“Buddies”

• Creator: David E. Kelley
• Starring: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Nicole Kidman, Thaddea Graham, Marcia Gay Harden, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear, Michael Angarano

Grade: B

Warning: This review of episode 4 of Margo’s Got Money Troubles will contain spoilers.

We’ve arrived at a strange cultural moment when it comes to on-screen representations of sex. On the one hand, there’s so many reports and studies of the younger generation’s aversion to sex scenes. On the other, romance and romantasy novels – of which Margo’s Got Money Troubles is adjacent to at least – are keeping book stores alive, and careers are made from influencers who traffic in the genre. Episode 4 of season 1 sees Margo (Elle Fanning) get her feet wetter in the OnlyFans community, and the further development of its lead trio’s characters.

“The Hungry Ghost, Homecoming, Jinxed”

• Creator: David E. Kelley
• Starring: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Nicole Kidman, Thaddea Graham, Marcia Gay Harden, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear, Michael Angarano

Grade: B+

Warning: This review of episodes 1-3 of Margo’s Got Money Troubles will contain spoilers.

The sad reality of Margo’s Got Money Troubles lies in the fact that, despite some of the outlandishly comedic details, there are hundreds, if not thousands of similar stories from real women across America facing the same predicaments. Perhaps that’s why Rufi Thorpe’s bestselling novel of the same name was so quickly snatched up to be adapted into the star-studded AppleTV+ series. Thorpe’s novel presents an ordinary American family, and an ordinary heroine, whose circumstances, resulting from an unplanned pregnancy, force her to uncomfortable extremes. Regardless of the show’s familiarity or relatability, TV superproducer David E. Kelley provides a showcase for Elle Fanning in perhaps her best performance yet.