The Fake Sheik

The Fake Sheikh weaves an intriguing web around its central subject. It might not feature any interviews with Mazer Mahmood. But the docuseries delves into the structure and mechanics of his sting operations, tries to get at what drove his ruthless nature as a journalist, and allows space for the people who populated his scandal-dripping headlines to tell their side of the story.

As for Isfryn, she is half in love with her subject, reconstructing stings in Lanzarote hotels, Dubai yachts and Costa del Sol fleshpots with glossy production values as though this was a mashup of Ocean’s Eleven, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and, well, The Sting. .... She overindulges in the glee at his downfall by interviewing victims of his work.

It shoots straight down the middle, a fair approach that results in a pretty bland product.