The friendship between Debbie (Octavia Spencer) and Judith (Hannah Waddingham) is put to the test when it is revealed that the latter is an international assassin and the former’s family ends up in the crosshairs of a hitman.
Broadly speaking—collectively, that is—here is what we have come to know about Hannah Waddingham (and by "we," I mean Americans who started paying attention to her after *Ted Lasso*): she has an incredible voice, she is quite tall, and she is an accomplished actress on both stage and screen.
Creator: Tessa Coates
Stars: Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Ed Skrein
So, naturally, it makes perfect sense for her to play an international assassin in an episodic buddy comedy alongside Oscar winner (and two-time Emmy nominee for Best Narrator) Octavia Spencer.
Frankly, such a leap to break free from typecasting is a victory in itself, even if Amazon executives likely saw her in *Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning* and/or *The Fall Guy*, factored in the "*Ted Lasso* = TV series" equation, and crunched their mysterious studio numbers until they arrived at *Ride or Die*: a conventional action-comedy in which Waddingham plays Judith Burton (codename: Whiptail), a hitwoman known to every intelligence agency on the planet who also loves hunting for antiques, reading trashy mystery novels, and mocking her best friend’s boring husband.
If the series—created by Tessa Coates with Matt Miller as showrunner—isn't quite as entertaining as its star, it is simply because it also requires her to be serious, sad, and somewhat morbid. Waddingham handles this emotional range with ease—even when *Ride or Die* itself falters—helping to offset recurring tonal issues. The excessive melodrama of the final episodes is easily forgiven when the show’s strengths—above-average fight scenes, solid jokes, and a committed cast—prove so memorable. Broadly speaking—based on general impressions and assumptions—here is what we’ve come to know about Hannah Waddingham (and by "we," I mean Americans who started paying attention after *Ted Lasso*): she has an incredible voice, she’s quite tall, and she is an accomplished actress on both stage and screen.
So, naturally, it makes perfect sense for her to play an international assassin in an episodic action-buddy comedy alongside Oscar winner (and two-time Emmy nominee for Best Narrator) Octavia Spencer.
Frankly, making a leap like that—and breaking free from the usual typecasting—is a victory in itself. That said, Amazon executives likely saw her in *Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning* and/or *The Fall Guy*, factored in the "*Ted Lasso* = TV series" equation, and crunched the numbers using their mysterious studio calculations until they arrived at *Ride or Die*: a conventional action comedy in which Waddingham plays Judith Burton (codename: Whiptail), a contract killer who works for every intelligence agency on the planet—and who also loves hunting for antiques, reading trashy mystery novels, and making fun of her best friend’s boring husband. Related Articles
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Saar Klein, Luke Lynch, Affonso Gonçalves, Pamela Martin, Michael P. Shawver, Kirk Baxter, Andy Jurgensen, and Jim Hemphill during IndieWire’s 2025 Craft Roundtables, held at the Lumen building in Los Angeles, California, on November 8, 2025.
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If the series—created by Tessa Coates with Matt Miller as showrunner—isn't quite as funny as its lead, it is only because it also requires her to be serious, sad, and somewhat morbid. Waddingham handles this emotional range with ease, even when *Ride or Die* itself falls short, helping to offset recurring tonal issues. The excessive melodrama of the final episodes is easily forgiven when the show's strengths—above-average fight scenes, solid jokes, and a committed cast—prove hard to forget.
As for the plot... well, let's see what I recall. Judith is at the top of her game: during a mission at a remote ski resort, she spends her days dodging gunfire on the slopes and her nights sharing a bed with a bartender. Her mind is sharp, her strikes lethal, and her skills perfectly honed. However, her boss (Bill Nighy) believes she is taking too many risks for a "WOACA" (Woman of a Certain Age).
Broadly speaking—collectively and based on general impressions—here is what we’ve come to know about Hannah Waddingham (and by "we," I mean "Americans who started paying attention after *Ted Lasso*"): she has an incredible voice, she is quite tall, and she is an accomplished actress on both stage and screen.
So, naturally, it makes perfect sense for her to play an international assassin in an action-comedy buddy movie alongside Oscar winner (and two-time Emmy nominee for Best Narrator) Octavia Spencer.
Saar Klein, Luke Lynch, Affonso Gonçalves, Pamela Martin, Michael P. Shawver, Kirk Baxter, Andy Jurgensen, and Jim Hemphill at the 2025 IndieWire Craft Roundtables, held at the Lumen building in Los Angeles, California, on November 8, 2025.
IndieWire receives two Daytime Emmy nominations for its inaugural Craft Roundtables series
If the series—created by Tessa Coates with Matt Miller as showrunner—isn't quite as funny as its lead, it is only because it also requires her to be serious, sad, and somewhat morbid. Waddingham effortlessly navigates the required emotional range, even when *Ride or Die* itself falls short, helping to offset the show's recurring tonal issues. The excessive melodrama of the final episodes is easily forgiven when the series' strengths—above-average fight scenes, solid jokes, and a committed cast—are so memorable.
As for the plot, let's see what I recall. Judith starts out living her best life: during a mission at a remote ski resort, she spends her days dodging bullets on the slopes and her nights sharing a bed with a bartender. Her mind is sharp, her strikes lethal, and her skills perfectly honed. Yet, her boss (Bill Nighy) believes she is taking too many risks for a "WOACA" (Woman of a Certain Age). Suddenly, she is one mistake away from early retirement—an unappealing prospect for a career professional whose only real friend is busy trying to turn her husband into the next Prime Minister of England.
Hannah Waddingham, Octavia Spencer, and Ed Skrein in *Ride or Die*, the new Amazon Prime Video series. Hannah Waddingham, Octavia Spencer, and Ed Skrein in 'Ride or Die'. Courtesy of Prime Video.
Yes, that’s Debbie (Spencer)—a Yale Law graduate whose days are spent doing everything her husband is too dim-witted to handle himself (specifically, all his work) and whose nights are dedicated to calling her kids, organizing the book club, and planning for the future. But—surprise!—that future is thrown into disarray when David (Jamie Parker) tells Debbie he wants a divorce, just before getting caught in the middle of one of Judith’s assassination missions.
With their lives in limbo, the best friends embark on a road trip in hopes of saving themselves... and their friendship. Debbie, who had always believed Judith was a boring accountant, doesn't know if she can trust her best friend after discovering her true (and lethal) profession, nor does she know what to do with herself after devoting so much of her life to a man who didn't reciprocate her efforts. For her part, Judith has gone to great lengths over the years to keep Debbie safe from harm. Can she reconcile with her after so many lies? Can she protect her now that the real "Whiptail" has been revealed? Even if she can, what will their lives look like when everything returns to "normal"?
While imminent danger certainly forces them to stick together, *Ride or Die* devotes its entire first season to rebuilding their relationship, prolonging legitimate doubts far longer than the genre usually allows.
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