What’s that you say? There’s a television show where I can watch Hannah Waddingham (of Ted Lasso fame) wear gorgeous gowns and kick ass for eight hours with her smart best friend, Octavia Spencer? There is indeed, and it is Tessa Coates’ delightful series Ride or Die, streaming on Prime Video. This series is a beautiful tribute to female friendship in midlife, providing something deeper than a simple spy thriller.
Judith (Waddingham) and Deborah (Spencer) have been best friends for decades, following a chance meeting on the side of the road. They do book club together, even though Deborah is often bored by the selections. Judith knows and loves Deborah’s kids. The pair of friends share everything, or at least, that’s what Deborah thought. But when things fall apart with her husband, David (Jamie Parker), and she turns to her best friend for support, she realizes that her best friend isn’t a forensic accountant, but rather an international assassin.
While the premise of Ride or Die is relatively straightforward, the execution is absolutely top-notch by leaning into the age of the women placed in the starring roles. Judith has turned 50, and her boss/father-figure (Bill Nighy) is using the much younger Sam (Calam Lynch) to push her out of the organization. Meanwhile, Deborah, who has been the brains behind her husband’s political success, is being pushed out of her marriage at the same time. Watching as these women navigate these difficult experiences while in the midst of trying to figure out how they relate to one another as Judith’s secret is exposed is more engaging than the premise itself.
Something that I appreciated about the show is that the breach of trust between Judith and Deborah isn’t papered over in the first two episodes. Deborah is legitimately hurt by this, and the story doesn’t try to move past it too quickly, instead choosing to really examine why Judith would create the lie and why Deborah would be so hurt by it. Watching the two of them work through that betrayal helps us get a better handle on the characters and makes the entire series more fun to watch. And there is a layer of trust broken later in the series that feels almost more intense than the lie about being an assassin.
It was also great to see how Ride or Die dealt with being pushed out of a job simply because of your age. Having two women in their fifties star in this series allows the writers to examine the ways in which people generally, and women in particular, begin to lose value as they enter middle age, both in the workplace and sometimes in their marriages. It can sometimes feel just a little bit heavy-handed, but it is a reality that all too many women have experienced, and it is interesting to see it explored in this space.
And these are two incredible women to explore that with. Waddingham is effortlessly chic as this hit woman. It is so much fun to watch her looking remarkably elegant and then absolutely devastating whoever she is in a fight with. She even makes getting poisoned look cool. Spencer plays a more grounded character, one who has been cast in the background in her life. The combination of this pair is wonderful, as we see how they help one another become better versions of themselves in ways that I didn’t always expect. Both are remarkably talented in their own right, and it’s fantastic to watch them work together.
They are lifted by a great supporting cast. Nighy doesn’t have a lot of screen time in the series, but it’s hard to think of a project he’s been in where he’s not a shining light. Jacky Ido has a fun role as an Interpol officer who develops a bit of a crush on Deborah. Ed Skrein provides some really delightful banter with Judith. And Sylvia Hoeks is absolutely fantastic as Judith’s former colleague, Ana, a wonderfully unhinged fellow assassin.
Lest you think that the show is simply a middle-aged woman-empowerment show, the action in it is really solid. There are a number of well-choreographed fight sequences that are fun to watch. Additionally, the mystery driving the plot of Ride or Die is compelling enough to keep your attention across the 8-episode arc. It doesn’t shy away from creating moments of real tension, but it also never feels too heavy.
Overall, Ride or Die is just a remarkably entertaining series. The idea feels like it could be cringey, but instead, it’s a lot of fun while also touching on legitimate issues surrounding aging women and the ways that they form friendships. This is the kind of friendship most of us would kill for.
Ride or Die Season 1 is now streaming on Prime Video.
Learn more about the show at the IMDB site for the title.
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