My search for something exciting to watch led me to this new action comedy that premiered on Amazon Prime Video mid last month. Mostly seeing Octavia Spencer and Bill Nighy amongst the cast got my interest. If you are a fan of action-packed shows that pump adrenaline, this recent release is worth watching.
Created by Tessa Coates and Matt Miller, Ride Or Die (2026) is an American action comedy that will grip you while giving you some laughs along the way. It stars Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham and Bill Nighy as leads while featuring Ed Skrien, Sylvia Hoeks, Savannah Stern, Calam Lynch and more as supporting actors.
This eight-episode show follows two friends, Debbie Claiborne (Octavia Spencer) and Judith, aka Whiptail (Hannah Waddingham) who have known each other for more than two decades. Debbie is married to David, a member of British Parliament and the brain behind his political success. She lives an ordinary life and hosts bookclub meetings. Judith, her best friend, is not ordinary. She's a trained assassin who poses as a forensic accountant.
Everything blows up into the open when Judith's handler, Sam (Calam Lynch), threatens to fire her because she no longer follows the rule unless she kills Billy Donovan (Ed Skrien) via poison at a dinner party. Debbie's life is upended when her husband asks for a divorce on their way to this party. She gets drunk and spills secrets to some members of Parliament.
When Judith attempts to poison Billy Donovan, it fails so she follows him into a room where he was meeting with some Albanians only to discover dead bodies including David Claiborne's. There's a photograph message on one of the bodies signifying that someone wants to kill her. But Billy is missing.
She runs out of the room just as more Albanians storm the party looking to kill her friend, Debbie. Can she save them both from the Albanians? Will she still retain her job as an assassin after failing to take out Billy Donovan? Who left the picture message on the bodies?
My Review And Rating
Who knew Hollywood could still come up with a show this good and exhilarating? Ride Or Die exceeded my expectations because I assumed it would be one of those mediocre action comedies created to simply pass the time. But it's not. This series is brilliantly written and executed. The plot is solid and cleverly twisted in a way that the focus is not on a single villain giving the lead characters a relentless chase but on a chain reaction like a line of dominoes crumbling from one initial cause with each fall creating rippling effects.
The creators blend espionage with comedy while focusing on real life issues that most fans can resonate with. The first and second episodes introduce the leads and the contrast in their lifestyles and I wonder how they are friends in the first place. By the end of the episodes, their secrets are out in the open and their friendship bond tested.
Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham are perfectly cast as Debbie and Judith. They are convincing as best friends. Their onscreen chemistry is fabulous to watch. The way they laugh together, share jokes and stand by each other in the face of life-threatening dangers is admirable. I like that the creators did not stick these women, especially Judith, into stoic or unfeeling situations. In spite of their jobs and unsavoury choices, they quarreled about their secrets and betrayal but never let the issues cloud their years of friendship. Their shared tender moments give this action-packed show a heart, in my opinion.
The remaining episodes do a good job of revealing other aspects of these women's relationship and how their pasts came calling when they least expected. The intertwine of villains with law enforcement agents chasing after them makes this show compelling.
Sylvia Hoeks played her role as Ana, the main villain of this season, superbly. She's a formidable foe who raises the stakes. Her energy is crazy and palpable and I almost feel sorry for Debbie and Judith as they struggle to make sense of the clusterfuck of troubles surrounding them. I also admire the investigating duo, Sam and Queenie. They add their brilliance to the action.
One character I wish the creators had developed better is Bill Nighy as the director of the assassin agency. He's this tough, elderly head of assassin who talks minimally but can whip out a handgun in a split second to shoot at an enemy. There are hints throughout the season that there's more to him and I'm hoping in the next season, we will get to know him better.
This show is well paced with high-speed action, fight scenes and chase, and comedic twists. The cinematography and visuals are impressive.
Rating this TV series, I'd give it 8.5 out of 10 stars. It delivers exciting action-hero moves and comedy with some depth. And I'm hoping the producers greenlight a second season soon.
All images above are screenshots from the movie
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Rating: 85/100
Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.