Margo's Got Money Troubles Is the Must-See Show of the Spring

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The rights to adapt Rufi Thorpe's novel Margo's Got Money Troubles for TV were snapped up nearly a year before its publication, with Nicole Kidman, David E. Kelley, Elle and Dakota Fanning, and the swaggering indie studio A24 all attached to the project. The show, which premieres on Apple TV, tells the story of a college freshman and aspiring writer who gets pregnant by her married professor, decides to have the baby, and turns to OnlyFans to support the child.

Why it matters

Margo's layered voice presents a challenge, as the novel-to-series pipeline often relies too heavily on clunky, uncinematic narration. Thorpe's characters are so specific, their balance of prickliness and kindness and quirk so delicate, that one wrong casting choice could ruin the whole viewing experience. But with Elle Fanning in the title role and a talented supporting cast, the show succeeds where many other creators might've failed.

The details

Margo Millet insists on living by instinct rather than conventional wisdom. Her capriciousness leads her into an affair with a frustrated professor, Mark, who compliments her writing. When she discovers she's pregnant, Margo decides to have the baby, despite the objections of Mark and her own mother, Shyanne. Shyanne, a former Hooters waitress, had hoped Margo would avoid the mistakes she made. As Margo navigates new motherhood, a proverbial village amasses around her, including her estranged father Jinx, a pro wrestler, and her geeky roommate Susie, who helps Margo launch an OnlyFans channel featuring her alter ego, Hungry Ghost.

• The rights to adapt the novel were acquired nearly a year before its publication.
• The first three episodes of the show premiered on Apple TV on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

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What’s next

The first three episodes of Margo's Got Money Troubles are now available to stream on Apple TV. Additional episodes will be released weekly.