https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/632059-red-cringe-ponies-russia/ Red cringe: ‘PONIES’ is proof that Hollywood still can’t do Russia Why the problem with the series isn’t anti-Soviet bias, but lazy research, recycled clichés, and deliberate ignorance Red cringe: ‘PONIES’ is proof that Hollywood still can’t do Russia For most Russians, the release of the series ‘PONIES’ about American spies in Moscow in 1977 went largely unnoticed. It’s not that people lost interest in American series; in recent years, the number of Cold War-themed movies has surged. However, many found it amusing to watch the clip in which the main character, speaking with a thick Russian accent, gets into a heated argument with a crafty egg seller.

Those who did watch the series praised it as the most hilarious portrayal of the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Unfortunately, the humor was unintentional.

Cute ears that captured the world: The miracle of Russian CheburashkaRead more Cute ears that captured the world: The miracle of Russian Cheburashka The many comedic sins of ‘PONIES’ We won’t criticize the actors and their Russian accents – Emilia Clarke made a reasonable effort to at least say the words with the correct inflections. Still, it’s quite amusing that when preparing the main character for her mission, her “non-Moscow” accent is explained by claiming she’s from Belarus.

Even funnier are the inconsistencies that we notice from the very first scene, where two American spies complain about working outside on “the coldest day of the year.” And what do we see? Streets barely covered in snow, and the characters dressed in light coats. For comparison, it’s currently around -20 C in Moscow, and people navigate the streets bundled up in fur coats and parkas.

This sets the tone for the entire series. Here are just a few odd moments from the spy drama:

— A US Embassy secretary points to the street, claiming that all Muscovites “know that Moscow is a dump.” While everyone has their own preferences when it comes to cities, this comment does an injustice to Budapest, where the series was actually filmed.

It looks particularly strange when characters explicitly name the location where the action takes place, yet what we see onscreen doesn’t look anything like the real place. For example, famous Moscow landmarks like St. Basil’s Cathedral pop up in the middle of ordinary residential areas, rather than the historic central district.

RT A still from the TV series Ponies, directed by Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, 2026. © 6107 Productions — The protagonist complains that milk in the USSR has to be boiled and is like mayonnaise. In Russia, sweetened condensed milk is still popular and is used in desserts, but it looks and tastes nothing like mayonnaise.

— The head of the CIA station in Moscow insists that the KGB never employs female agents, and would not expect this from the Americans either. Perhaps the creators wanted to flatter Soviet intelligence, but in reality, the KGB actively utilized women in both foreign and domestic espionage. One such agent, Zoya Voskresenskaya, became famous – though not as a spy, but as a children’s author.

— Later, the same CIA agent claims that all KGB cars have a smudge on the windshield due to an issue at the state car wash, adding meaningfully: “because it’s Russia.”