User Reviews

Two more episodes and they could have provided a satisfying ending, but again we are given a story that may return in 2 years. I don’t believe the writers and anyone else that contributed to the ending deserves a second season. Going forward I will also make an attempt to shy away from other works that the affiliated actors who are in these inconclusive projects.

This show has been sabotaged by terrible writing. The characters are OK (the curly haired lead annoys me), the plot is even ok. How many stupid writing oversites can happen in one episode. I mean the writing is just TERRIBLE. Decisions no one would make. Scenarios that could never happen. Stupid plot twists that make no logical sense. I might watch another season as it's vaguely entertaining, or at least fills time, but you must change out your writers and find some better talent. Just terrible.

Season 1 of this show started reasonably strong, but become more and more ridiculous as it went on. Emilia Clarke is fantastic. She can play cute, sexy, funny, scared, your best friend -- great range. Haley Lu Richardson does not find as many notes, and too often leans into a quirky loud American style that becomes a bit tiresome. There is this side look, with her eyes to show she is taken aback / considering something, she continually does which is even odder. She also sounds a lot like she's doing a Jennifer Aniston imitation. The main villain is suitably creepy. The women's sidekicks develop well. The sets are good, but a ton of green screen -- I understand that's the only way to shoot these shows set in the late 70s in another country, but it can be distracting. But I was going to give this a 7, but the last two epsidoes, just a ton of stuff happens (e.g., killings; fights; fires) that are just out of pocket. For example, the secret files of the CIA in Moscow are set on fire. Does the CIA have sprinkler system? Apparently not! People who are extremely dangerous are hurt and left for dead when they of course come back to wreak havoc. I hope they make a second season and calm down, but I'm not as excited about it now as I was for much of the season 1.

Excellent series. Excellent script, plot, cast, direction, and setting. One of the best series of the year in my opinion. I hope there's a second season.

Exciting, fun, comedic, dramatic — it's everything you could need in a show, minus romance. I really love the storyline and the main characters are truly likeable. It kept me on my tired and had me binge-watching the whole show in one sitting! I need more series like this! Can't wait for season 2

Brilliant. Well-acted, impeccably produced with an engaging story. The first show in a long time where a binge just flew by.

While the two actresses deliver performances that are often engaging and occasionally manage to draw a smile, they do little to hide the script’s many shortcomings. The storyline is absurd if it is meant to portray Cold War–era Russia. With intelligence services depicted as laughably naïve and blatantly caricatured, and situations that are as ridiculous as they are implausible, it becomes difficult to maintain any interest through all eight episodes. Once again, this feels like a show that was written by 12-year-olds who have read a couple of bad spy novels — and aimed at 12-year-olds who have never read anything in their lives.

Serious as well as some good comic relief at times. The show was not completely predictable, which was a nice surprise. I highly recommend.

A refreshing take on a genre that has gotten dusty in recent years—The leads are fantastic. The writing is witty, surprising and utterly compelling television.

Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson play wives of two recently murdered CIA operatives. They return to Moscow, where they hesitantly assume spy duties to discover the truth. Since they are wives, they’re considered “Persons of No Interest,” hence the acronym title. This series has two things that make it stand out: Russia in the seventies and the two leads. Clarke’s expressive forehead, caterpillar eyebrows and sweet smile make her a charming presence, while Richardson is doing her best Natasha Lyonne impression. Their chemistry holds the show together. The spy elements add interesting plot points, although some of their daring exploits challenge realistic thinking. For an old-fashioned espionage thriller, it’s entertaining, while never especially tense. (8 one-hour eps with an cliff-hanger ending, even though a 2nd season has been announced)

Ponies is a wild ride through Soviet Russia in the seventies. The episodes build tension that leads to a satisfying and unexpected twist in the finale. The chemistry between the lead characters, but especially the scene stealing Twila, are the engine that drives the gripping spy series. It's one of the best buddy shows I've seen in a long time.

Tonal trainwreck. Haley Lu Richardson's character, apparently written for a 1980s teen sex comedy, walks around Soviet Moscow dropping smug sarcasm everywhere, but only the showrunner could think she's as hilarious as she’s meant to be. Her complete ignorance of the Cold War and the KGB is confounding considering she lives in Russia and her soon-to-be killed husband is a CIA agent. Madcap nonsense here lives next to brutal violence (the graphic murder of a prostitute comes to mind) and just like the second season of Susanne Fogel's The Flight Attendant the smugness factor is extremely off-putting.

I was all in after the first episode. Absolutely love the depth of the characters, and the complicated yet complimentary dynamic between Bea and Twila. I was such a fan of the strong, capable female portrayed during a time and place where it almost seems farfetched in this genre. To me, however, it felt believable with the incredible talents of the cast. What a cliffhanger! Genuinely hopeful for at least another season.

Very interesting series. I loved the acting and the story. So many plot twists — the first episode surprised me and kept me hooked until the end. 2 Big Fat Thumbs Up