Ponies is a 2026 American drama thriller film series created by Susanna Vogel and David Iserson. The film premiered on the Peacock movie platform on January 14, 2026.
Ponies debuted in January 2026 on the Peacock platform and quickly attracted attention thanks to its unconventional approach to the spy genre.
Set during the Cold War, the series combines classic spy intrigue with elements of buddy drama and dark humor. The series is notable for starring Emilia Clarke, known for her roles in Game of Thrones, who takes on one of the main roles here. The first season contains 8 episodes with a duration of about 45–53 minutes, and was very well received by critics, with its rating reaching around 96% approval from critics.
The story of Ponies takes place in 1977 in Moscow, during the tense years of the Cold War. The main characters are two American women – Beatrice „Bea“ Grant and Twyla Hasbeck – who live in the Soviet capital with their husbands working at the American embassy. At first glance, their lives seem completely ordinary. They are perceived as diplomats„ wives and ordinary secretaries, people who have no particular importance in the world of intelligence. In spy jargon, such people are called “PONIES„ – “persons of no interest“", i.e. people who are of no interest to the services.
But everything changes when their husbands die under mysterious circumstances. Soon the two women learn that their partners were involved in a dangerous intelligence operation. This draws them into a complex web of secret missions, political intrigues and international conspiracies. Forced to cope with this new reality, Bea and Twyla gradually begin working for the CIA, trying to find out what really happened to their husbands. What begins as a personal mission to discover the truth gradually turns into a serious espionage operation, in which any mistake can have fatal consequences.
The series uses a strong retro atmosphere of the 70s, with carefully recreated sets, costumes and music from the era. Much of the filming was done in Budapest, which is often used as a location for films set in European capitals. The directing style combines a classic spy thriller with a personal dramatic story and friendly dynamics between the main characters. This makes the series different from typical spy series. Instead of focusing only on missions and action, it places emphasis on the characters and relationships between the characters.
Emilia Clarke plays Beatrice "Bia" Grant - an intelligent and educated woman with Russian roots who gradually becomes a key player in the intelligence game.
Haley Lou Richardson is Twyla Hasbeck – a bold and impulsive woman from a small American town who often acts on instinct.
Adrian Lester plays Dane Walter – an intelligence figure who plays an important role in CIA operations.
Nicholas Podani appears as Ray Szymanski, a character connected to the diplomatic and intelligence network surrounding the embassy.
Petro Ninovski plays Sasha Shevchenko – a character who is part of the Soviet side of the conflict.
The chemistry between Clarke and Richardson is one of the strongest elements of the series and is often cited by critics as a major reason for its success.
Ponies is a fresh and unconventional series in the spy thriller genre. Instead of the typical story of professional agents, it shows how ordinary people can find themselves involved in the dangerous world of intelligence. The strong script, the retro atmosphere of the Cold War and the excellent chemistry between the main actresses make the series one of the most interesting television offers of 2026. For fans of spy stories in the spirit of The Americans or classic spy movies, Ponies offers an intriguing combination of suspense, humor, and human drama.
