Who decided life gets boring after 50? Ride or Die certainly didn’t. From the very first episode, the series throws that idea out the window, with Hannah Waddingham once again proving why she’s one of television’s most magnetic performers.
Streaming now on Prime Video, the eight-episode action-comedy pairs Waddingham with Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer for a globe-trotting adventure that’s equal parts spy thriller, road-trip comedy, and celebration of female friendship. The premise may sound familiar, but the show’s biggest weapon isn’t its action. It’s the irresistible chemistry between its two stars.
Ride or Die
Created by Tessa Coates, Ride or Die follows Debbie Claybourne (Octavia Spencer), whose ordinary life is turned upside down after learning that her best friend Judith Burton (Hannah Waddingham) has spent years living a double life as a highly skilled assassin. When one mission goes spectacularly wrong at a charity gala, the pair are forced to go on the run, chased by criminals, law enforcement, and dangerous figures from Judith’s past.
It’s a premise we’ve seen before, but the series wisely avoids trying to outdo every other spy thriller. Instead, it lets its leads carry the story. The action is slick enough to keep things moving, yet every chase, fight, and near-death escape ultimately feeds the relationship between Debbie and Judith. That’s what makes the show so easy to binge.
Hannah Waddingham
If Ted Lasso made Hannah Waddingham a household name, Ride or Die proves she has the chops to headline an action series.
She makes Judith effortlessly cool without ever turning her into an untouchable super-spy. One minute she’s dispatching enemies with absolute confidence, the next she’s delivering a perfectly timed deadpan remark or quietly revealing the emotional cost of living behind a carefully constructed secret. Waddingham balances humor, vulnerability, and action so naturally that it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role.
It’s also impossible to ignore how much fun she’s having. That sense of enjoyment becomes infectious, giving even the most outrageous sequences an undeniable charm.
Octavia Spencer
Waddingham may be the action star, but Octavia Spencer is the emotional anchor.
As Debbie, she reacts to the madness exactly the way most viewers probably would, making her the perfect audience surrogate. Spencer’s understated comic timing turns bewildered expressions into some of the series’ funniest moments, while her emotional scenes give the story real weight.
Together, Spencer and Waddingham create the kind of chemistry that can’t be manufactured. They genuinely feel like lifelong friends, and that believable connection is what keeps Ride or Die grounded even when the plot veers into increasingly ridiculous territory.
Should You Stream It?
Ride or Die never pretends to reinvent the spy-comedy formula, and that’s perfectly fine. Its biggest surprise isn’t the action or the conspiracy, it’s how effortlessly Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer carry every episode. Even when the plot gets tangled, they’re reason enough to keep watching.
The series currently holds an 88% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, with Season 1 earning a 91% Tomatometer, and it’s easy to see why. If you’re looking for a breezy weekend binge with plenty of laughs and two leads who make every scene better, Ride or Die deserves a spot on your watchlist.
