Peacock has cancelled the critically acclaimed spy thriller Ponies after just one season, despite a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series, starring Game of Thrones icon Emilia Clarke, The White Lotus favourite Haley Lu Richardson, and seasoned actress Harriet Walter, debuted in January to rave reviews but failed to attract sufficient viewership.
Plot and Setting
Set in the 1970s, Ponies follows two secretaries who become CIA operatives after their spy husbands die under suspicious circumstances. The eight-episode season concluded on several significant cliffhangers, leaving fans eager for a second season that will never come.
Critical Acclaim vs. Viewership
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes recorded a remarkable 96% approval rating from critics, and audiences were equally enthusiastic. One fan praised it as "excellent," adding: "Excellent series. Excellent script, plot, cast, direction, and setting. One of the best series of the year, in my opinion." Another called it "the best show I've seen in a long time." However, the espionage drama never broke into Nielsen's Top 10 streaming charts, and the cancellation arrived five months after its premiere.
Fan Outrage
Viewers flocked to X to voice their dismay. One fan wrote: "Wtf noooooooooo! Because I looked it up all the time, I read a Tweet at some point, that they already talked about Season 2, so this was probably just a rumour and I was already too happy." Another vented: "#Peacock is a joke, it's like the rest of the streaming apps now, all the good shows cancelled." A third commented: "They actually had a good show on their hand and fumbled." One furious viewer threatened a boycott: "Never watching @peacock ever again."
Impact and Future
The cancellation of Ponies adds to a growing list of streaming shows axed after one season despite positive reviews. Peacock has not commented on the decision, but the show's failure to gain traction in a crowded market likely contributed. Ponies series 1 remains available on Peacock.
