Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Kayleigh Donaldson | TV | September 21, 2026
Ride or Die was a hit. The action comedy on Prime Video starring Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer had a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and, according to all available data, was a ratings smash for Amazon. To quote Deadline, the show "snuck up under the radar to immediately hit the No. 1 slot in the daily U.S. rankings" and "made Luminate's weekly US rankings with just two days of release logging 927K views, twice as many as Elle drew for its first two days in the U.S. (477K), almost four times Off Campus's 245K views and more than four times Every Year After's 217K." They also reported that it came in under budget, no mean feat for a show so heavy on action set-pieces. So, why was it cancelled after only one season?
Again, Deadline has a theory. "Reasons are murky but the show's focus on middle-aged women may have been a factor. While Ride Or Die crossed over to also attract men and young viewers, its appeal to women of a certain age may have hampered its chances. It sounds cynical, but I hear that that demographic is not very desirable for Amazon executives as a lot of middle-aged women already have Amazon Prime for shopping, so a show targeting them would not bring new subscribers. That is what may have happened with Ride Or Die, I hear."
Sorry, women, but you don't matter. You already buy lots of things from the giant conglomerate so there's no need to pander to you when there are so many bored guys who don't want to look at those icky middle-aged ladies enjoying themselves.
Sadly, I think this theory holds a lot of weight. It's not exactly new for older women to be side-lined by pop culture or the executives who greenlight new projects. This is a business where women are seen as past their prime at 35 and must immediately move onto grandma roles or disappear entirely. Progress is incremental and quickly rolled back. The current post-#MeToo, anti-DEI age of the so-called culture wars has heavily demonized anyone who isn't a cishet white dude with a love for Joe Rogan.
It's such a double-edged sword. You're constantly told that things centred on or intended for certain demographics will never be successful, and when they are, it's still not enough because the data decrees you to be of a lesser value. The goalposts never stop moving. Ride or Die is about two women in their 50s, played by Emmy and Oscar winners, created by a woman that drew in big audiences that outnumbered more heavily hyped programmes of the season. But those viewers weren't the "right kind" so bin it all. And people wonder why everyone's cancelling their many streaming subscriptions. It's not just the economy, boys.
The good news is that Paramount Studios are shopping Ride or Die to other platforms and networks, so hopefully someone picks it up. Imagine wanting less of this on your screens.
