Emilia Clarke's New Spy Drama 'PONIES' Is For 'The Diplomat' Fans
The Mother of Dragons is officially becoming the Mother of PONIES and Peacock. Game of Thrones alum Emilia Clarke has been tapped to lead Peacock’s upcoming 1970's spy thriller series, PONIES. She’s also signed on as one of the show’s executive producers, marking the second time in her career that she’s doubled up on her job titles on the same project.
PONIES centers around two female CIA operatives working together to solve a mystery during the height of the Cold War. Although the show was ordered straight-to-series (i.e., Peacock is so confident in the idea for the show that a pilot is unnecessary), it’s still very much in the early stages of development. Here’s everything we know about PONIES so far.
What is 'PONIES' about?
According to Peacock, PONIES will be set in Moscow, Russia, in 1977. The description from the network’s blog states, “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 … is an over-educated, Russian-speaking child of Soviet immigrants. Her cohort, Twila, 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.”
Who is involved in 'PONIES'?
Emilia Clarke will be playing Bea, one of the two titular PONIES. No other cast members have been announced yet.
The show was co-created by Susanna Fogel (who co-wrote Booksmart) and David Iserson (whose writing credits include Mad Men and Mr. Robot). Fogel will serve as PONIES’s director, executive producer, and co-writer. Iseron will serve as PONIES’s show runner and co-writer.
What is a PONIE?
In spy speak, “PONIE” stands for “persons of no interest.” The term appears to have been made up for the show. However, according to Merriam-Webster, a “person of interest” is someone who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime, but has not been charged or arrested. Based on this definition, I’d assume that a PONIE is a spy who flies way below the radar.
When is 'PONIES' coming out?
PONIES has yet to begin filming, and no release date has been announced. Clarke is currently shooting a series called Criminal in Portland, Oregon, through October for Amazon Prime Video, so PONIES is likely a couple of years away.
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