Cake (2019 TV series)

Cake

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	September 25, 2019 (2019-09-25)
Headquarters	United States
Area served	United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark
Parent	FX Productions

Cake is a U.S.-based anthology television series blending live-action and adult animation, which premiered on FXX on September 25, 2019. Developed by SLAQR in collaboration with FX Productions, the show compiles a variety of brief comedic segments.

The show's second season launched on March 5, 2020, followed by the third season on July 9, 2020. Subsequently, the fourth season aired beginning March 11, 2021, with the fifth season debuting on September 30, 2021.

Premise

Each installment presents several short-form segments combining live-action and animated content, unified by a miniseries that spans the entire season. The initial season carries a tone reminiscent of 500 Days of Summer, while the subsequent season shifts toward a more conventional comedic approach. Prominent recurring segments include "Oh Jerome, No", "Quarter Life Poetry", "Drifters", "Two Pink Doors", "Shark Lords", and "Walt".

Live-action

Oh Jerome, No

Serving as the principal narrative in season one, this continuous storyline follows the introspective Jerome (Mamoudou Athie) as he navigates his romantic pursuits. Created by Teddy Blanks and Alex Karpovsky, it expands upon their 2016 short film and features a soundtrack by Natalie Prass.

Quarter Life Poetry

This segment delves into a young woman’s challenges in both social and career spheres, blending spoken word poetry with musical elements. Samantha Jayne is the creator, writer, and performer, adapting material from her Instagram poems and her 2016 publication.

Two Pink Doors

A vignette series centered around neighbors, conceived and directed by Phil Burgers; production handled by Abso Lutely Productions.

Shark Lords

The main segment of season two follows a group of extreme sports enthusiasts attempting to mate with a shark. Created by Alex Anfanger and Dan Schimpf, the cast includes Anfanger, Ditch Davey, Deb Filler, Hayley Magnus, and Rhys Mitchell.

Greetings From Florida

Written and directed by Tyler Falbo.

Nine Films About Technology

A sequence of interconnected narratives related to technology by Peter Huang, expanding upon his 2016 short 5 Films About Technology.

Words With Ike

A language-centered series starring Ikechukwu Ufomadu, developed alongside Graham Mason.

Troll

Follows the therapy sessions of a troll residing in New York City.

Animated

Joe Bennett Collection

Directed and animated by Joseph Bennett.

Symphony No. 42

Conceived and designed by Réka Bucsi, adapted from her 2014 short film.

Psychotown

Created by Dave Carter and Nikos Andronicos.

Drifters

Animated conversations among aquatic animals, directed by Gustaf Lindström.

Tree Secrets

Features anthropomorphic trees discussing topics such as psychedelic substances and cross-dressing; created by Justin Michael and Harry Chaskin.

Stzap

Directed and animated by Hugo De Faucompret, Pierre Pinon, and Caroline Cherrier.

Talking Cure

Directed by Felipe Di Poi Tamargo.

Walt

Created by Greg Yagolnitzer.

Dicktown

Developed and starring John Hodgman alongside David Rees. Initially part of Cake during its third season, it later evolved into an independent series in 2022 with its original segments designated as its first season.

Swan Boy

Introduced in season five, created by Branson Reese who also stars in it, based on his webcomic.

Poorly Drawn Lines

Also added in the fifth season, adapted from Reza Farazmand’s webcomic. The voice cast features D'Arcy Carden, Ron Funches, and Tony Revolori.

Episodes

International release

In Canada, the initial three seasons became accessible on Disney+ through the Star section starting February 22, 2021, bypassing traditional broadcast on the Canadian FXX channel. The series debuted on Star+ in Latin America on August 31, 2021. Viewers in Australia and New Zealand can stream the first four seasons via Disney+. Denmark added seasons one through five to its Disney+ library on February 23, 2022.

Critical response

Steve Greene from IndieWire praised Cake as a "perfect variety show for television's current landscape," emphasizing its "unique blend of surrealism" that fosters creative expression. He highlighted the segment “Oh Jerome, No,” featuring Alex Karpovsky and Teddy Blanks, which explores the protagonist’s—portrayed by Mamoudou Athie—anxieties and small triumphs in New York City. Greene pointed out that as streaming services compete for standout programming, shows like Cake distinguish themselves by resisting easy classification and appealing to a broad spectrum of viewers. Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter described Cake as an "intriguing fusion of live-action and animation," noting its assortment of brief stories that may resonate with audiences familiar with bite-sized content. He remarked that while some segments are humorous or engaging, the level of originality varies; nonetheless, the show's format ensures a steady stream of varied content worth following.

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
2020	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series	Mamoudou Athie (for "Oh Jerome, No")	Template:Nom
2021	Annie Awards	Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject	FX Productions and FX (for "The Places Where We Live")	Template:Nom
2022	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series	Ikechukwu Ufomadu (for "Words with Ike")	Template:Nom