By Susan Granger
Comparing Apple TV’s new dramedy “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” with the classic American sitcom “Father Knows Best” exemplifies how our cultural norms have completely changed in the past 70 years.
“Father Knows Best” portrayed an idyllic suburban life, upholding traditional gender roles, reflecting the societal norms of 1950s America: the archetypal patriarch, the supportive mother, and innocence of three adolescent children.
In contrast, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” introduces Fullerton Community College freshman, 19-year-old Margo Millet (Elle Fanning), an aspiring writer whose world implodes after she’s impregnated by her married English lit professor (Michael Angarano), who ghosts her after she refuses to have an abortion.
Financially-strapped, Margo can’t count on her beauty-obsessed single mother, Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer), a former Hooters waitress currently working at Bloomingdale’s, or former pro-wrestler father, Jinx (Nick Offerman), a recovering opioid addict who has been absent most of her life.
So when she learns about OnlyFans, Margo decides to apply her innate creativity, writing skills and exhibitionistic tendencies to lucrative online ‘sex work,’ creating a libidinous alien character – HungryGhost – to provide for baby Bodhi.
(Widely known for its pornographic content, OnlyFans is a user-generated Internet service monetized by monthly subscriptions, tips, and pay-per-view.)
Based on Rufi Thorpe’s acclaimed 2024 novel, cleverly adapted by prolific David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal,” “Boston Legal,” “Big Little Lies”), it’s one of those rare instances where the TV version is actually more compelling than the book, introducing connections and relationships that enhance the provocative story while deleting some extraneous characters.
Elle Fanning captures the overwhelming desperation of unexpected motherhood, Michelle Pfeiffer exemplifies her chaotic, combative mother, while Nick Offerman’s multi-layered, sadness-tinged empathy is convincing and masterful. Together, they embody a unique, broad-minded, humanistic approach to the complexity of contemporary family dynamics.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” is a cautionary, saucy 7 – with the first three episodes streaming on Apple TV and another dropping on May 20, followed by four more – airing weekly on Wednesdays.
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Susan Granger
Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in Journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has appeared on radio and television as an anchorwoman and movie critic for many years. Read all her reviews at susangranger.com.
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