Ride Or Die: A Genre-Bending Spy Comedy with a Twist
In a world that's too cowardly to give us Hannah Waddingham as 007, Prime Video's 'Ride Or Die' is the next best thing. Created by British multihyphenate Tessa Coates, this miniseries casts Waddingham as a lady assassin pushing 50, who remains in the game because she's never known anything else. The premise, on paper, might seem like a typical action-comedy about two people who think they know everything about each other, until one of them reveals she's an assassin. But in execution, the team-up of Coates, Waddingham, and Octavia Spencer creates something far more interesting.
The show has one foot in comedy and the other grounded in the reality Waddingham's character, Judith, has created for herself by having a civilian best friend like Spencer's Debbie. The two leads challenge each other constantly, especially when they're not interested in being challenged. A lot of credit for 'Ride Or Die's' success goes to the show's ensemble. While it seems like the focus will be solely on Judith and Debbie's misadventures, as the story unfolds, the duo learn they have more folks in their corner (and in the opposing one) than they think.
Calam Lynch and Ed Skrein are unexpected highlights, adding depth to otherwise one-note spy-fiction archetypes. Coates, who cut her teeth in stand-up and with the sketch comedy troupe Massive Dad, has created something that never shies away from bending the genre or forming its own identity. The show never forgets that it's about women, and it shines the brightest when told by women.
One standout scene involves Judith and Debbie turning to a hostel full of party girls and their social-media sleuthing skills to hunt down a drug dealer. This scene, rooted in stereotype, is executed with inspiration, elevating a concept often used to insult women. The show's pacing and character development take a hit in the final episodes, with a quick transition that doesn't benefit the story. However, the series goes hard on action, with Waddingham taking a licking more than once, and mobster fights to keep your attention.
Waddingham, a conventionally attractive actress, is emphasized as desirable, given her age and character. The series treats Debbie the same way, depicting her as capable of desire and worthy of being desired. Coates pulls a switcheroo with Debbie's character, revealing her autonomy and vulnerability, making her one of the more refreshing aspects of the series.
'Ride Or Die' is a series that sizes up a challenge, squares its shoulders, and says 'I am she.' It's an occasionally flawed, frequently fun, and always entertaining spy comedy.
