Hannah Waddingham Attends Premiere Amidst Show Cancellation

Actress Hannah Waddingham stepped out for the premiere of Tom Cruise's film 'Digger,' marking her first public appearance since the announcement that her Prime Video show, 'Ride Or Die,' had been canceled.

Waddingham was accompanied by her boyfriend, spinal surgeon Nick Beresford-Cleary, at the event. She appeared in a sparkly black gown on the orange carpet. The film 'Digger' stars Tom Cruise as an oil tycoon whose actions trigger a global ecological crisis.

The cancellation of 'Ride Or Die' came despite strong critical reception and significant viewership. The show, which premiered in July, was the number one most-watched Prime Video original series globally for its first three weeks. It holds a 96% score with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85% score with audiences.

Paramount Television Studios, the lead studio behind 'Ride Or Die,' is reportedly seeking other buyers for the series. Reports suggest that the show's focus on middle-aged women may have been a factor in the cancellation, with some executives believing this demographic does not drive new subscriber acquisition for the streaming service.

This decision has led to backlash from fans who have flooded social media urging other streaming platforms to pick up the show. Comedian and writer Katy Brand expressed a lack of surprise, citing what she described as pervasive misogyny in the film and television industry. Brand, who has written for similar demographics, noted that despite a period of improvement, the industry's treatment of content for middle-aged women has worsened.

'Ride Or Die' stars Waddingham and Octavia as best friends whose lives are disrupted when one of them is revealed to be a secret international assassin. The eight-episode series garnered significant attention, with Variety reporting that it accumulated an estimated 1.6 billion minutes watched in the week of July 17 to July 23. In the U.S., it reportedly garnered nearly a million views within two days of its release.

Reviews for 'Ride Or Die' were largely positive, with The Telegraph awarding it four stars and highlighting Waddingham's charisma. The Guardian also gave it a four-star review, praising it as a "perimenopausal comedy thriller caper" and noting the unusual casting of two fifty-something actors in leading action roles. The Wall Street Journal described the series as "compelling," emphasizing Waddingham's capabilities in both dramatic and action sequences.

The first season concluded with several cliffhangers, leaving viewers disappointed by the prospect of not seeing a resolution. Many fans have expressed their frustration online, questioning the viability of investing in new series given the perceived trend of cancellations, even for successful shows.