PONIES

When their husbands die in a plane crash while working for the CIA in Moscow, Bea (Emilia Clarke) and Twila (Haley Lu Richardson) put aside their grief and stay in the USSR as new undercover operatives. They reply on being “PONIES” (persons of no interest), an intelligence acronym referring to people the KGB typically overlook, like the spouses of embassy staff and women. Set in 1977, the two women infiltrate KGB circles and get caught up in a Cold War web as they attempt uncover the truth about their husbands’ deaths. A fabulous pairing of opposites, Bea and Twila’s friendship deepens as their work becomes more dangerous. Bea is methodical and cautious by nature and speaks fluent Russian – Clarke worked extensively with dialect coaches to deliver her lines with an authentic accent. Twila on the other hand, is a bolshy, fearless American who stands out like a sore thumb. Richardson brings a free spirited vibe to the screen similar to that of actress Natasha Lyonne, making her a brilliant choice for Twila. This series does well to capture the paranoia of the era with authentic staging, accurate technology (listening devices are abundant) and a vibrant colour palette that contrasts against the drabness of the city. A funky soundtrack featuring 70’s hits from artists like David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Hoel, ELO and Heart balances the mood of the tenser scenes – Boney M’s ‘Rasputin’ even gets a run! While this show starts strong with succinct pacing and enough complexity to stay interesting without being too confusing, the wheels get wobbly in the last two episodes. They feel rushed and it becomes difficult to track the story due to the number of double agents double-agenting. The cliffhanger ending is frustrating and after a nearly 8 hour time investment I expected some degree of closure. That said, I’d watch a second series in hope it gives me more answers and less convolution.