‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ Season One Review: Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer Momedy Hits the Mark [B+]
What would you do for money? It’s an age old question passed down generations for people of all ages to ponder in different stages of life. The answer to the question entirely depends on one’s desperation for liquidity, which itself depends on one’s socioeconomic status. The necessity of capital in contemporary society can only be matched by the necessity of feeling understood. Both can feel unreachable, both can be enough to drive someone insane. In AppleTV’s newest limited series, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, the titular character is desperate for cash flow, enough so to find a novel way of making money that both brings her joy and could lead to trouble down the road.
College freshman Margo Millet (Elle Fanning, The Great) is sleeping with her literature professor, Mark Gable (Michael Angarano, Oppenheimer). Unfortunately for Margo, constant unprotected sex can lead to an unwanted pregnancy. The series doesn’t spend much time with the minutiae of Margo’s pregnancy journey, allowing her to have her son in the first episode. By moving quickly, Money Troubles opens the door to more narrative after the birth of Bodhi, but still layers in Margo’s anticipation for her child, the building excitement she begins to feel, and the little joys along the way. Her mother, Shyanne (Michelle Pfieffer), isn’t experiencing the same excitement. Even after Bodhi’s birth, she reacts by pushing away, scared she isn’t fit to be the grandmother he deserves, already self-critical of her own mothering skills. Pfeiffer brings dimension to a woman seeking redemption within her own family. Every word out of Shyanne’s mouth is a treat just to see how Pfeiffer will launch a sentence at another character but without the melodramatic theatrics that could accompany it in the hands of a lesser performer. She’s cutting without having to ever raise her voice.
Margo’s father, Jinx Millet (Nick Offerman, The Last of Us), hasn’t been around for most of her life. Showing up at inopportune moments with opportunistic gifts was his forté during Margo’s upbringing, so perhaps that’s what it feels like to Shyanne when he emerges from a methadone rehabilitation center to texts from his daughter announcing his grandchild’s existence and immediately shows up to help. He’s an ex professional wrestler and a heroin addict that never knew how to be there for his daughter, so he wasn’t. His life eventually led him to try again, but with a new family, which is a sore spot for Margo — at least according to Shyanne. She’s still bitter about Jinx’s inability to stay in her daughter’s life consistently, and she’s certainly not thrilled about the way Bodhi calms down in his arms and not hers. Pfeiffer and Offerman offer some of the best scenes of the series when they’re together, the two bantering with a chemistry that feels rooted in an old, tense relationship. Offerman gives a tender performance as Jinx watches his grandson get older and his daughter become a mother.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles is less singular than the title suggests, displaying a kaleidoscope of issues that first-time and single mothers face, including hormonal changes and postpartum depression, childcare conundrums, and general anxieties about daily life after having a child. But, true to the title, the show is concerned about Margo’s well-being and her newfound need for cash flow. After losing her waitressing job, and unsure of how to proceed, she begins an Onlyfans account. What starts as her insulting men’s penises moves quickly into a storytelling device in collaboration with other creators on the site where she pretends to be a fictional alien touching down on earth for the first time. She takes suggestive and provocative photos to get the attention of customers on the site, and it quickly improves her monetary situation — to an astounding degree. She begins getting sent money in tips, and starts to be able to fend for herself and maneuver through the world easier, especially now that Jinx has moved in with her and plans to help with Bodhi. For a little while, the most stressful thing in her life is her mom’s relationship with fiancé Kenny (Greg Kinnear), a religious man who brings more to the table when faced with the notion of being a good stepdad.
Across eight episodes, all available for critics to review, David E. Kelley’s newest series paints a portrait of a young woman finding her place in a society built against her progression. It’s difficult enough to find consistent work in the world, but navigating money issues while having someone that depends on you is a different beast entirely. The series never puts too fine a point on its principles, allowing the narrative to speak for itself without ever making grand declarations about the state of childcare in the world, or jumping into sweeping philosophies about motherhood. It’s not concerned with making judgements on how anyone makes their money, but shows an earnest interest in creating a discussion on the gall it takes to build an online empire for oneself. To create something online is to be viewed, dissected, and torn apart.
Margo’s newfound fame comes with its own set of issues, but the series never pushes into surrealism. It’s a grounded story elevated by the entire cast, a book-to-screen adaptation that suits its characters’ growth and doesn’t feel muddled by the amount of episodes or their runtimes. Money Troubles is concerned about the growth and warmth of its characters, it doesn’t waste time in unnecessary plot that doesn’t propel the story. Moving quickly through Margo’s pregnancy allows the story to move through a story done plenty of times, pushing directly into the struggle of newfound motherhood. Newly minted Oscar nominee Fanning does a fantastic job throughout, one of her best performances to date, as a young woman desperate to create something for herself that will help her child. She’s less concerned with legacy and more concerned with the welfare of Bodhi and his future. The family dynamic on the series is tight and endearing, a true inspection of contemporary life when an entire family welcomes a baby.
As the show finds its footing, it then throws Nicole Kidman in for a small guest role as Linda, another professional wrestler that Jinx used to know. She’s also an attorney that, of course, eventually helps Margo with some legal woes later in the season. There’s a wig on Kidman’s head so powerful that it immediately alters her persona to that of an attorney that moonlights as a professional wrestler — to hear her spit out legal jargon in a case is a dream, if only audiences could hear her yell “objection!” She’s fabulous in Money Troubles, and it only gets better when Kidman is scene partners with Fanning and Pfeiffer together. Another wonderful guest star is Marcia Gay Harden as Elizabeth Gable, Mark’s mother, swooping into scenes in Cruella DeVil cosplay, the only character in the entire series with a despicable energy. Without spoiling, there are some delicious scenes between her and Pfieffer, two mothers keen on protecting their adult children.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a delightful series that builds with every passing episode. While it might start a little uneven, the show quickly finds itself and shakes off the jitters to reveal a core of empathy built on great performances. Fanning is a knockout as the titular Margo, embedding a realistic look into a young woman’s struggle to find herself while caring for another. Even without pushing itself into new grounds, Money Troubles finds its biggest strength within its cast of characters and the actors portraying them. Your own troubles might fade as you invest time into Margo and her financial woes.
Grade: B+
Margo’s Got Money Troubles premiered tonight at the 2026 SXSW Film Festival and will begin streaming globally Wednesday, April 15 on Apple TV with the first two episodes, followed by one episode weekly through May 20.
- ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ Season One Review: Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer Momedy Hits the Mark [B+] - March 12, 2026
- ‘Scarpetta’ Season 1 Review: Nicole Kidman and the Case of the Explosion at the Wig Factory [C] - March 10, 2026
- Interview: Shawn Hatosy on Directing ‘The Pitt,’ Camera Choreography, and Being Online - March 5, 2026
‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ Season One Review: Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer Momedy Hits the Mark [B+] 
2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Predicts the Winners – Part Two 
Satellite Awards Winners: ‘Hamnet, ‘Marty Supreme,’ ‘The White Lotus,’ Andor’ and More 
FINAL 2026 Oscar Predictions: BEST ACTOR