Ride or Die Review: Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham Are Prime Video's Perfect Action Duo

Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham are your next favorite action stars. Starring in Ride or Die, an action-comedy series, the pair play best friends Judith and Debbie, who seemingly know everything about each other. Well...almost everything. Judith is actually an international assassin known as Whiptail and has been living a double life all along.

While Debbie is struggling to process her husband's request for a divorce and Judith is being forced out of the assassin business, both women find themselves in desperate need of a fresh start. When a mysterious enemy forces them onto an international mission, their friendship is put to the ultimate test as they navigate just how much lying, deceit, and murder they can survive together.

Right off the bat, Spencer and Waddingham have undeniable chemistry. You'd think they were best friends in real life. Knowing that Judith and Debbie's friendship began in such an unconventional way—and was never meant to become anything more than one stranger helping another—made watching their bond grow even more rewarding.

While Debbie may not have known Judith's biggest secret, it was obvious that Judith was her truest self when she was with Debbie, giving her all the love she knew how to give. Their banter was one of the highlights of the series. Whether they were caught in a shootout, jumping off a moving train, or negotiating a drug deal in a Spanish nightclub, the two balanced high-stakes action with comedy effortlessly. At times, it genuinely felt like I was watching two sisters bicker.

My favorite part of the series, however, was how it honored classic spy films while still carving out its own identity. Each episode featured nods to iconic stories like Murder on the Orient Express, The Spanish Prisoner, and The Count of Monte Cristo. As someone who loves spotting references, it was so much fun to pick out these inspirations while watching how the show reinvented them for its own story.

The sense of familiarity extended beyond the plot. Even the supporting characters felt like fresh takes on classic spy archetypes. Outside of Judith and Debbie, Queenie and Sam were standouts. They had fantastic chemistry and made for an excellent second duo, complementing the leads perfectly. I especially loved the concept of a younger generation of spies working from within to fix a corrupt system.

The biggest standout, though, was Debbie's transformation from an everyday civilian into a spy-in-training. Hannah Waddingham brought so much heart to Debbie's journey, but it was Octavia Spencer who truly surprised me. She stepped into the role of an elite assassin so naturally that you'd think she'd been leading action franchises for years. Spencer has always had incredible range, and Ride or Die is yet another reminder of just how versatile she is.

If you're looking for a series that will keep you on your toes, Ride or Die should absolutely be on your watchlist. My biggest piece of advice? Don't get too attached to any of the characters, you never know who's making it to the next scene. With a killer cliffhanger and an outstanding cast, I'm already hoping for a Season 2.