Ponies, which streams on Peacock in the U.S. and Showcase or StackTV in Canada, is oozing with female star power. At the centre of the plot is Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus), which is enough in itself to pique interest about this spy thriller. Premiering on January 15, 2026, the show is a fun look at two unsuspecting, under-the-radar American embassy secretaries in Russia who buckle up to help the CIA in the wake of their husbands’ deaths.
They’re Persons of No Interest
In Ponies, Bea (Clarke) and Twila (Richardson) are secretaries working at the American embassy in Moscow in the ’70s when tragedy strikes. Their husbands both die under suspicious circumstances, and the ladies become insistent on being part of an investigation to figure out what happened to them. The title Ponies references their deep undercover abilities because as wives, nameless women, they are “persons of no interest” and could easily fly under the radar in Soviet Russia. No one notices them, no one pays attention, no one considers them a threat. They’re virtually invisible. They sell this as the reason why they would be ideal assets. No one will ever see them coming.
Is the plot completely unbelievable? Yes. To comprehend that the CIA would agree to the ridiculous plan because one of the women speaks fluent Russian and the other is “fearless like a bull” is laughable. But who cares. Together, they would be unstoppable, almost as useful as a single male agent! As the plot progresses, however, these two fearless and determined women expectedly prove that they have what it takes, even if they make many (many) blunders along the way.
The way they approach the threat of extinction with such confidence is far-fetched, but reflective of their attitudes and the attitudes of the time. They want answers. There’s nothing to lose in trying to get them. But as they dive deeper and uncover secrets, they realize they might not really have known their husbands at all. And what they’re getting themselves into isn’t child’s play.
As a byproduct of these women working together through shared trauma, the show also highlights their odd couple dynamic and budding friendship, despite these differences. Bea and Twila couldn’t be more different from one another but become inextricably linked by tragedy. Neither of these women has anywhere to go now that they are widows with no children. The only logical choice is to stay in Moscow and flirt with death and danger, apparently.
The show portrays 1970s Soviet Russia as a place littered with KGB agent domination and monitoring, a time of oppression and fear. Not a single American male agent can sneeze without someone from the KGB knowing. But these women? They’re probably just randoms the men are sleeping with. They can’t possibly be anything more than that.
The cast is tremendous led by Clarke and Richardson. Adrian Lester is brilliant as the cool, calm, and collected agent Dane, who seems to teeter between wanting to respect them as strong women yet constantly reinforces the idea that they’re valuable to the job only because of how meaningless they are to outsiders. Artjom Gilz, who plays KGB agent Andrei, is another standout who clearly has a bright future in American television. His smoldering good looks, sweeping blonde hair, and ability to portray a terrifying demeanour with such ease suggests there will be many job offers coming his way after this role.
Ponies is Delightfully Addictive
I wasn’t expected to enjoy Ponies as much as I did. But as one unbelievable thing after another happened, I found myself unable to resist pressing play on the next episode, pondering where the story might go. That’s the sign of a great show. I’m invested in the characters, even if Clarke’s puppy dog eyes become too much at times, Richardson’s laissez-faire cool girl attitude often overdone, like she’s trying too hard to make the character into a copycat version of Natasha Lyonne. Twila comes across as one-dimensional at times, Clarke the good girl with a dark side, both perpetuating stereotypes in many ways through the plot.
But the series does have some powerful messaging, depicting strong women, especially for the time period. Perhaps one of the most powerful lines in this respect is when a man asks Twila why she cares so much about looking into the death of an anonymous woman and she replies, “because I’m an anonymous woman.” It subtly forces him to recognize how dismissive he and others have been of so many of ladies who have been collateral damage along the way. Now that they intimately know two of them and see what they’re capable of beyond making coffee and photocopies, it’s an awakening.
All the characters are oddly likable in their own ways, the men Bea and Twila work with, for the most part, bucking the TV stereotype of sleazy CIA agents who mistreat female co-workers and can’t wait to get away from their wives. They’re respectful, hard-working, and take these two women seriously, appreciating what they’re risking to get things done, and the fact that they are getting things done. It’s a refreshing take.
Ponies is funny, dark, even shocking at times. There’s no overtly disturbing violence, but one blank stare, menacing words, or situation where the ladies seem close to being made keeps you at the edge of your seat. A few episodes end with hand-over-mouth shocking moments that you’ll be staying up late just to see what happens next. Ponies has a nice mix of drama and humor, characters you’ll enjoy, and a twist at the end that suggests a second season is planned.
Stream Ponies on Peacock in the U.S. and StackTV in Canada.