Ponies on HBO Max: Emilia Clarke returns as a spy in a Cold War thriller

Even before it was put online on HBO Max France, Ponies already ticked several boxes of the successful program: a star cast, a strong setting and a catchy spy pitch. Created by Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, the series has eight episodes and sets its story in the middle of the Cold War, in a Moscow where two ordinary women will fall into an affair that is beyond their control.

An intrigue out of a drama

Originally, Bea and Twila are just two secretaries at the American embassy in Moscow. Their lives change abruptly when their husbands die in mysterious circumstances in the USSR, which pushes them to attract the attention of the CIA.

Bea, the Russian-speaking daughter of Soviet immigrants, and Twila, from a small American town, form an unexpected duo. Together, they try to understand the conspiracy behind their husbands’ deaths, while learning to survive in a world of espionage they never expected to be a part of.

Emilia Clarke in a darker register

Après Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke finds here a central role in a series with a tenser and more political tone. Ponies places it in a very different register from his most popular projects, with a heroine immersed in a hostile environment, between surveillance, manipulation and pretense.

The cast also includes Haley Lu Richardson and Adrian Lester, two names that add to the project’s appeal. Haley Lu Richardson was also nominated for the 2026 Gotham TV Awards for her supporting role performancewhich adds a layer of critical attention around the series.

A very “war room” spy thriller

With its Soviet setting from the 1970s, Ponies plays clearly the historical thriller map. The series is aimed at fans of cold war stories, state secrets and infiltration, with an interesting contrast between seemingly anonymous heroines and a world where every gesture can become suspect.

The term “ponies†also refers to an expression of secret service jargon to designate people considered unimportant. The series reverses this view by transforming these “invisibles” into central figures of the plot.

Between its female duo, its Cold War setting and the presence of Emilia Clarke, the series has all the ingredients to attract subscribers looking for a new effective and premium spy thriller.

Where to see Ponies with Canal+ Ciné Séries and RAT+ Ciné Séries?

The series Ponies is also accessible via Canal+ Ciné Séries and RAT+ Ciné Séries subscriptions, two offers which both include HBO Max. Enough to allow subscribers to directly benefit from the thriller carried by Emilia Clarke without purchasing an additional subscription to the platform.

These formulas are therefore particularly interesting for those who already follow the new HBO Max releases through the Canal+ ecosystem, with centralized access to several streaming catalogs.

The Canal+ Ciné Séries subscription includes access to all Canal+ and HBO Max programs, but also to:

• Apple TV ;
• Netflix ;
• Paramount+ ;
• Ciné+ OCS.

 

The RAT+ Ciné Séries formula includes the same advantages as the Canal+ Ciné Séries offer at a reduced price. It is reserved for 18-26 year olds.