RIDE OR DIE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: The sun shines over snowy mountains in Austria. There, a sniper aims their weapon at a cantankerous, wealthy-looking Russian man who is partying at a ski resort. A voice urges the sniper, “Whiptail,” to take the shot, but she can’t do it… and it’s not the first time that this has happened. Instead, she settles for happily killing him up close and personally with a knife to the back.

The Gist: Judith Burton is a highly-trained and exceptionally skilled assassin who has made a name for herself operating under the alias “Whiptail” for nearly 29 years. Unfortunately for her, her latest hit on a Russian war criminal goes awry after she ditches her assigned sniper rifle for a much showier murder method of killing the target with a steak knife in front of many witnesses. Agency rep Sam (Calam Lynch) has been sent on behalf of The Director (Bill Nighy) to give Judith a warning: she needs to complete her jobs by the book and secretively, or else she’s being cut loose. Adding insult to injury, Sam guesses that perhaps it’s because she’s around 50-years-old that Judith is suddenly acting out and suggests that she should retire. Instead, an angry Judith pushes back, insisting on taking another job. Sam relents and instructs her to take out crime syndicate leader Billy Donovan (Ed Skrein) at an upcoming Water Relief charity gala using poison, warning that this is Judith’s last chance to follow protocol and keep her job.

Judith’s best friend of 20 years is Debbie Claybourne, a woman who lives a normal life in London, where she assumes Judith also lives and works as a forensic accountant who occasionally travels for conferences. Debbie is an ambitious high-achiever who made Law Review at Yale before falling in love and moving to England to start a family with David Claybourne (Jamie Parker). Over 25 years of marriage, Debbie has done most of the work to advance David’s political career and help him get through daily life, with current aspirations to help him go from Member of Parliament to British Prime Minister. David is a bit of a dud, and Judith isn’t scared to say so at their latest book club meeting, but Debbie insists that this is just what long-term love and partnership look like.

However, both Judith and Debbie suddenly have their lives turned upside down on the night of the Water Relief gala. Judith is attending to take out Billy and put an end to his work using a nonprofit as a cover-up for money laundering, and unbeknownst to her, Debbie is there to support David, who is secretly involved in the “charity’s” unlawful practices. Before even entering the gala, David says that he wants a divorce, shattering Debbie’s heart and making her feel used. Judith, meanwhile, flirts with her target but is unable to kill him, forcing her to retreat. The tumultuous night ends with David and several other men killed, Judith protecting Debbie, and Debbie learning that her closest friend has been lying to her since they met. With both women now wanted for dead, they must drive across Europe, evading law enforcement, assassins, and criminals in a race for survival.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Take assassin and hitman-centered shows like Killing Eve, Barry, and The Day of the Jackal, and combine them with shows that highlight lasting bonds and friendships between women (especially amidst wild, dark, and/or funny circumstances), like How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, Good Girls, and Bad Sisters.

Our Take: Just from watching the first episode, it’s clear that Ride Or Die is a standout for this summer’s streaming slate. With a talented ensemble cast led by absolute all-star actresses Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham, this series is well-made from top to bottom, immediately pulling you into its world and keeping you invested. The show rests on Spencer and Waddingham’s very capable shoulders, and boy, do they deliver. Not only do they serve up strong performances individually, but they are also somehow even more wonderful as a duo, thanks to their incredible chemistry, painting a very believable and lived-in picture of longtime friendship.

Beyond the acting, Ride Or Die is also entertaining and clever in its writing and execution as it takes tropes from the more male-dominated spy thriller and buddy comedy genres, subverting them and creating something that feels truly fresh and unique. The episodes may be almost an hour, but they fly by with a nicely paced plot and action that builds an interesting, thought-out world while leaving you hungry for more. From the soundtrack to the costumes to the locations, everything feels intentional and is indicative of the hard work that went into this series from everyone in front of and behind the camera. Ride Or Die is a lot of fun and absolutely worth your time!

Performance Worth Watching: Hannah Waddingham stands out as secret assassin Judith Burton, with impressive fight scenes and action sequences balanced by a vulnerable, layered performance.

Sex And Skin: While the sensitive bits aren’t shown, there’s sex implied and some skin shown as Judith disrobes for a one-night stand with a bartender in Austria. You also see almost all of Billy Donovan (certainly you see his bare booty) as Judith spies on him before the gala while he’s exiting the shower. Plus, with the plot revolving around assassins and killing, it’s safe to say that this show is meant for a fairly mature audience.

Parting Shot: A mysterious hooded woman (Sylvia Hoeks) confronts the cemetery groundskeeper (Kim Durham), who last saw Judith. She calls Judith soft for leaving him alive and is about to kill him when he reveals that Judith wasn’t alone. He offers to help her find them, but the woman says she already knows how to, before mercilessly shooting the man in the head.

Sleeper Star: I feel like this is more of an obvious superstar than a sleeper star, but Octavia Spencer shines brightly as Debbie Claybourne. In the hands of someone else, some of the lines may feel hollow or cliché, but Spencer delivers with such ease, commitment, and charm that you can’t help but be taken by her and invested in Debbie’s story.

Most Pilot-y Line: After Debbie infers Judith’s judgment towards David by her bestie’s facial expression alone, she says, “You don’t need to say anything. You make it perfectly clear what you think. You’d make a terrible spy.” Oh, Debbie, you’re in for a rude awakening, my friend.