“Ponies”: A Retro Spy Thriller for Now

Ponies (Persons Of No Interest) is a well-crafted, retro-styled espionage series that is equal parts Cold War thriller, character drama, and buddy comedy. Ponies tells the story of Bea Grant and Twila Hasbeck, whose husbands are CIA agents stationed in Moscow during the 1970s. When the two men die in a suspicious plane crash, Bea and Twila convince Dane, the CIA station chief in Moscow, to let them look into their husbands’ deaths by working undercover as secretaries at the American embassy. Bea feels that since she and Twila are women, no one will suspect them of being spies, as they really won’t be noticed among the embassy staff. Dane agrees with Bea’s theory, remarking that they’ll be seen as ponies, or “persons of no interest,” by the intelligence community.

Bea (played by Emilia Clarke of Game of Thrones) is the more strait-laced of the pair, a college-educated, Russian-speaking child of Soviet immigrants.  Twila (portrayed by Haley Lu Richardson of The White Lotus) is a sharp-tongued, sassy small-town girl. She’s got a fearless streak, and often rushes in where angels (and Bea) fear to tread.

The unlikely duo charts a rocky road to friendship as they head out on increasingly dangerous missions for Dane. As their investigation continues, Bea and Twila become enmeshed in a web of espionage, murder, double agents, and triple crosses. They begin to suspect that the deaths of their husbands might be part of a larger conspiracy involving both the CIA and the KGB. Both organizations have some dark secrets they just might want to stay buried.

Ponies (Persons Of No Interest) is sharp, stylish, and visually striking. Created by Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, the series features strong writing and excellent period detail. The marvelous costumes and spot-on production design richly evoke 1977, the year in which the show is set.

The cast is fantastic, with Clarke and Richardson (who have wonderful chemistry) providing terrific work as Bea and Twila. The strong supporting cast includes Adrian Lester, Harriet Walter, and Artjorn Gilz, who is both compelling and chilling as a deadly KGB agent.

What really sets the show apart are the fabulous needle drops. All the episodes of the first season are named after classic 1970s tunes, and every episode also includes several vintage songs, including music from artists like Steely Dan, David Bowie, J. Geils Band, Blondie, and J.J. Cale.

While the playlist for the series features the expected marquee names, such as Todd Rundgren and Heart, it also spotlights more obscure artists like folk rockers Goldberg, tracks from beloved cult bands like Love and Fanny, and there’s even a nod to Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks’ pre-Fleetwood Mac project, Buckingham/Nicks; their track “Crying In The Night,” is spotlighted in the sixth episode.

Ponies is an entertaining, well-acted spy thriller in the classic mold. The series will appeal to devotees of 1970s-era espionage films such as Three Days of the Condor, and the killer soundtrack will bring back a host of memories for classic rock fans. The carefully curated soundtrack is often used to underscore the action, adding depth and color to important scenes, which turns the show’s strongest moments into memorable ones. If you’re an Elton John fan, pay close attention to episode eight. The entire first season of Ponies is now available for streaming on Peacock.

-John Visconti

Fair use image from Ponies