Limited series · HBO
RUN
Love is a three letter word.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Merritt Wever
Ruby Richardson
7 eps
Domhnall Gleeson
Billy Johnson
7 eps
Annie Golden
Marjorie
1 eps
Stephen McKinley Henderson
John
1 eps
Kirstin Rae Hinton
Airport Ticket Agent
1 eps
Christina Collins
Train Attendant
1 eps
Paul De La Rosa
Sleeper Attendant
1 eps
Patrice Goodman
Cherise
1 eps
Rich Sommer
Laurence Richardson
5 eps
Saamer Usmani
Derek
1 eps
Archie Panjabi
Fiona Hatwal
3 eps
Deirdre Lovejoy
Mary Dixie
1 eps
Nicholas Carella
Sean Boyle
1 eps
Marianna Phung
Amara
1 eps
Stuart Dowling
Concierge
1 eps
Dana Anderson
Ticket Attendant
1 eps
Mark Simon
Tour Boat Guide
1 eps
Jo Twiss
Ticket Taker
2 eps
Jake Bover
Scooter Richardson
2 eps
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Laurel Halliday
3 eps
Kelsey Flower
Daniel
2 eps
Tamara Podemski
Babe Cloud
2 eps
Shaun Brown
Ryan Everwood
2 eps
Bill Bannon
Karaoke Host
1 eps
Maxwell Simkins
Hunter Richardson
1 eps
Gavin Pounds
Train Server
1 eps
Andy Auld
Train Bartender
1 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How RUN actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
RUN reads strongest on Serialized, Character Depth and Bingeability.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
The story
What it's about
Ruby is living a humdrum existence when one day she gets a text inviting her to fulfill a youthful pact, promising true love and self-reinvention, by stepping out of her life to take a journey with her oldest flame.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E04
Chase
Back on the train, Ruby seeks guidance from a new friend and gets a wakeup call from home that leaves her shaken. Meanwhile, Billy continues to lie about Fiona, who raises the stakes to get what she wants.
S01E06
Tell
Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Ruby and Billy argue about what to do next. Each affected by the other's desperation, the two must come together to confront their actions. Meanwhile, Laurel makes a gruesome discovery and receives an eventful visit from Detective Babe Cloud.
S01E05
Jump
A dramatic detour finds Ruby and Billy in unknown territory as they’re forced to make a life-changing decision. As Ruby tries to keep everything together and get back on course, she and an emotional Billy seek the help of an amiable local taxidermist, Laurel.
S01E03
F*ck
Ruby and Billy decide to spend a day in Chicago before making any rash decisions about their next moves. As the two anxiously await check-in at a lavish hotel, Ruby meets an exciting woman at a department store, while Billy tries to handle a relentless Fiona. Later, Billy comes clean about what drove him to run.
S01E01
RUN
On a regular Tuesday morning, Ruby Richardson is shaken out of her humdrum suburban life when she receives an urgent text that prompts her to fly to New York and board a cross-country train, where she reunites with college ex Billy Johnson. As their adventure begins, Ruby and Billy fight the tension that still exists between them while attempting to root out each other's secrets.
- Directed by Kate Dennis
- Written by Vicky Jones
S01E02
Kiss
During their first night aboard, Ruby's mind is consumed by sex, while Billy probes for personal details she's reluctant to give up. Comforted by the fact that her husband believes she's on a weeklong yoga retreat – and determined to make Billy jealous – Ruby brazenly connects with Derek, a stranger on the train. Meanwhile, Billy works to shake a persistent figure from his past.
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Phoebe Waller-BridgeExecutive Producer
- Kate DennisExecutive Producer
- Emily LeoExecutive Producer
- Vicky JonesExecutive Producer
- Jenny RobinsExecutive Producer
- Kevin LaffertyProducer
Writing
- Vicky JonesWriter
Direction
- Kate DennisDirector
Cinematography
- Matthew ClarkDirector of Photography
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
Checking regional listings…
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Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
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Another morally complex epic for anyone who wanted more grey.
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Another invented world built with the same seriousness — start at episode one.
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Take the questions with you: this one rewards the same attention.
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Never stop watching
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