{"id":18029,"date":"2026-01-24T06:22:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T06:22:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=18029"},"modified":"2026-01-24T06:22:42","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T06:22:42","slug":"this-new-spy-drama-has-a-96-percent-rotten-tomatoes-rating-is-it-2026s-first-great-new-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=18029","title":{"rendered":"This New Spy Drama Has a 96 Percent Rotten Tomatoes Rating \u2014 Is It 2026\u2019s First Great New Show?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/media-network\/peacock\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Peacock;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Peacock<\/a> has dropped the entire first season of its new spy thriller <em>Ponies<\/em>, and it may be the streamer&#8217;s first breakout hit of 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/shows\/game-of-thrones\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Game of Thrones;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>Game of Thrones<\/em><\/a>&#8216; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/emilia-clarke\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Emilia Clarke;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>Emilia Clarke<\/strong><\/a> and <em>The White Lotus<\/em>&#8216; <strong>Haley Lu Richardson<\/strong> co-headline the series, which casts them as a pair of unlikely spies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It&#8217;s too soon to say whether a second season will follow, but with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rottentomatoes.com\/tv\/ponies\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:an impressive critics' score of 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">an impressive critics&#8217; score of 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes<\/a>, its renewal chances look pretty good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/watch-with-us\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Watch With Us;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Watch With Us<\/a> is sharing three reasons to watch <em>Ponies<\/em> on Peacock in January.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/10-best-tv-shows-peacock-154302199.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:23 Best TV Shows on Peacock Right Now (January 2026): \u2018Ponies\u2019 and More;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">23 Best TV Shows on Peacock Right Now (January 2026): \u2018Ponies\u2019 and More<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson Have Great Chemistry Together<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\"><span class=\"caption\">Haley Lu Richardson (center) and Emilia Clarke (right) in Ponies.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">David Lukacs \/ \u00a9Peacock \/ Courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Ponies<\/em> is a show that&#8217;s reliant on its two leads to make it work, and they do. The first episode brings Clarke and Richardson together very early on, and it establishes a rapport that carries on throughout the entire season. Tonally, <em>Ponies<\/em> leans more into comedy than anything else, but it&#8217;s just serious enough to have life and death stakes for Bea Grant (Clarke) and Twila Hasbeck (Richardson).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Their respective husbands, Chris Grant (<strong>Louis Boyer<\/strong>) and Tom Hasbeck (<strong>John Macmillan<\/strong>), are a pair of CIA agents who are reported dead in Russia under murky circumstances. That leaves Bea and Twila widowed and looking for answers. To get them, the pair volunteers for CIA undercover assignments in Russia that may get them killed. There are times when <em>Ponies<\/em> is more of an action comedy than a spy thriller, but the interplay between Richardson and Clarke makes it all worthwhile.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">If You Love &#8216;The Americans,&#8217; You&#8217;ll Probably Like &#8216;Ponies&#8217;<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Emilia Clarke and Artjom Gilz in Ponies\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/382b1696948dabc6ec8d236e7bd1e0c6.jpeg\" \/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\" \/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\"><span class=\"caption\">Emilia Clarke and Artjom Gilz in Ponies<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Katalin Vermes \/ \u00a9Peacock \/ Courtesy Everett Collection<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The most recent show that&#8217;s comparable to <em>Ponies<\/em> is <em>The Americans<\/em>, which starred <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/keri-russell\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Keri Russell;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>Keri Russell<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/matthew-rhys\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Matthew Rhys;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>Matthew Rhys<\/strong><\/a> and ran for several seasons on FX. The former is a lot less serious than the latter, and it deviates from that formula by moving the story to Moscow during the early &#8217;70s. That goes a long way towards getting it out from under the shadow of <em>The Americans<\/em>&#8216; &#8217;80s storyline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/peacock-january-2026-full-list-200545171.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:New on Peacock in January 2026 \u2014 The Full List of Movies, TV Shows and Sports;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">New on Peacock in January 2026 \u2014 The Full List of Movies, TV Shows and Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Given current real-world tensions with Russia, <em>Ponies<\/em> wasn&#8217;t actually filmed in Moscow. But placing the events of the series in that city gives Clarke and Richardson a lot of material to play with. Twila is a lot more comfortable dealing with Russians, while Bea is a little out of her depth as her new job requires her to be more seductive and cunning than she ever was before. Keeping them in Moscow as the danger escalates makes it more exciting.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">&#8216;Ponies&#8217; Picks Up Momentum as the Season Continues<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Without giving too much about the season away, we can say that Bea and Twila get a crash course in spycraft because they&#8217;re in way over their heads. In particular, Bea succeeds in getting close to a high-level KGB operative, Andrei Vasiliev (<strong>Artjom Gilz<\/strong>), as well as a more mild-mannered Russian technician, Sasha Shevchenko (<strong>Petro Ninovskyi<\/strong>). Betraying the former is a lot easier than doing the same for the latter, but Andrei is legitimately dangerous and his presence gives the series most of its edge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">There are only eight episodes in the first season, so if it feels like <em>Ponies<\/em> is spinning its wheels, just keep in mind that the action will pick up as it heads towards a conclusion. This show may not be an awards contender like <em>Homeland<\/em>, but <em>Ponies<\/em> is very entertaining and deserving of a second season. If you decide to watch it, that can become a reality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Ponies<\/em> is streaming on <a href=\"https:\/\/shopping.yahoo.com\/rdlw?merchantId=cbef8901-c2f3-4af7-b1b7-e2c3afcffd7a&amp;siteId=us-y4p&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=6c430c2b-ef05-3a14-80c4-000310e8f341&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Peacock+TV&amp;linkText=Peacock&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5wZWFjb2NrdHYuY29tL3dhdGNoL2Fzc2V0L3R2L3BlcnNvbi1vZi1uby1pbnRlcmVzdC81NDIxNjE4NjE0MjY3NTY0MTEyIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI2YzQzMGMyYi1lZjA1LTNhMTQtODBjNC0wMDAzMTBlOGYzNDEiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnBlYWNvY2t0di5jb20vd2F0Y2gvYXNzZXQvdHYvcGVyc29uLW9mLW5vLWludGVyZXN0LzU0MjE2MTg2MTQyNjc1NjQxMTIifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAc_zUFanJNEqcWgJO9I88zSOismu4kfGSsCnj-ce-T9b&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacocktv.com%2Fwatch%2Fasset%2Ftv%2Fperson-of-no-interest%2F5421618614267564112&amp;spaceId=1197800334\" class=\"link  rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link\" data-i13n=\"elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Peacock TV;elmt:\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Peacock;elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Peacock TV;elmt:;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">Peacock<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/spy-drama-96-percent-rotten-133051814.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Peacock has dropped the entire first season of its new spy thriller Ponies, and it may be the streamer&#8217;s first breakout hit of 2026. Game of Thrones&#8216; Emilia Clarke and The White Lotus&#8216; Haley Lu Richardson co-headline the series, which casts them as a pair of unlikely spies. It&#8217;s too soon to say whether a &#8230; <a title=\"This New Spy Drama Has a 96 Percent Rotten Tomatoes Rating \u2014 Is It 2026\u2019s First Great New Show?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=18029\" aria-label=\"Read more about This New Spy Drama Has a 96 Percent Rotten Tomatoes Rating \u2014 Is It 2026\u2019s First Great New Show?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18030,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/This-New-Spy-Drama-Has-a-96-Percent-Rotten-Tomatoes.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18029"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18031,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18029\/revisions\/18031"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}