Review—Prime Video's Bait: Riz Ahmed’s Wild Take on the Next James Bond Debate
- Je-Ree
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Ever since the credits rolled on No Time to Die, the internet has been a fever swamp of "Who is the next Bond?" rumors. While we were all busy arguing over Idris Elba’s age or Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s abs, Riz Ahmed went ahead and made a show about it. Prime Video just dropped Bait, a six-part comedy-drama that feels less like a polished spy thriller and more like a fever dream sparked by a bad audition and too much espresso.
The premise is deceptively simple: Shah Latif (Ahmed) is a struggling British Pakistani actor who finds himself at the center of a global media firestorm after a "top secret" audition for 007 leaks to the press. What follows is a four-day descent into madness that manages to be both a scathing critique of the industry and a surrealist family sitcom.
The Spy Who Loved Me (and My Loud Family)
One of the sharpest elements of this series is how it handles the "Bond" of it all. This isn't an action show; it’s an identity show wearing a tuxedo. Shah is surrounded by a support system that is about as helpful as a parachute made of lead. Guz Khan delivers a clinic in unhinged energy as cousin Zulfi, representing every relative who thinks "fame" is an ATM they can finally withdraw from.
Then there’s the elephant or rather, the pig in the room. Shah spends a significant portion of his screen time arguing with a severed pig’s head voiced by Sir Patrick Stewart. It’s a creative swing that shouldn't work. It’s weird, it’s gross, and it’s arguably the most honest depiction of a mental breakdown ever aired on a major streaming service. Stewart’s Shakespearean gravitas applied to foul-mouthed insults is the kind of high-brow/low-brow hybrid I live for.
Satire with a Sharp Edge
Where Bait really bites is in its portrayal of the British media. The series captures the terrifying speed at which someone can go from "local actor" to "national villain" because they don't fit a specific, narrow definition of Britishness. It’s uncomfortable, it’s loud, and it’s frequently hilarious.
The pacing is frenetic. At only six episodes (around 30 minutes each), the series avoids the typical "streaming bloat" that plagues so many other Prime Video originals. It moves with the frantic energy of a man who knows his fifteen minutes are ticking away, and he’s not sure if he wants them to stop or go faster.
The Final Verdict
If you came here looking for car chases and martinis, you’re in the wrong place. Bait is a messy, brilliant, and occasionally exhausting look at the price of representation. Riz Ahmed continues to prove he’s one of the most interesting voices in the business, even when he’s talking to livestock.
It’s the kind of show that stays with you long after the binge. Whether you love the surrealist tangents or find them a bit "much," there’s no denying that it's one of the most original things to hit our screens this year. If this is the "bait," we’re happy to be caught.
Are you Team Talking Pig or did the surrealism turn you off? Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts!
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