• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, March 25, 2026

Pardon my cliché, but this new show called “Bait” took my breath away.

No other descriptive phrase comes to mind in the aftermath of watching the first episode of this six-episode series coming to Amazon Prime Video on Wednesday.

Many people overuse the word “literally” today, but the experience of watching this show was literally breathtaking. 

When the episode was over -- all 24 minutes of it -- I sat in my home office chair feeling dazed and exhilarated. 

I have never claimed to be comprehensive in my coverage of new shows that come and go in a typical year, mainly because there are too many shows for any one TV blogger to write on them all.

But of all of the new shows that have come up for review here so far this year, “Bait” is easily the best one I’ve seen, a title it may retain all the way to year’s end.

“Bait” is a comedy and a drama, but the latter far outweighs the former.

The series is created, written and produced by Riz Ahmed, 43 (above photo), an actor and musician raised in London, where the show takes place. His parents are émigrés from Pakistan.

In the show, Ahmed plays an actor, Shah Latif, who was considered to be a bright new talent some years back when he was younger, but is now struggling.

However, as the series opens, he is auditioning for a role that would be life-changing. And when the word gets out that he is up for the part, he finds himself at the center of an internet frenzy. 

The frenzy has to do with the reactions, both pro and con, to the prospect of an actor of his heritage playing a role that is one of the most iconic in movie history. 

The problem is, the rumor that he is a frontrunner for the part is based on practically nothing at all. 

For those familiar with the great Christopher Guest satire of Hollywood, “For Your Consideration,” what happens in that movie is vaguely similar to what happens here.

But unlike “For Your Consideration,” “Bait” is not lighthearted.

Although it is comedic at times, “Bait” can suddenly veer into dark dramatic territory in the blink of an eye, as it does at the conclusion of Episode One.

“Bait” is a commentary on racism and the free-for-all of anonymous social-media posting, but we have seen all of that before.

What makes “Bait” stand out is the sky-high quality of its production -- including writing, acting and its use of locations in London. 

When I was watching this show, I felt myself being transported to a place I had never been before as the show opened a door into the lives of south Asian immigrants, as represented hilariously by Latif’s family.

Why was I dazed and exhilarated? Because “Bait” is a rare kind of show that I do not remember ever seeing before -- a edge-of-your-seat suspense-comedy.

“Bait” starts streaming on Wednesday (March 25) on Amazon Prime Video.