Netflix's Is It Cake? doesn't spend enough time cutting up stuff

Vulture

Is It Cake? is "a challenging idea to transform into a reality show — there’s not a lot of there there, except to the extent that what’s there always ends up being cake," says Kathryn VanArendonk of the Mikey Day-hosted Netflix reality show. She adds: "In all fairness, some of the choices for how to turn this meme into a show were pretty decent. Still, it’s hard not to watch and think, I do not care about any of this. I came for one thing and one thing only: to watch people cut into something that doesn’t look like cake and reveal its inner secrets. So much of Is It Cake? is spent on something other than cutting up stuff! It didn’t have to be this way, and although this show already exists and no one will ever take this advice, I’d still like to offer up a suggestion for what Is It Cake? could’ve been. The first step is getting a set, a group of regular people, a blindfold, and a knife."

ALSO:

• Host Mikey Day is the MVP of Is It Cake?: "Not only is he charismatic and quick on his feet, but he knows exactly what show he’s on," says Brianna Wellen. "He all but comes out and says the exact words, 'We know this is ridiculous, I truly can’t believe this show is real either, but let’s try to have a good time, okay, folks?' Day can go from winking at the camera to manically waving around all matter of sharp objects ready to slice through whatever item may or may not be a cake."
• Is It Cake? exceeds expectations and sets itself apart in the crowded baking competition genre with a silly premise and a charming cast