The icy blonde is a professional killer, codenamed Whiptail, who goes by Judith after the Biblical character, the first known female assassin in history.
When she is told that at barely 50, she has to retire and is given the mandatory watch as a going away gift, she refuses to exit. Like the two leading ladies of Ride Od Die, the Amazon Prime Video thriller series – Judith (Hanna Waddingham) and Debbie (Octavoia Spencer), who refuse to be put out to pasture, and at fifty plus, do all the action scenes and comedy that are seldom given to “women of a certain age.” That’s the term used to describe Judith, by a callow but loyal young man, Sam (Calam Lynch), whom she had trained.
Judith works with a shadowy organisation of assassins for hire, who kills “only bad people.” That also means she has no fixed address, and is always on the move. The only small piece of stability in her life comes from her friendship with Debbie (Spencer), the wife of a British Member of Parliament. She has put her own legal career aside to steer her husband David’s (Jamie Parker) political career.
When he tells her he wants a divorce is also the chaotic evening during which she learns the truth about her friend. Her response to the huge betrayal would have been more severe, had she not been forced to go on the run with Judith, pursued by mobsters, a vengeful shadow from her past and other nasties.
Created by Tessa Coates, helmed by multiple directors, the show centers on the strength of middle-aged female friendship tetsted under the pressure of international crime; the drama and comedy is added to the fast-paced series in large doses because of the contrasting personalities of the two women. Judith is single, aggressive and smart; Debbie is homely, motherly and practical.
In order to keep her job Judith is told by the agency’s boss called The Director (Bill Nighy) that she has to take on the task of poisoning a gangster, Billy Donovan (Ed Skrein) at a high-profile charity gala. The plot explodes at the party which Debbie and David also happen to attend. Judith’s attempt to poison Billy fails, forcing her to improvise. But before she can kill her target, an elite squad of unknown assassins ambushes the gala, sparking a mass shootout. In the chaos, David is shot. When a gunman corners a drunk Debbie, Judith steps in, pulls out a weapon, which is when the penny drops for Debbie– that her friend is not a “forensic accountant.”
With the agency suspecting Judith of compromising them, and getting international syndicates converging on London, Judith drags the bewildered and angry Debbie onto a dangerous globe-trotting road trip across Europe to stay alive. As they go through luxury trains, safe houses, and car chases, the show balances high-stakes action with an emotional relationship drama. Even while jumping off moving trains and dodging bullets, the two friends bicker over years of secrets, yet their sincere sisterhood keeps them tethered. Debbie may not have wanted to fall into the muck of Judith’s world, but once in, she proves to be sharp and resourceful.
Along the way, they pick up unexpected allies but their shadow, Ana (Slyvia Hoeks) snaps at their heels. As the duo follows Ana’s trail through Spain, Monaco, and Istanbul, they realize that David, who they thought was dead, is tangled in a web of corruption, embezzlement, and global conspiracies.
By the final episodes, the two friends have not just beaten their enemies, they have also cleared years of emotional baggage. In the inevitable Season Two, they will have other battles to win. The two actresses make a fine team—though there is some avoidable overcting. Still, the show is bingeworthy because of the sparks they bring to the screen.
Ride Or Die
Crested by Tessa Coates
Cast: Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Ed Skrein, Calum Lynch, Bill Nighy and others
On Amazon Prime Video