First Look: Peacock's "Ponies" pairs Emilia Clarke (movies and tv series) and Haley Lu Richardson (movies and tv series) in a Cold War whodunit
Two American embassy secretaries. Two husbands killed in Moscow. And a conspiracy hiding in plain sight. That's the hook for "Ponies," Peacock's eight-episode thriller set in 1977, now sharing its first images ahead of a Jan. 15 premiere.
Emilia Clarke plays Bea alongside Haley Lu Richardson's Twila - colleagues who turn amateur sleuths (and then CIA operatives) after their partners are mysteriously murdered in the USSR. You can feel the mood in the stills: fur collars, frost on the windows, that guarded look people had when they knew someone might be listening.
Adrian Lester (movies and tv series), Artjom Gilz (movies and tv series), Nicholas Podany (movies and tv series), Petro Ninovskyi (movies and tv series) and Vic Michaelis (movies and tv series) round out the cast. The first-look photos come via Peacock, with credits to David Lukacs and Katalin Vermes. Here's what this could mean: Peacock's leaning into star-led period intrigue, and Clarke/Richardson have the kind of chemistry that can carry a slow-burn spy story.
First Looks
"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Season 3 Reunion Special" lands Dec. 3 on Disney+ and Hulu
Hulu dropped the first look at its reunion special hosted by "Vanderpump Villa" star Stassi Schroeder. Expect tense couches and receipts: Taylor Frankie Paul (movies and tv series), Jen Affleck (movies and tv series), Whitney Leavitt (movies and tv series), Jessi Ngatikaura (movies and tv series), Layla Taylor (movies and tv series), Miranda Hops, Mayci Neeley (movies and tv series), Mikayla Matthews (movies and tv series) and Demi Engemann (movies and tv series) are all on deck, plus never-before-seen footage from the season.
Note: A trailer video is available below. Our team will add the embed automatically.
Announcements
Lyrical Media launches Lyrical Animation after acquiring Line Mileage
Jacob Robinson (movies and tv series) will lead as Head of Lyrical Animation, with Daniel Dominguez as Creative Director and Powerhouse Animation co-founder Brad Graeber advising on production. The studio's mission is clear: story-first animation across film and TV, with a real push into adult series and features.
"The global appetite for sophisticated, adult animation has never been stronger," Robinson said, adding that Lyrical's backing lets them pair production chops with creator ownership and long-term world-building. Maybe it's just timing, but the adult animation lane feels wide open again.
On the live-action side, Lyrical Media is in post on Adam Wingard (movies and tv series)'s "Onslaught" and Michael Sarnoski (movies and tv series)'s "The Death of Robin Hood (movies and tv series)."
YES Network partners with Camb.AI on multilingual broadcasts
YES and Camb.AI are teaming up to test language localization at scale, with voice and translation models supporting 150+ languages. The pitch is simple: let fans hear games in their own language without losing the energy of the original call.
"Tapping into [Camb.AI's] expertise… underscores YES' commitment to explore new opportunities to serve our fans," said YES President & CEO Jon Litner. Camb.AI has previously worked with MLS and NASCAR. Here's what to watch: if the tech nails lip sync and tone, RSNs could start treating language like a toggle, not a separate feed.
Trailers
Netflix unveils "Elmo & Mark Rober (movies and tv series)'s Merry Giftmas"
Elmo and the "Sesame Street" crew team with former NASA engineer Mark Rober for a hands-on holiday special built around making presents for a "Merry Giftmas" exchange. There are three new songs - "Merry Giftmas," "Failure is Awesome," and "The Best Christmas Gift is You." Written by Halcyon Person, executive produced by Scott Lewers, Sal Perez, Mark Rober and Kay Wilson (movies and tv series) Stallings.
Note: A trailer video is available below. The embed will appear after this article.
Honors
Dr. Jane Goodall (movies and tv series) to receive Realscreen Action Award (posthumous)
Realscreen will honor Dr. Jane Goodall at its 2026 awards on Feb. 3 in Miami, recognizing nonfiction work that sparks real-world change. Her impact spans from the 1965 National Geographic special "Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees" to Bret Morgen's 2017 "Jane."
Her company, Jane Goodall Productions, continues to develop projects aligned with her legacy, including the upcoming "Matriarch" with BBC Studios, PBS and WNET Group. Wildlife photographer Bill Wallauer will accept on her behalf. For background on her ongoing conservation work, see the Jane Goodall Institute.
Dates
The CW locks 2026 premieres
- Wild Cards (Season 3) - Jan. 26, 2026. Stars Vanessa Morgan (movies and tv series) and Giacomo Gianniotti (movies and tv series).
- Scrabble - Jan. 22, 2026 (Thursdays). Craig Ferguson (movies and tv series) takes over as host.
- Trivial Pursuit - Jan. 22, 2026 (Thursdays). LeVar Burton (movies and tv series) returns as host and EP.
- Police 24/7 - New night, original episodes start Jan. 21, 2026.
Programming
ABC News Live sets "Gut Check: The Foods We Eat" for Nov. 19 at 8:30 p.m.
Dr. Darien Sutton looks at how ultra-processed foods affect our bodies now and over time. There's a smart compare-and-contrast with ingredient lists in the U.S. vs. Europe, with ABC's Maggie Rulli reporting from France. The special ends inside Chicago's major food and science expo, where suppliers pitch the next wave of ingredients. You'll probably start reading labels differently after this one.
Why this matters if you cover TV and docs
- Star power and period intrigue: "Ponies" has the pieces to be Peacock's next conversation driver.
- Unscripted heat check: Hulu's reunion special and ABC's processed food deep-dive show viewers still show up for reveals and practical takeaways.
- Tech you can feel: If YES x Camb.AI sticks, multilingual sports audio could become standard, not a special feature. For teams exploring tool stacks, here's a curated resource on AI tool databases: browse options.
