Peacock’s New Spy Show Has The Best TV Opening Scene Of The Past 5 Years

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Peacock’s new series, Ponies, kicks off with what is arguably the best opening scene on television in the last five years, immediately raising the bar. While viewers often focus on how a show develops and concludes, a strong opening can be a reliable indicator of overall quality – it often hints at whether a series will be truly great or fall flat.

Many critically acclaimed TV series, like Breaking Bad, The Twilight Zone, Lost, and Twin Peaks, begin with unforgettable opening scenes. These scenes immediately grab your attention, often through striking imagery or an intriguing puzzle. They also give you a strong sense of what to expect from the show in terms of characters, mood, and where the story takes place.

While shows like Leftovers and Yellowjackets were popular recently, Emilia Clarke’s new spy series, Ponies, now streaming on Peacock, has quickly become the standout show of the past five years.

Peacock’s Ponies Immediately Sucks In The Viewer

The first ninety seconds of ‘Ponies’ are brilliantly crafted and immediately grab viewers’ attention. It begins with what appears to be a basic text message that reads:

“In intelligence:

PERSONS OF INTEREST (POIs) are individuals

under surveillance by foreign governments – –

valuable because of their power, their access,

their secrets.

PERSONS OF NO INTEREST (PONIs) are…

…everyone else.”

While on-screen text is often used in games, Ponies really sets the atmosphere with its unique look and sound. The text uses a pixelated, green font that feels like something from a 1970s computer. Instead of just appearing silently, the text is accompanied by the sound of a typewriter, making it more immersive. Plus, the opening message suggests the game will be a fun mix of spy action and comedy.

Next, we see a series of shots showing Bea traveling through the Soviet Union. The camera seems to focus on everyone but her, panning around and zooming in on the men nearby. The scene abruptly cuts to black, mimicking the sound and effect of a camera taking a picture.

As a film buff, I found the way they switched between the full widescreen image and a small, circular view – with everything else blacked out – really striking. It, combined with the intentionally shaky camera and those quick zooms from wide shots to close-ups, totally immersed me in the story. It felt like I was right there, seeing everything through the eyes of a Soviet spy – a really effective technique!

Throughout the scene, Fleetwood Mac’s “Second Hand News” plays in the background. The creative decisions made here are smart and effectively create a sense of enjoyment.

Ponies’ Opening Scene Tells You Everything You Need To Understand The Show

The very first scene in Ponies isn’t just memorable and catchy – it quickly establishes the show’s tone and genre. In just a short amount of time, viewers understand that Ponies is a funny spy story.

The film clearly demonstrates the difference between people of interest (POIs) and non-people of interest (PONIs) through its camerawork. The camera focuses solely on the intelligence agents, deliberately ignoring everyone else, including the character Bea. We are introduced to several key figures in Ponies, such as Bea, Dane, Ray, Chris, and Tom.

The story begins by clearly setting the scene in Moscow during the winter of 1976 and early 1977. We quickly get a sense of the time and place through details like public payphones and the cars on the streets, as well as glimpses of Communist propaganda. These elements provide a complete picture of the setting.

The upbeat 1977 song signals that while the show involves spying, it won’t be overly dark. It promises to showcase the enjoyable aspects of the 1970s, such as the music and vibrant style. Overall, the creators of Ponies clearly nailed the opening scene, grabbing viewers’ attention and setting the tone for the entire series.

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2026-01-17 02:29