'Ponies' review: Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson bring the spirit of fun back to international espionage thrillers

Don't get mad, get even - or rather, better. This witty phrase perfectly encapsulates the plot of Peacock's latest spy thriller, Ponies, starring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson.

In this 1970s-set dramedy, two women, Twila (Richardson) and Bea (Clarke), a spunky and fearless widow and a Wellesley-educated secretary fluent in Russian, respectively, decide to take matters into their own hands after their husbands' mysterious deaths. Rather than being helpless widows, they're put to work by the CIA, utilizing their unique skills to unravel the truth behind their husbands' demise.

The show's narrative is a classic spy fare, replete with car chases, secret trysts, major twists, and a few dead bodies. However, what sets Ponies apart from other spy projects is its exploration of women's contributions to espionage and their role in shaping the world at large. The series encourages viewers to analyze their own biases, much like Dr. Rosalind Franklin's underattributed contributions to Watson and Crick's discovery of the DNA-helix.

While avoiding some common pitfalls associated with the women-in-spy-dom genre, such as clichΓ©d portrayals of female spies, Ponies manages to deliver genuine thrills and surprises. The show features Harriet Walter in a lively and unpredictable role, trading in tired tropes for fresh twists.

At its core, Ponies is an entertaining rollercoaster that will keep you rooting for the complex characters, questioning who to trust, and reevaluating your own biases. It's a wildly engaging thriller that will make you laugh and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ponies streams all eight episodes on Peacock starting Thursday, January 15. The show is available in two subscription tiers: Premium with ads ($10.99/month) and Premium Plus ad-free ($16.99/month), as well as annual plans that offer a discounted rate. Additionally, Peacock offers a Prime Video partnership with a seven-day free trial for subscribers.

Ultimately, Ponies is the kind of hilarious and heart-racing thriller we need now - one that showcases what women are truly capable of.
 
🀩 I'm so hyped about this new show Ponies! It's like, you know when people say spy dramas are always just for men? Well, Ponies is here to prove them wrong πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. The fact that it explores the untold stories of women in espionage is SO refreshing! And Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson are literally perfect as Twila and Bea - they're like, totally different but complement each other so well πŸ‘―β€β™€οΈ. I love how the show subverts some common spy drama tropes too πŸ€”. Plus, it's just really fun to watch - car chases, twists, and all that jazz πŸš—πŸ’₯. Definitely gonna check it out on Peacock starting Jan 15 πŸ“Ί!
 
OMG, you guys! 🀩 I'm totally stoked to hear about Peacock's new show "Ponies"! It sounds like a total wild ride, with spies, twists, and thrills galore 😲πŸ’₯ And I love how it shines a light on the amazing contributions women have made in espionage - let's be real, we're still living in a world where they're often underappreciated πŸ™„. The show's got all the makings of a fantastic binge-watching session: complex characters, surprising plot twists, and plenty of laughs πŸ˜‚. I'm totally downloading it on my tablet ASAP πŸ“±πŸ‘€ Can't wait to dive in and see what all the fuss is about! πŸ’–
 
I'm so stoked to see more female-led spy dramas on TV πŸ€©πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™€οΈ! Ponies sounds like an absolute blast, I mean who doesn't love a good car chase and some sassy one-liners πŸ˜‚? The fact that it's giving shoutouts to women's contributions in espionage is like, totally on point πŸ’β€β™€οΈπŸ”₯. It's not just about the action-packed spy scenes, but also about exploring those complex characters and biases 🀯. I'm definitely tuning in for this one, can't wait to see Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson kick some serious butt πŸ’ͺ! #PoniesOnPeacock #WomenInSpydom #ThrillerThursday
 
πŸ€” this show sounds like it's trying to tell us something deeper than just a spy thriller... like, it's not just about the thrills, but about how our biases can hold us back and how we gotta question everything around us πŸš«πŸ’­. and that's what makes it so relatable, right? we've all been in situations where we thought we knew what was going on, but then BAM! We realize we had a whole different perspective the whole time 🀯. so yeah, Ponies might just be more than a spy show... it could be an invitation to reevaluate our own assumptions and be better versions of ourselves πŸ’ͺπŸ”
 
omg u guys i just watched ponies on peacock and it's literally the most satisfying show ever!! 🀩 they portray these two amazing women who aren't your typical spies but are actually super smart and resourceful widows trying to take down a conspiracy theory that killed their husbands lol what i love about this show is how it highlights the underappreciation of female geniuses like dr franklin... we should all be more aware of her contributions, tbh πŸ€“ and can't even start talking about emilia clarke and haley lu richardson's chemistry as twila and bea they're literally meant to be besties πŸ‘―β€β™€οΈ but also kinda arch enemies at the same time 😏 i won't spoil it for u guys but trust me, it's a wild ride with so many twists and turns 🎒
 
I'm so stoked about Ponies on Peacock! I mean, who doesn't love a good spy thriller with complex ladies at the helm? Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson totally bring the heat as Twila and Bea, and Harriet Walter's role is seriously underrated 🀩. The show's got it all: twists, turns, car chases... you name it! But what I love most is how it sheds light on women's contributions to espionage - we need more of that in our lives πŸ’ͺ. And let's be real, who doesn't want to watch a killer female-led spy thriller with plenty of laughs and thrills? Give me all the Ponies!
 
omg you guys i just found out the most iconic thing about Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones lol she's actually super smart like a wellesley grad and fluent in russian too omg i ship her with Haley Lu Richardson so much their chemistry is everything cant wait for ponies to drop on jan 15th 🀩πŸ’₯πŸŽ‰
 
I'm loving the new spy thriller on Peacock called Ponies 🀩! It's like, totally refreshing to see two strong female leads taking charge after their husbands' mysterious deaths. The way they use their skills to uncover the truth is so inspiring and empowering πŸ’ͺ! I also love how the show explores women's contributions to espionage and challenges our biases - it's like, super relevant and timely πŸ•°οΈ. Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson are amazing as Twila and Bea, and Harriet Walter is hilarious as a spunky character who shakes things up πŸ‘©β€πŸŽ€. I'm definitely checking out the show on January 15 - thanks for the scoop! πŸ‘
 
🀩 omg i just saw the first ep of ponies and im hooked!! πŸ˜‚ the way emilia clarke and haley lu richardson play off each other is EVERYTHING 🀯 and the way the show subverts those spy tropes is so refreshing πŸ‘ i love how it's not just about the action and thrills, but also about the characters' backstories and motivations. and can we talk about harriet walter's character? she's like a total scene-stealer πŸ˜‚ i'm so here for this show and i've already binged all 8 eps in one day πŸ€―πŸ‘€
 
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