At first glance, Bait came across as another fun look at the inner workings of show business, or at least it does on paper. This is a Riz Ahmed joint, so expect a deeper examination of the inner workings of a man going through an existential crisis after auditioning for the role of James Bond.
Ahmed returns to television with his latest series, where he stars, in addition to writing and executive producing. The series follows Shah Latif (Ahmed) as a struggling actor who fumbles his way into the headlines as a candidate to play the next James Bond. The incredibly well-timed story engages with a man suffering from insecurity and a massive identity crisis after going from a nobody to a somebody, but all of that comes at a cost. He faces his own anxieties, familial pressures, and the expected backlash at the prospect of a brown James Bond. Could this be more autobiographical?
Ahmed, an actor who achieved overnight success with his breakout role on HBO’s The Night Of, is no stranger to daring roles and projects that showcase his incredible abilities. Playing a role like this is a whole new challenge because it takes a really skilled actor to play someone who may be a bit out of his depth. However, what Ahmed excels at is playing someone who is unravelling. Unlike his turn in The Sound of Metal, which explores a musician’s battle with hearing loss and the expected mental turmoil that elicits, Bait is a humorous and perceptive way to engage with an entirely different crisis about an artist struggling with who and what they are in relation to their work, which hangs by a thread.
Bait is funny; the ensemble members around Ahmed are no strangers to the genre, and he himself seamlessly folds into the chaos his character creates, but, in a way, he is simply the centre around which the comedy orbits. Shah has a gravitational-like pull that brings interesting and lively characters around him, despite him taking all of this very, very seriously – maybe a bit too seriously. Overall, the series at times makes fun of Shah at his expense, then pulls back to showcase the absurdity of the hoops that non-white actors have to jump through for a fraction of the opportunities they have. As the series peels back the layers of themes and conversation, the comedy cuts through, with numerous lines and moments that highlight the series’ razor-sharp wit.
Ironically, the series also makes a great case for why Ahmed would be a great Bond; he is handsome and British, and really, those are the minimum requirements to become Bond. Going above and beyond is casting someone who is simply exciting to watch. Ahmed is a thrilling actor, and no matter the project, he is going to give you a performance that makes you feel, laugh, cry, or all the above. Ahmed’s interpretation of Shah is simultaneously personal and demonstrative to a wider audience that is still resistant to actors of colour taking up space as the protagonist. The series is a self-made vehicle to showcase his talent and exuberance.
Much like Bond, Shah is surrounded by colourful characters. This ensemble is the cherry on top of a delicious, sweet, and a bit tart treat. From Man Like Mobeen’s Guz Khan to Sheeba Chaddha, who once again plays Ahmed’s mother after her turn as Gertrude in Hamlet, to Polite Society’s Ritu Arya to Station Eleven’s Himesh Patel, this cast gives so much to the comedy and the deeper themes of the show. As much as this is an effective project for Ahmed to mould to his liking, his generosity to himself does extend to the rest of the cast, all of whom are perfectly cast to highlight the diversity of personalities in the South Asian diaspora in London, and to showcase talented people who deserve just as much recognition as Ahmed gets.
Jump into Bait as soon as it hits Prime Video; it is well worth the binge, as the 30-minute episodes fly by, and at only six episodes, the series is a resounding success at making you laugh and think.
Muses of Media 
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