Ponies (short for Persons of No Interest) is pretty much what you expect from the trailer. A smart, twisty but more or less steady spy thriller that doesn’t completely take you out of your comfort zone, but that isn’t all that hard to predict, either. However, all of those things plus Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson make for a winning combination.
Both Clarke (Bea) and Richardson (Twila) shine in their own way in a show that, at times, feels a little frustrating, if only because our modern sensibilities have a hard time processing the basic premise, as much sense as it makes for the time period. 1976 Russia is nothing like today’s anywhere, and that much we intellectually understand. But still, some decisions are being made that feel a little baffling to anyone who’s read their fair share of spy thrillers.
Just as, at times, the women at the center of this tale feel way too modern for the time, as much as we appreciate that.
The whole thing can be a little confusing, at least until you really settle into the time period and into the story. In that regard, Clarke and Richardson are so engaging as Bea and Twila that once you are invested in them, it’s easy to handwave the rest a bit, particularly considering there’s nothing too egregious. They are better characters for not being written exactly as we would expect them to be for 1976, and honestly, aren’t we all here for a good story first and foremost?
If your last memories of Clarke are as Daenerys Targaryen, you’ll find her charming, funny, smart, and wholly different from the character she broke through with. And yet, the undercurrent of steel feels the same, and Clarke is very good at playing it. There’s warmness here, too, though, and as much as there’s also bafflement over Twila, there’s affection that grows there, very quickly and organically.
Richardson, meanwhile, is a revelation as Twila. She feels like the kind of character who either annoys you or fascinates you, but even if you fall into the first category, you’ll probably be convinced by the end of this story. I was fascinated from the beginning, so that made it even easier to engage with what Richardson was doing with the character and particularly the dynamic with Bea.
There’s stuff happening outside the two leads, of course. There are men who end up being important to the story. There’s actual spy stuff, in 1970s Russia, to boot. So, if you like that part, there’s something enjoyable to be found here. But if you don’t, that’s okay. You can come for just Clarke and Richardson—or one of the two—and have a pretty good time.
Peacock has been raising the bar when it comes to their entertainment offerings of late. Ponies is proof that the streamer doesn’t just have to be considered as just a place to watch episodes of your favorite NBC shows, but that it’s ready to provide good stories, with great actors. And that opens a lot of doors.
Are you excited for Ponies? What do you want to see the most? Share with us in the comments below!
All episodes of Ponies will be available to stream on January 15 on Peacock.
