'Ride or Die' Review: Fast Cars, Dry Wit and International Chaos. All Powered by Its Brilliant Leads
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
By Romey Norton - July 14, 2026
Pairing Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham together for an action-comedy series is and was an excellent idea. Spencer has spent years proving herself one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers, effortlessly moving between drama and comedy in films like The Help, Hidden Figures, and even darker fare like Ma. Waddingham, meanwhile, became an international favourite thanks to Ted Lasso, where her ability to combine sharp comic timing with emotional depth made her instantly magnetic. Together, they bring exactly the kind of energy Ride or Die needs: charisma, comic precision, and just enough emotional grounding to stop the chaos from becoming hollow.
Prime Video’s eight-episode extravaganza Ride or Die takes a fairly straightforward buddy-thriller setup and injects it with cheesy humour, espionage nonsense, and European road-trip energy to keep things consistently entertaining. The premise alone is strong enough to carry several episodes: Debbie Claybourne discovers that her best friend, Judith Burton, isn’t just a glamorous mystery woman with questionable taste in men; she’s actually an international assassin.
Obviously, a mission goes disastrously wrong, enemies from Judith’s past reappear, husbands are kidnapped, money is missing, and suddenly, both women are racing across Europe while being pursued by assassins, criminals, and increasingly frustrated law enforcement. It is as exciting as it sounds!
What makes Ride or Die worth watching is the chemistry between its leads. Spencer’s Debbie is wonderfully grounded amid all the absurdity. She reacts to the increasingly ridiculous situations exactly how a normal person probably would: with panic, disbelief, sarcasm, and occasional exhaustion. Waddingham, meanwhile, fully embraces Judith’s larger-than-life energy. She’s elegant, dangerous, emotionally evasive, and clearly having the time of her life speeding through car chases and gunfights in expensive coats. Together, their friendship is rooted in history, which raises the stakes when Judith is asked to pick her job (the only thing she believes she has) or her best friend.
The ensemble cast is fantastic. From seasoned professionals such as Bill Nighy, bringing his trademark sinister charm, and Bill Bailey, applying a comedic touch, to newer faces, Callum Lynch and Savannah Stern. They all add layers to this series without taking away from the leads. Ed Skrien does an excellent job when he joins the party to help the girls with their task. From a threat to potential romance, his role adds intrigue and depth.
It’s brilliant how it allows middle-aged women to occupy roles typically reserved for much younger action leads. Debbie and Judith feel experienced, emotionally complicated, and believable as lifelong friends navigating increasingly ridiculous circumstances together. The show wisely prioritises their friendship over the spy-thriller mechanics, and that emotional connection gives the series much of its charm. Beneath the explosions and betrayals, Ride or Die is really about two women realising they don’t know each other nearly as well as they thought.
That said, the show occasionally struggles to balance its tone fully. Some emotional revelations arrive just moments before another action sequence or punchline, diminishing certain dramatic beats' impact. However, the pacing is strong, particularly when the plot becomes tangled in double-crosses and conspiracy reveals.
With an strong, heartfelt ending, this series ends with real girl power. Season 2? It's not a want, it's a need. Ride or Die fits perfectly in the action-comedy genre and one of the best female lead series I’ve seen in a long time. With sharp humour, entertaining mayhem, stylish locations, and two immensely watchable performers, Ride or Die is the must-watch series! And honestly, with Spencer and Waddingham at the wheel, the ride is fun enough to forgive the occasional detour.
All eight episodes are available to watch on Prime Video on July 15, 2026.
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