Hannah Waddingham’s New Assassin Action Series Is An Instant #1 Hit For Prime Video

Hannah Waddingham’s new assassin action show is killing it on streaming.

Along with playing Rebecca Welton in Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, which is returning for a fourth season on August 5, Waddingham has played the roles of Septa Unella in Game of Thrones, the Witch Mother in Hocus Pocus 2, Hubert in the Disney+ Willow series, Sofia Marchetti in Sex Education, Gail Meyer in The Fall Guy, Admiral Neely in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Grand Councilwoman in the live-action Lilo & Stitch movie, and Deliria in Krapopolis.

Waddingham’s latest role is assassin Judith Burton in Prime Video’s action comedy series Ride or Die. Judith has always kept her professional life separate and a secret from her best friend, Debbie Claybourne (Octavia Spencer). However, the truth comes out after a hit goes disastrously wrong, and the two women are forced to go on the run as dangerous forces pursue them.

After releasing all eight episodes on July 15, Ride or Die is now Prime Video’s number one show in the United States. The other series it is outperforming in the U.S. top 10 are Elle, Off Campus, Every Year After, Spider-Noir, Murder 101, The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Boys, Silo, and Clarkson’s Farm. Worldwide, Ride or Die is in third place, only behind Elle and Off Campus, and it is in the top 10 for 49 different countries, including Australia, Canada, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Singapore, and Thailand.

As indicated by the 96% critics’ score, in which 25 of the 26 reviews are “Fresh,” the show has been well-received. In ScreenRant‘s Ride or Die review, Dani Kessel Odom gives a rating of seven out of 10 stars and writes that “with an engaging premise and a stacked cast, Ride or Die had everything needed to thrive against competitors, and it mostly succeeds in its goal.”

The audience reception has also been positive overall, leading to a 79% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews across the board praise the performances from Waddingham and Spencer and the strong chemistry on display between the two award-winning stars. Waddingham previously won a Primetime Emmy Award for Ted Lasso, while Spencer won an Academy Award for The Help.

Along with the exciting pairing of Waddingham and Spencer in a unique blend of genres for them, Ride or Die‘s release comes at the perfect time. Anticipation is high for Ted Lasso season 4, and with only weeks left until Apple TV’s sports comedy hit returns, Prime Video’s new show eases the wait by showcasing Waddingham’s talent and in a very different kind of role than Rebecca.

While season 1 mostly wraps up the story, there are two major cliffhangers that set up a potential second season. Instantly becoming number one on Prime Video in the U.S., along with performing well worldwide, is a promising start to securing a renewal, as are the positive critical and audience reception.

The star-studded cast led by Waddingham and Spencer in Ride or Die also includes Ed Skrein as Billy Donovan, Bill Nighy as the Director, Jamie Parker as David Claybourne, Calam Lynch as Sam, Savannah Steyn as Queenie, Sylvia Hoeks as Ana, Jacky Ido as Jacques, and Cathy Tyson as Mrs. Williams. Waddingham and Spencer were among the executive producers of the series, which was created by Tessa Coates, and with Matt Miller serving as the showrunner.

Ride or Die is now streaming on Prime Video.