Former Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke is swapping dragons for something just as dangerous in her new series, Ponies, as she takes on shady spies and deadly assassins with costar Haley Lu Richardson. As the series arrives on Peacock, critics have already sent the show’s Rotten Tomatoes score galloping towards a certified “fresh” status.
Created by Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, Ponies is Emilia Clarke’s latest project that takes her further away from the role that made her name as the Mother of Dragons. The synopsis of the series reads:
“In 1977 Moscow, two “PONIES” (“persons of no interest” in intelligence speak) work anonymously as secretaries in the American Embassy. That is, until their husbands die under mysterious circumstances in the Soviet Union, and they are thrust into the CIA. Bea Grant is sharp, over-educated and fluent in Russian — a child of Russian immigrants, trying to make sense of a life that hasn’t turned out the way she expected. Twila Hasbeck is a small-town firecracker: abrasive, bold and more fearless than she should be. Thrown together by grief and circumstance, the two dig into the vast conspiracy their husbands were killed for.”
Along with Clarke and Richardson, Ponies stars Nicholas Podany, Andrew Richardson, Adrian Lester, Artjom Gilz, and Vic Michaelis. It carries a TV-MA rating, and drops all eight one-hour episodes on January 15, making it a worthy binge-watch this weekend.
‘Ponies’ Is a Hit With Critics
Spy and espionage TV shows and movies are one of the strongest performing genres on streaming, and with all episodes landing simultaneously on Peacock, Ponies will likely get a lot of attention over the coming days. For those who are swayed by the reviews of critics, then there is even more reason to binge the series this weekend.
The series has landed an 89% score from 9 reviews, with only one of the reviews being “rotten” at the time of writing. While that review by The Hollywood Reporter‘s Angie Han notes that the show’s “moments of dazzle” are lessened because of it not having “enough depth to leave a lasting impression nor enough entertainment to make up for that.”
However, other reviews have been able to look past any such failings. Trent Moore of The AV Club praises the series’ two leads, saying, ” Luckily, Clarke and Richardson are more than capable of carrying and balancing all that weight and emotion without letting things feel too trite or forced.” CBR’s Martin Carr says the show’s “by the numbers spy thriller” has an “undeniable depth to the storytelling,” while Lissete Lanuza Saenz of Fangirlish calls it a “smart, twisty but more or less steady spy thriller.”
Clarke has made it clear that she is happy to be moving on from her association with dragons and fantasy, and with Ponies, she once again proves that she is more than capable of carrying a serious drama as well as she could handle a flying mythological beast. Add Ponies to your watchlist for this weekend, and binge your way through eight-hours of this tense drama to remind yourself of just how good an actress Clarke is.
- Release Date
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January 15, 2026
- Network
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Peacock
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