In a review published Wednesday, IndieWire the series as “generically fun” but said Waddingham’s charismatic performance as an international assassin gives the show its biggest strength, News.Az reports .
Created by Tessa Coates and showrun by Matt Miller, Ride or Die follows Judith Burton, known by the codename Whiptail, a highly skilled assassin whose secret double life is exposed after one of her missions goes wrong.
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Her best friend Debbie, played by Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer, is forced into a dangerous cross-country adventure after discovering Judith’s true identity while dealing with major upheaval in her own personal life.
The review highlights the friendship between the two women as the emotional core of the series, saying Waddingham and Spencer successfully balance comedy and drama even when the script struggles with shifting tones.
According to the review, the series features entertaining action sequences, sharp humor and a strong supporting cast that includes Bill Nighy, Ed Skrein, Calam Lynch and Jamie Parker.
Director Peyton Reed, who helmed the pilot episode, was also praised for delivering varied action scenes that avoid becoming repetitive, while the writing keeps the pace moving with consistent jokes and globe-trotting adventure.
Although the review notes that the final episodes lean too heavily into melodrama, it concludes that the performances outweigh the show’s weaknesses.
The critic describes Ride or Die as enjoyable “popcorn entertainment” and argues that Waddingham and Spencer’s on-screen partnership is compelling enough to support multiple future seasons, calling the pair an ideal buddy-comedy duo.
