Sky and NOW are bringing ‘Ponies’ to the UK this May, with all episodes of the new espionage thriller landing in one bingeable drop.
Set in Moscow in 1977, the series has a gloriously pulpy setup. Bea and Twila are two women working as secretaries at the American Embassy, dismissed as “PONIES” or “persons of no interest” in intelligence speak. Which, naturally, means they’re about to become very interesting indeed. After their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances in the USSR, the pair are pulled into the world of CIA operations, Cold War paranoia, and what sounds like a fairly sizeable conspiracy.
Leading the cast are Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones, Me Before You) as Bea, an over-educated Russian speaker and child of Soviet immigrants, and Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus) as Twila, a fearless small-town outsider with a bit more edge. It looks like one of those slightly mismatched-partners setups, except with spies, dead husbands, and 1970s Moscow, so clearly a little more stressful than the average office job.
Also starring are Adrian Lester (Sandman, The Day After Tomorrow), Artjom Gilz (Tár, Das Boot), Nicholas Podany (Saturday Night, Hello Tomorrow), Petro Ninovskyi (Shttl, Silence), and Vic Michaelis (Very Important People, Upload).
Behind the camera, ‘Ponies’ comes from David Iserson (Mr. Robot, New Girl), who co-created, co-wrote, executive produces and serves as showrunner, alongside Susanna Fogel (The Flight Attendant, The Spy Who Dumped Me), who also co-created, co-wrote, directs and executive produces. Emilia Clarke also executive produces, alongside Mike Daniels (Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, The Village), Jessica Rhoades (Black Mirror, Station Eleven, Dirty John), with Katherine Bridle, Alison Mo Massey, Jared Ian Goldman, and Rosa Handelman serving as co-executive producers.
It’s a strong hook for a spy series, and one that feels like it could have a bit more personality than the usual stern men in grey rooms glaring over classified folders. Two overlooked embassy workers turned operatives in Soviet Russia is the sort of setup that could be very fun if it leans into the character dynamic as much as the espionage.
‘Ponies’ premieres Thursday, 22nd May 2026 on Sky and NOW.
Login to Geektown