10 Shows Like 'Ponies' You Should Watch Next[html]
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Impeccable period vibes are a highlight of Ponies, the Peacock spy show starring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson. They play a couple of housewives living in Moscow with their CIA agent husbands, at least until their spouses are killed under mysterious circumstances. In order to get to the bottom of things, the two convince the Moscow station chief that they could be useful as agents themselves. He figures, hey—who'd ever suspect a couple of secretaries? You can stream Ponies on Peacock, and then stream these stories of other unexpected spies.
The Americans (2013 – 2018)
Set during the Cold War 1980s, and created by former CIA officer Joe Weisberg, Americans follows Soviet KGB intelligence agents Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), living lives as an American couple in the DC metro area—and raising their American-born children. The critically acclaimed (and popular) show makes much of its period setting and a central conflict that places two spies in the heart of suburban America, even as they're tasked with undermining the Reagan-era government under which their children will grow up. Stream The Americans on Disney+ and Hulu.
Kleo (2022 – )
With this German import, we have a Cold War-era spy thriller punctuated by moments of very dark comedy. Jella Haase stars as Kleo Straub, a ruthless East German Stasi assassin who was framed for treason a couple of years before the series kicks off in 1989, and who's now free to pursue brutal revenge. Sven Petzold (Dimitrij Schaad), meanwhile, is the hapless police officer who's linked Kleo to a murder he'd been investigating, and pursues her before discovering that he's in way, way over his head. Stream Kleo on Netflix.
Black Doves (2024 – )
This genre-bender has been something of a hit for Netflix—enough to have earned a second-season renewal. Keira Knightley stars as Helen Webb, wife of the Secretary of State for Defence of the U.K., and a secret spy in the employ of the mercenary spy organization of the title. She learns from her handler (Sarah Lancashire) that her lover has been killed, thus potentially blowing her cover, but luckily she has a hitman bestie (Ben Whislaw) to help her out. It's all deliberately pulpy, with a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that lightens the tone. Stream Black Doves on Netflix.
Homeland (2011 – 2020)
The series begins with CIA case officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) coming to suspect that that decorated Marine Corps scout sniper Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), recently rescued from an al-Qaeda compound, has been turned and is planning a terrorist attack on the United States. As she's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her superiors don't give Mathison's suspicions much credence, kicking off a cat-and-mouse/is-he-or-isn't he? game between the two. Both leads won Emmys for their performances, and the series took the Outstanding Drama prize in its first year. Stream Homeland on Hulu and Netflix.
The Sympathizer (2024)
A stellar miniseries with a reminder that boys can be spies, too. Based (kinda) on a true story, the show stars Hoa Xuande as the Captain (we know him only by that title), a member of the South Vietnamese army during the run-up to the Fall of Saigon in 1975. Except that he has a pretty big secret: He's a spy for the communist north, and, when he's evacuated to the United States, it's as a double agent. His new life in sunny Southern California gets very complicated as he struggles with his old loyalties and his new life. With touches of dark comedy, great performances and some absolutely brilliant direction from showrunner Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, No Other Choice), this is an impressively unconventional period spy story. Stream The Sympathizer on HBO Max.
The Recruit (2022 – 2025)
A bit of fun in the "unlikely spy" genre, this one stars Noah Centineo as Owen Hendricks, a nobody-in-particular young lawyer at the CIA who comes across an extortion threat from a former CIA asset in some otherwise boring paperwork. The discovery triggers a series of fast-paced, globetrotting adventures for which Hendricks is generally unprepared—always knowing more than he should, but not nearly enough to keep him out of trouble. It's an adventure show more than a thriller, mostly, and a fair bit of fun for it. Stream The Recruit on Netflix.
Killing Eve (2018 – 2022)
Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer star as the two halves that form one of television's great cat-and-mouse narratives, with Oh as Eve Polastri, a bored MI5 analyst who becomes obsessed with hunting down the brutal and notorious assassin known only as Villanelle. It starts as a professional compulsion before it becomes personal: Eve and Villanelle begin toying with each other, and it soon becomes clear that the fascination goes both ways—like Ponies, it's the rare spy drama with two women out in front. Stream Killing Eve on Prime Video, Paramount+, Britbox, Tubi, and Netflix.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024 – )
One-upping the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie movie on which it's based, Mr. & Mrs. Smith stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as a couple of spies tasked to pose as a married couple while coordinating (and sometimes competing against one another) on missions. Smartly, each episode takes on a standalone mission in a different location, while complicating the relationship between the two and gradually upping the stakes until the season finale, which sees them pitted against each other. The show has been renewed for season two, but it's been delayed, and it's unclear if Glover and Erskine will be returning, or if we'll be getting a new Mr. & Mrs. Stream Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Prime Video.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024 – )
|
The Pixel 8 Pro Is Nearly 50% Off, and It Comes With a Free Pixel Watch 2
Started by Nairaland
|
Replies: 0
Views: 1163
|
August 07, 2025, 05:01:45 PM
by Nairaland
|
|
|
What to Expect From Made by Google 2025: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4 and More
Started by Nairaland
|
Replies: 0
Views: 853
|
August 26, 2025, 05:31:16 PM
by Nairaland
|
|
|
Apple Finally Added My Most-Requested App to the Apple Watch
Started by Nairaland
|
Replies: 0
Views: 3181
|
June 12, 2025, 03:32:29 AM
by Nairaland
|
|
|
Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event Actually Included Some Big Apple Watch Updates
Started by Nairaland
|
Replies: 0
Views: 452
|
September 18, 2025, 02:39:47 AM
by Nairaland
|
|
|
Apple Event 2025 Live Blog: Latest News on iPhone 17, Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 3, and More
Started by Nairaland
|
Replies: 0
Views: 344
|
September 16, 2025, 06:10:56 PM
by Nairaland
|
