Let me tell you about Bait, the new Prime Video miniseries from Riz Ahmed. He not only stars, but created and wrote the whole thing, and it’s…a lot. It’s a wild ride that shifts genres with each of its six episodes – one minute it’s a comedy, the next a thriller, then a family drama, and even a romantic walk-and-talk. Honestly, it feels like Ahmed is simultaneously analyzing himself and poking fun at the very idea of self-analysis. There are moments where it feels like the entire show is an extended audition for him to play James Bond – it really leans into that debate. And at other times, the conversations about Muslim life are so specific and insider-y, you have to appreciate the boldness of potentially alienating some viewers. There’s a particularly sharp commentary on Hollywood hypocrisy in one episode that I wish had been explored further, instead of…well, Patrick Stewart voicing a pig’s head, which is a thing that happens. But despite all the quirks and detours, Bait feels truly unique. It’s a bold experiment constantly circling two questions that have clearly been on Ahmed’s mind throughout his career: how far has representation really gotten us, and what’s the cost of always looking to those in power to provide it?
