Series that talk about the creative process itself in film and television seem to be in fashion, with ‘The Studio’ at the helm, and within that trend Prime Video has scored the goal of premiering one of the most original bets of the season. ‘Bait’ is based on a curious premise, exploring what could happen when a British actor of Asian origin auditions to be the next James Bond.
What happens is that his life falls apart: the rumor of his possible confirmation as James Bond spreads like wildfire, raising public reactions peppered with suspicion, racism and Islamophobia, while within his own family the rumor – treated as a confirmation – unleashes chaos of epic proportions.
The identity of Shah Latif, a Pakistani Londoner, played by Riz Ahmed, creator of the show and leading actor, is of course at the center of the controversy explored in ‘Bait’, since in fact the six-episode miniseries takes place in the middle of Ramadan, and the “backlash” to his candidacy deeply disturbs his sense of identity and personal security, as a candidate to represent British masculinity.
‘Bait’ explores what kind of man James Bond can be in the 21st century and what kind of actor is “credible” in the role, curiously within the same platform -Prime Video- that has bought the rights to the franchise; and which, for the moment, does not place any brown or black man in the protagonist role, but it does launch this metacomic and speculative series, of which the best and the worst that can be said is that it imagines not so surreal scenarios, taking into account how things are.
The series convinces above all in its comedic aspect, but also by blurring genres, going from comedy to thriller depending on the episode, featuring frankly funny jokes and jokes, especially those associated with Pakistani culture and family dynamics, and also as an exploration of the shaken psychology of the main character, who, written in all his pathos – like that moment when he agrees to take a selfie with a fan who mistakes him for Dev Patel – is very human.
There is a meta, kitsch and deeply modern component in the succession of different narrative tones: from the symbology of the pig’s head to the parody of Bollywood drama, passing through the paranoia of Islamophobic extremism, which ‘Bait’ subverts in a very intelligent way.
Where Riz Ahmed doesn’t quite hit the nail on the head is in the development of the rest of the characters in the series, since his is explored in all its dimensions, but not so much the characters of his family – his brother, father or mother – who are written in a somewhat stereotyped and superficial way, simply as complements to the life of an actor with ambitions that his family may not understand.
Something must be lost along the way when you have to tell such a complex and profound story in chapters that last less than half an hour, but precisely the condensation of themes in such a short time invites you to watch the series compulsively, to discover new narrative lines that you may have overlooked.
‘Bait’ is fun, chaotic, paranoid, touching, and although the ending does not quite complete the sought-after epic, its circular structure being somewhat forced, its originality alone deserves a viewing. Oh, and for its soundtrack, which includes gems by SOPHIE, Jai Paul, the recently deceased Asha Bhosle or a marvel by Jorja Smith created for the occasion.
