Peacock wants the Emmys to ride a “pony.”
Peacock and Universal Television’s “The Ponies” are set to launch a full-court Emmy campaign in the comedy series category, Variety exclusively reports. The spy drama will be up for 20 Primetime Emmy Awards in 2026, including Best Comedy Actress for Emilia Clarke and Best Supporting Actress for Haley Lu Richardson.
Clark, a four-time Emmy nominee, is applying to play the overeducated Russian-speaking Bea, the daughter of Soviet immigrants who becomes a CIA operative after her husband is murdered under mysterious circumstances in 1977 Moscow. Clark will also qualify as part of the Outstanding Comedy Series entry in his capacity as the show’s executive producer.
Richardson, who plays co-star Twila, a small-town woman described as fierce and fearless, will seek consideration in the supporting actress category. Additional series regulars Adrian Lester, Artyom Gilts, Nikolas Podanyi, Petro Ninovsky, and Vic Michaelis will also be in the supporting actor category.
Emmy-nominated co-creators Susanna Fogel and David Iserson will submit the series’ premiere episode, “Second Hand News,” to a comedy script race. Vogel plans to present the same episode as director.
Beyond cast and creative categories, the series will include campaigns in areas such as production design, casting, cinematography, costumes, video editing, hair styling/make-up, music composition, main title theme music, music direction, sound editing, sound mixing, stunt coordination, and special visual effects. The official episode and the names of the applicants will be announced at a later date.
“Ponies” premiered all episodes on Peacock on January 15th. The series currently has a score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and is designated Certified Fresh. Alison Herman, Variety’s chief television critic, called the film “an endearing spy whim” in her review.
Set in Moscow in 1977, “Pony” centers on two women who work anonymously as secretaries at the American Embassy. “Pony” is conducting intelligence activities for “unrelated persons.” When their husbands are murdered under mysterious circumstances, Bea and Twila are thrust into the world of Cold War espionage as CIA operatives, and together they must uncover a vast conspiracy and solve the mystery that left them widows.
“Ponies” is co-created by Iserson (“Mr. Robot,” “New Girl”) and Fogel (“The Flight Attendant,” “The Spy Who Ditched Me”), with both of them serving as executive producers. Mike Daniels (Fight Night: Million Dollar Heist) will executive produce alongside Vogel and Iserson. Jessica Rose (Black Mirror, Station Eleven) will also serve as executive producer. Co-executive producers include Katherine Bridle, Alison Moe Massey, Jared Ian Goldman and Rosa Handelman. The series is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studios Group.
All eight episodes of Season 1 of “The Ponies” are now streaming on Peacock.
