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When it comes to buddy comedies in TV and film, chances are male duos are the ones to come to mind first. From Bad Boys and Men in Black, to Rush Hourand 21 Jump Street, these are all movies that follow two main characters who rely on each other for everything, even as things begin to spiral downhill. In recent years, however, some female duos have joined the genre, like in The Heat or Peacock's newly canceled Ponies, but no show has been as revered as Prime Video's latest comedy series, Ride or Die.
Starring Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, the eight-episode series sees both actresses in a whole new light. While already established as beloved, award-winning actresses in their own way, Ride or Die sees Waddingham and Spencer blossom into bona fide action stars, and helps establish the series as one of Prime Video's best new shows of the year. Just five days since its release on July 15, 2026, and Ride or Die is already a Prime Video must-watch.
What Is 'Ride or Die' About?
Ride or Die follows Debbie Claybourne (Spencer) and Judith Burton (Waddingham), two best friends who have been each other's confidantes for over two decades. Despite years of book clubs, vacations, and antique shopping they've done together, Judith has been hiding a few secrets from Debbie — mainly, her job as a highly skilled assassin, not as a forensic accountant like she had pretended.One night, when one of Judith's mission backfires at the same event where Debbie and her husband, David (Jamie Parker), are in attendance, Judith's left with no choice but to come clean, and flee with her across Europe.
Also crucial to the series is the enigmatic man known only as The Director (Bill Nighy), Judith's employer, who works under a mysterious shadow agency. Throughout the action-packed episodes, Debbie and Judith are pursued by not only Interpol law enforcement, the Albanian mob, but also by a bubbly yet ruthless killer named Ana (Sylvia Hoeks). "Series executive producerAnt-Man's Peyton Reed, who also directs the first two episodes, immediately sets the tone with high-octane action that keeps the pace moving," Meredith Loftus wrote in her review for the show for Collider. "Car chases, kinetic fight scenes, and inventive fight choreography — it's all there — and Waddingham is who makes many of those thrills work."
'Ride or Die' Is One of Prime Video's Biggest Wins of 2026
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has scored an impressive 96% percent from critics, overperforming many of the platform's recent releases, including Off Campus, Elle and Every Year After. From the numbers alone, it's clear that Ride or Die is a force to be reckoned with for the streaming giant. After all, by standing out in the already crowded streaming landscape, where new releases can disappear in a matter of days, Ride or Die has distinguished itself through overwhelmingly positive reviews, outperforming many of Prime Video's recent originals and giving viewers all the more reason to add it to their watchlist.
The secret to the show, of course, lies in Spencer and Waddingham's lived-in and effortless chemistry together onscreen. After all, while Ride or Die delivers globe-trotting action, high-stakes assassin missions, and plenty of comedic set pieces, its greatest strength is their buddy duo. Their believable friendship provides an emotional anchor that keeps the series grounded even as the story escalates into increasingly outrageous situations. Rather than relying solely on action, the series succeeds because it invests in the bond between its two leads, making every dangerous mission feel like a test of a relationship audiences genuinely want to see succeed. "The overall success of Ride or Die lives and 'dies' by its two leads (pun intended), and Debbie and Judith's friendship is ultimately why it sticks the landing," Loftus wrote in her review. "It's an exhilarating ride with plenty of action thrills, but it's primarily about the rare people in your life who will stick with you through thick and thin, have your back when life throws you for a loop, and even jump off a moving train with you while evading assassins."
With that said, as Ride or Die continues to find its viewers with just a few days since its release, the series is proving that it has the perfect combination of action, humor, and heartfelt character dynamics. By balancing entertaining storylines with a friendship that feels authentic, the show offers something more memorable than a standard spy thriller, or a silly comedy for that matter, and proves that strong character relationships can be just as important, and binge-worthy, as explosive action.
