{"id":5923,"date":"2026-07-14T13:20:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T08:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=5923"},"modified":"2026-07-14T13:20:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T08:20:14","slug":"octavia-butlers-assassin-comedy-is-a-chaotic-thrilling-adventure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=5923","title":{"rendered":"Octavia Butler\u2019s Assassin Comedy Is A Chaotic &#038; Thrilling Adventure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham take viewers on an action-packed joyride in Prime Video\u2019s <em><a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/db\/tv-show\/ride-or-die\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ride or Die<\/a><\/em>, proving that the assassin subgenre and buddy comedy go hand in hand. Creator and writer Tessa Coates was in for a treat when she and the creative team brought on two of Hollywood&#8217;s most impressive actresses. Luckily, the entire staff, from the showrunner to the stunt coordinator, played into the strengths of their talented actresses.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>In the <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/prime-video-tv-shows-better-than-netflix\/\" target=\"_blank\">Prime Video original show<\/a>, Debbie Claybourne, played by <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ma-octavia-spencer-horror-movie-hbo-max-trending-worth-watching\/\" target=\"_blank\">Octavia Spencer<\/a>, and Judith Burton, played by Hannah Waddingham, have a two-decade-long friendship that has seen them through thick and thin. Whether it&#8217;s going on vacation together or laughing at book club, they seem to have the perfect relationship. However, everything gets tested when Debbie learns that Judith works for a secret organization as a skilled assassin and gets roped into the action.<\/p>\n<p>With an engaging premise and a stacked cast,<em> Ride or Die <\/em>had everything needed to thrive against competitors, and it mostly succeeds in its goal, despite an unbearably clich\u00e9d story.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"ride-or-die-rsquo-s-story-is-the-weakest-part-of-the-action-comedy-show\">\n                        Ride Or Die\u2019s Story Is The Weakest Part Of The Action-Comedy Show<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;Du\u0161an Martin\\u010dek\\\/Prime&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Bill Nighy speaks on the phone while sitting by his computer in Prime Video's Ride or Die\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bill-nighy-in-prime-video-s-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">PRime Video&#8217;s Ride or Die<\/figcaption><small class=\"body-img-caption\">Du\u0161an Martin\u010dek\/Prime<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Prime Video\u2019s action-comedy series <em>Ride or Die <\/em>is fun and entertaining, but not for its mind-blowing storyline. The writing left me wanting. Despite an intriguing premise, the show&#8217;s plot felt uninspired. \u201cA corrupt man steals money from the mob, and his wife has to pay them back or die.\u201d \u201cA woman discovers that her best friend lives a double life and gets roped into the action.\u201d \u201cA friend-turned-enemy comes back for revenge.\u201d All three of these descriptions fit Ride or Die plus at least a dozen other action stories. The problems also extend further to specific scenes. I frequently uttered, \u201c<em>Oh, this is like [insert movie title].<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Ride or Die<\/em> became a little less derivative in the second half. Unfortunately, even with the improvements, <em>Ride or Die<\/em>\u2019s plot was the weakest part of the assassin buddy comedy. I predicted who would live and die. I saw most of the reveals and plot twists coming. I found myself more intrigued by the B-plot centering on Judith\u2019s colleague Billy and the document forger Queenie. They were not only more compelling characters than the folks involved in the A-plot, but the story felt fresher.<\/p>\n<p>That said, the story is passable, so long as folks aren&#8217;t expecting an exhilarating new story. Also, the main story did have a few spikes of interest in episodes 2 and 5. Rather than lasting the full 45 to 50 minutes, these spikes lasted about 10 to 15 minutes. Additionally, the last episode and a half of the season were much better in terms of engaging writing, unique storylines, and unpredictable twists that still felt earned. Because of the sharp increase in writing quality, I&#8217;d be more than happy to watch a second season, hoping the story stays at the same level.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-action-sequences-amp-fight-scenes-will-get-your-adrenaline-pumping\">\n                        The Action Sequences &amp; Fight Scenes Will Get Your Adrenaline Pumping<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hannah Waddingham rides a motorcycle in Ride or Die\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hannah-waddington-rides-a-motorcycle-in-ride-or-die.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Hannah Waddingham rides a motorcycle in Ride or Die<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Despite the lackluster story, Prime Video&#8217;s <em>Ride or Die<\/em> is still an exhilarating watch, and much of that comes down to the action sequences and fight scenes, which unfold in captivating settings. It\u2019s not all just Judith and Debbie running down the street while villains shoot at them. The fights take place in beautiful-looking buildings and in moving cars. They happen when the characters wear formal gowns and also leather jackets. The variety keeps the show interesting.<\/p>\n<p>This is only made better by the choreography from brilliant stunt coordinator Jan Petr\u030cina. Watching<em> Ride or Die<\/em>, it&#8217;s clear that she understood not every character in the show would handle the action and danger in the same way. The choreography feels individualized to each character, their skills, and their background.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, Debbie might be smart and resourceful, but she is not a professional assassin. When she\u2019s running from an enemy or avoiding gunshots, he will act more like a civilian stuck in a dangerous situation. Meanwhile, Judith has been in the field as an assassin for over 20 years. She\u2019s going to be much more adept at weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. She would be much more tactical-minded than her best friend. <\/p>\n<p>By personalizing these moments, the show becomes much more visually engaging. What\u2019s more, I found myself in complete awe with the knowledge that Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddington performed at least some of their own stunts (via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/entertainment\/tv\/2026\/07\/13\/ride-or-die-octavia-spencer-hannah-waddingham-amazon-prime-video\/90786484007\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">USA Today<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"octavia-spencer-amp-hannah-waddingham-rsquo-s-performances-make-ride-or-die-worth-the-watch\">\n                        Octavia Spencer &amp; Hannah Waddingham\u2019s Performances Make Ride Or Die Worth The Watch<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<p> When I first heard of<em> Ride or Die<\/em>, I knew I had to watch the TV show because Octavia Spencer and <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ride-or-die-prime-video-show-trailer\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hannah Waddingham<\/a> are incredible actresses. The trailer only increased the hype. Despite my impossibly high expectations, Spencer and Waddingham absolutely blew them out of the water with their performances as Judith and Debbie, proving once again why both are award-winning actresses.<\/p>\n<p>The best friends in the Prime Video original feel like two halves of a whole, with a connection so magnetic that one will shift and the other moves alongside her. Their relationship feels lived-in, with inside jokes and a deep platonic love that\u2019s stronger than any romantic possibility. Judith and Debbie\u2019s relationship feels so real, aside from the assassin twist, that I found myself wondering if Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham had secretly been best friends their entire lives. <\/p>\n<p>Judith and Debbie\u2019s dedication to one another makes <em>Ride or Die <\/em>just as emotional as it is thrilling. Even when they\u2019re at odds, these two best friends continue to show up for each other time and time again. Of course, neither is perfect. They are really tested a few times, where one or the other falters. Still, they come back together because their friendship is truly special.<\/p>\n<p>This wouldn\u2019t feel so believable and meaningful if it weren\u2019t for the performances from the lead actresses. Ultimately, Spencer and Waddingham\u2019s connection is the lifeblood of <strong><em>Ride or Die<\/em><\/strong>, and that alone is a good enough reason to watch the action-comedy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>All episodes of Ride or Die are available on Prime Video on July 15!<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card type-screen large\" data-show-streamrentbuy-links=\"true\" data-include-community-rating=\"true\" id=\"d8ae-466d-91c3c22af1c4\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content\">\n<div class=\"display-card-content image-column\">\n<p>                        <!--    Rating block community and brand ratings --><br \/>\n                        <!--  Image --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-img \" data-stnl-group-once=\"8kfmqlg09c\">\n<div class=\"body-img portrait \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  img-article-square\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=1\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=1\"\/><img width=\"480\" height=\"720\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"ride-or-die-poster.jpg\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=1\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2026\/07\/ride-or-die-poster.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=1\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <!-- User Rating widget --><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"display-card-content info-column\">\n                                                                                                                            <!--  Display card tags widget --><\/p>\n<p>                                                <!--  Display card community and brand rating widget --><br \/>\n                                                                <!--  Display card main info widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-info main-info\">\n<dl>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Release Date<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 15, 2026<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Network<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrime Video<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Showrunner<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMatt Miller<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<\/dl><\/div>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card main info widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!--  Display card media widget start --><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card media widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Cast widget start --><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- Cast widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to watch button preview --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to watch preview end --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <!-- Extra content section, display hidden by default --><br \/>\n            <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"extra-content-d8ae-466d-91c3c22af1c4\" name=\"extra-content-d8ae-466d-91c3c22af1c4\" class=\"expand-extra-info-checkbox css-menu-checkbox\"\/> <!-- Checkbox: control the expandable behavior  of the extra info --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- Display card footer --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- PROS and CONS section --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham take viewers on an action-packed joyride in Prime Video\u2019s Ride or Die, proving that the assassin subgenre and buddy comedy go hand in hand. Creator and writer Tessa Coates was in for a treat when she and the creative team brought on two of Hollywood&#8217;s most impressive actresses. Luckily, the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/octavia-butler-smiles-in-ride-or-die.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5923\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}