abigail Mysteries,” 2023) is the producer for Breakfast with Brooke. Unfortunately, Brooke (Denise Richards, “The World Is Not Enough,” 1999) has recently separated from her husband and her gloomy mood has put the radio show in danger of cancelation.to solve the problem, Kenzie pitches to set up Brooke with a series of blind dates live on-air. However, when Kenzie falls for one of the contenders (Jonathan Stoddard, “Furry Little Christmas,” 2021), she needs to choose between her job and her heart. In addition to playing the lead role, ansley Gordon serves as writer and executive producer of “A Christmas Frequency.” Directed by Lindsay Hartley (“Romeo and Juliet Killers,” 2022), this holiday romance also stars Casey Waller (“Secrets of Sorority Row,” 2021), James Hyde (“Passions”), John F. Henry II (“Hargrave”), Edward Lewis French (“The Scapegoat,” 2015), Anastacia Mcpherson (“Vaction Home Nightmare,” 2023), Emrhys Cooper (“The Shuroo Process,” 2021), Iris Anthony (“Curb Your Enthusiam”) and Carolyn Grundman (“A Thousand Little Cuts,” 2022).
“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” (2023)
This is one dance that’s worth waiting for. After nearly eight years, male stripper-extraordinaire Mike Lane (Channing Tatum, “21 Jump Street,” 2012) is back to close out his self-titled trilogy with one more performance in “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” premiering Thursday, Nov. 2, on Hulu. During the pandemic, Mike falls on hard times when his furniture business goes under. Strapped for cash, Mike starts taking bartender gigs in Florida. Fortunately, one gig leads to the offer of a lifetime. After a passionate evening with wealthy socialite Maxandra Mendoza (Salma Hayek, “Frida,” 2002), Mike heads to London to choreograph a special dance production being put on by Max. Written by Reid Carolin (“Dog,” 2022) and directed by Steven Soderbergh (“Erin Brockovich,” 2000), “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” also stars Ayub Khan-din (“Ackley Bridge”), Juliette Motamed (“We Are Lady Parts”), Vicki Pepperdine (“Getting On”), Alan Cox (“Young Sherlock Holmes,” 1985), Caitlin Gerard (“American Crime”), Matt Bomer (“Suits”), Joe Manganiello (“True Blood”) and newcomer Jemelia George.