Parents' Guide to Ride or Die

Detail-obsessed assassins are a common character trope that shows like Barry and Killing Eve have been playing around with (and undermining) over the past decade. Ride or Die's Judith follows that trend: a hired killer who isn't afraid to go off script. Ironically, the series itself could have used a little more attention to the particulars. It's a fun twist on both buddy road trip comedies and spy movies, with two incredibly compelling actresses as the leads. But the scripts fall into many traps of the streaming era: lazy jokes, recycled set-ups, and padding time to get that crucial 8-episode run. The show gives Waddingham some brief fight scenes, but it could have built more action around her and Spencer's strengths and abilities (a la Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson's standout episode of Poker Face) instead of bringing in stunt doubles for, say, a tacked on cold open featuring a Bond-like ski chase. Despite tons of potential, Ride or Die feels built mostly for keyword searches and recommendations than something that truly wants to live up to its own merits.