A&E tonight premieres new show Akil the Fugitive Hunter — centered on “modern-day superhero” Akil Muhammad as he tracks criminals and captures them to keep his community safe.
But are the events in it actually real?
Very little is known about Muhammad himself, but as the show is a true crime docuseries it does indeed feature real-life events.
In a pioneering move, it will combine live-action footage with animation to tell Muhammad’s story as he hunts fugitives and takes them into custody.
Few details were available before the show went to air. For example, it’s not known if Akil Muhammad is his real name or if it’s a pseudonym in a bid to protect his identity due to the nature of the work he does. There is no information about him online, other than his biography for the show.
It’s likely that he is a bail recovery agent, a licensed investigator with the power to capture people who have failed to turn up for court or pay bail.
Muhammad works doing what he does in South Central Los Angeles. In the premiere he and his team go on the hunt for a criminal who is wanted in Arizona for kidnapping and is now wreaking havoc in LA.
He got into his line of work after losing a friend to gang violence when he was younger, and almost falling into a life of crime himself.
Actor and activist Wood Harris (The Wire), who narrates the series, describes Muhammad as a “superhero”.
He says: “He walked away from the gang life and made a vow to clean up the streets, and now he’s a bounty hunter.”
The series will air over 10 half-hour episodes and includes animation by Carl Jones (Black Dynamite) and original music from Ty Dolla $ign.
A&E Executive Vice President Elaine Frontain Bryant said: “This series offers a fresh take on true crime storytelling through the lens of a real-life hero working to make his community safer and offering hope for future generations.
“With the incorporation of contemporary animation and Wood’s poetic narration, this gripping series takes a unique and timely approach to a genre capturing the attention of viewers more than ever before.”
Akil The Fugitive Hunter airs Thursdays at 10pm ET/PT on A&E Network.