Peacock’s ‘Ponies’: Women spies, real danger, and lots of laughs
Los Angeles: Peacock’s ‘Ponies’ is calling itself a TV unicorn. The series stars Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson as widows of CIA operatives who become spies in 1970s Soviet Union. It has real stakes and blood, but the tone is comic first. Despite hourlong episodes, it’s been submitted as a comedy for the Emmys.
The show follows Bea and Twila, two women who went to Moscow as wives of diplomats. When their husbands die, the CIA recruits them as spies because the Soviets won’t suspect them. In spy lingo, women like them are “PONIES” — Persons of No Interest.
Set in 1977 Moscow, the series flips the usual Cold War setup. Americans are the ones risking execution by the KGB. Showrunners Susanna Fogel and David Iserson describe it as “funny people in serious situations”. Clarke plays Bea as booksmart and Russian-speaking, while Richardson’s Twila is streetsmart and fearless. Their chemistry drives the show as they learn to survive by borrowing each other’s strengths.
Shot in Budapest for Moscow, the series uses wipe transitions and 1970s needle drops to capture the era. Critics praise it for mixing grief, grit, and laughs, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it 96%. All 8 episodes are streaming on Peacock since Jan 15, 2026.
