TV’s New James Bond Is a Spiraling Muslim Actor Who Can’t Even Convince Himself
Credit: Shutterstock
In a twist no one saw coming—but everyone will be talking about—Riz Ahmed steps into the sleek shoes of a would-be spy… and promptly trips over his own identity.
Streaming now on Prime Video, Bait is not your typical spy story. In fact, it’s barely a spy story at all. Instead, it’s a wildly funny, sharply observant, and unexpectedly vulnerable ride through fame, faith, and the fragile ego of a man who desperately wants to be seen as “the hero”—even if he has no idea who he actually is.
Ahmed plays Shah Latif, a struggling British-Pakistani actor whose career revival hinges on one audacious dream: becoming the next James Bond. But this isn’t a tale of suave confidence and shaken martinis. Shah’s journey is riddled with public meltdowns, questionable decisions, and an inner monologue so chaotic it occasionally takes the form of a talking pig’s head—voiced, astonishingly, by Patrick Stewart.
Yes, really.
Fans of Ahmed’s breakout performance in Four Lions will recognize the DNA of Bait: a fearless blend of satire and sincerity that finds humor in uncomfortable truths. But where Four Lions explored misguided extremism, Bait turns inward—examining insecurity, self-worth, and the cost of assimilation in a world that still struggles to define belonging.
Set during the final days of Ramadan and leading into Eid al-Fitr, the six-episode series grounds its absurdity in cultural specificity. Shah’s vibrant, chaotic family provides both comic relief and emotional weight, capturing the warmth and contradictions of diaspora life—from aunties debating dinner plans to uncles glued to over-the-top news broadcasts.
But beneath the humor lies a sharper edge.
As Shah chases the image of a “perfectly British” icon, he begins to unravel—dodging faith, distancing himself from his roots, and ultimately confronting a painful question: what do you lose when you try to become someone else’s idea of success?
The show doesn’t preach. It provokes. It laughs, then lingers.
Comparisons to Ramy are inevitable, but Bait carves its own lane with bold storytelling choices and a protagonist who is as frustrating as he is fascinating. Shah is not always likable—but he is unmistakably human.
And that’s where Bait delivers its biggest surprise.
In a television landscape crowded with polished heroes, Riz Ahmed gives us something far riskier: a deeply flawed man chasing a fantasy he doesn’t understand, in a world that isn’t sure it wants him.
The result? A series that feels chaotic, uncomfortable, hilarious—and undeniably fresh.
Whether Shah Latif becomes James Bond is almost beside the point.
The real mission is figuring out who he is without the tuxedo.
