Fans of the Cold War spy thriller “Ponies” are unhappy as the beloved Peacock series has been canceled after a single season. This comes after the show premiered on the streaming platform in January and racked up impressive reviews from both critics and viewers. Now, following the cancellation, the cast is reacting.
Variety confirmed on June 23 that Peacock had canceled “Ponies” after only airing one season. The series starred Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson and ran for eight episodes, debuting in January 2026.
The logline for the series reads, “Moscow, 1977. Two ‘PONIES’ (‘persons of no interest’ in intelligence speak) work anonymously as secretaries in the American Embassy. That is, until their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances in the USSR, and the pair become CIA operatives.
Bea (Clarke) is an over-educated, Russian-speaking child of Soviet immigrants. Her cohort, Twila (Richardson), is a small-town girl who is as abrasive as she is fearless. Together, they work to uncover a vast Cold War conspiracy and solve the mystery that made them widows in the first place.”
David Iserson and Susanna Fogel cocreated the series.
Peacock’s Ponies Has Solid Reviews From Critics
Television shows get canceled by streaming platforms and traditional networks for all sorts of reasons. Often, this results from low viewership or unimpressive reviews. Regarding “Ponies,” the latter of the two reasons did not apply.
Upon its premiere, “Ponies” garnered a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, based on 33 reviews. Regarding how the audience felt about the series, it currently sits at an 83% rating. The audience score is based on more than 250 reviews. Notably, the series is “certified fresh” in both respects.
One critic, Jack Seale from Radio Times, said, “Ponies might be a tad too flippant to challenge The Americans and achieve proper spy-thriller greatness, but if it doesn’t, that will likely be because it’s too busy having too much fun. For now, comrades, we’ve secured a valuable new asset.”
Lucy Mangan from The Guardian wrote, “Plot happens, but the pleasure of the show is in the deepening friendship between the women. Maybe it shouldn’t work, but it does. It’s a mashup of genres and tropes, but it is its own thing too – and an unexpected treat at that.”
Additionally, Rebecca Nicholson from Financial Times said, “Though there is plenty of action, and some frankly preposterous car chases, the show lives in its quick dialogue and the richness of its characters, whose poignant back stories balance out the silliness.”
The Crew Behind The Show Is Reacting To The News
GettyFollowing the news of “Ponies” being canceled by Peacock after only a single season, not only are fans weighing in, but so are the cast and crew. Per Deadline, cocreator of the series, Iserson, reflected on the long road to getting the show off the ground, noting, “over seven years ago.”
He then said, “What we made surpassed all of my hopes and dreams for a television show. Saying this fights every self-deprecating, humble bone in my body, but ‘Ponies’ is a great show. And it was made by great people. I am proud of every second we put on screen.”
Actor Vic Michaelis said, “Thank you so much to everyone who watched.” Simon Haines also reacted, saying, “A year ago today I wrapped on season 1 of PONIES – it was also the last day for lovely @vicmmic & @clare__hughes! this show… some of the best TV scripts I’ve ever read.”
I hope another network grabs it. It was really good and was looking forward to season 2
Great show! Maybe pitch it to Netflix or another network??
That sucks!! What a great concept and the acting was incredible! I hope it’s picked up by another service.