This article includes discussions of drug overdose and MAJOR SPOILERS for Margo’s Got Money Troubles season 1!
Apple TV’s adaptation of Margo’s Got Money Troubles makes many changes to Rufi Thorpe’s bestselling book, most of which enhance the storytelling that already existed in the book. Margo’s Got Money Troubles is one of the most recent book-to-adaptation release timelines I’ve seen in a long time, with the TV show coming out just two years after the novel hit bookshelves. That fast turnaround time could have been a bad sign, as developing a book into a show can take years. However, the Apple TV original comedy understood the assignment.
The cast of Margo’s Got Money Troubles brought very complicated and messy characters to life, and their story in the TV show is just as hilarious as that of the book. However, the creative team didn’t make Margo’s Got Money Troubles a one-to-one adaptation. According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Rufi Thorpe fully intended to give them full creative control over the show. Her only request, when asked about her fears, was that they not forget the baby. With that freedom, Margo’s Got Money Troubles made big changes to the book that enhanced character arcs.
Because Margo’s Got Money Troubles was unexpectedly renewed for season 2 at Prime Video (via Deadline), it’s possible that some changes, like Jinx’s recovery journey after relapse, will be explored more next season. I’m also extremely hopeful that they introduce JB next season, since they cut him from the first season.
Shyanne Is Less Abrasive From The Start
Based on the debut episodes of Margo’s Got Money Troubles, I’m convinced that the showrunner and writers want to make Michelle Pfeiffer’s Shyanne a more empathetic person onscreen. The character is pretty detestable in the book. While she isn’t particularly likable, Shyanne at least seems like she cares about Margo’s well-being. This is shown in two key moments.
Firstly, she doesn’t punch a nurse and get kicked out while Margo is in the hospital giving birth. The book moment that was supposed to come across as protective just came across as unnecessarily aggressive and selfish. Her daughter needed her. However, she makes sure she’s there in the show.
Secondly, she gets mad at Jinx for becoming Margo’s roommate, instead of recommending it. Whether she’s right or not, her argument with Jinx comes from a place of genuine care. She makes a good point that Margo is a young mother raising a baby, and Margo doesn’t need the stress of caring for another person.
Susie Is A Massive Fan Of Jinx & Pro Wrestling
In the Margo’s Got Money Troubles book, Susie has absolutely no idea who Jinx is when he first arrives at her and Margo’s apartment. She is open to learning about professional wrestling, as she thinks it’s similar to cosplay. By the end of the book, she’s super into pro wrestling. This is completely changed in the TV show.
Before Jinx ever shows up at Margo’s apartment in Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Susie already loves professional wrestling, and she watches it almost every day. She’s obsessed with Jinx’s wrestling persona, even copying the most notable moves from his performing days. Margo keeps the fact that Jinx is her father a secret from Susie, so Susie gets excited when Jinx shows up.
This achieves a few big goals in the TV adaptation of Margo’s Got Money Troubles. It gives Susie a reason to be okay with Jinx becoming their roommate. It really never made sense why she was just so chill with him moving in early in the book. As a fan, she would want to be around him more.
On top of that, Jinx states that he needs to stay with Margo instead of getting his own place because he needs someone to perform sanity for. With his daughter around, Jinx has a stabilizing figure. However, Susie being a fan challenges him because it’s a constant reminder of the period of life during which he abused drugs.
Margo Is Much Less Naive In Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles
In Rufi Thorpe’s book, Margo is a character who feels like she’s simultaneously smart and extremely naive. She likes to read and write, and she has a great imagination. Then, her creepy professor grooms her into thinking that she’s somehow more mature and intelligent than her peers.
After having Bodhi, she quickly learns that she knows next to nothing about life, money, power, parenting, etc. She also doesn’t have any idea what OnlyFans is or how it works. This is pretty common knowledge at this point, making her seem like she’s truly a child. In Apple TV’s show, Margo is much less sheltered and naive. She seems at least slightly aware of the fact that she isn’t the smartest person in the room, though her professor’s flattery still works.
Margo is a little more aware that parenting will be tough, but she is just, overall, underprepared for the harsh reality of single parenthood. Plus, she at least knows what OnlyFans is. This makes it feel less weird for her to jump right into the adult content website. Ultimately, her intelligence and ignorance coexist, balancing on a thin line. This makes Margo a perfect representative of young adult life.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles Shows Jinx In His Treatment Program
Jinx isn’t shown in Rufi Thorpe’s book until he shows up at Margo’s front door. We learn through exposition about his addiction, rock bottom, and rehab. This worked in the novel, which zoomed in specifically on Margo’s limited point of view. However, there’s more flexibility with the TV show, allowing for moments that Margo wouldn’t know about.
The most important addition is Jinx’s rehab treatment for opioid use disorder, which we actually get to see. He’s shown boxing in the gym as an emotional outlet, and a counselor gives him advice about his sobriety. These scenes help make the Margo’s Got Money Troubles character from the book easier to connect with.
Without that context, it is difficult to know what’s real and what isn’t. Speaking from a non-judgmental position, his illness makes him lie and cheat just to get his substance of choice. It was hard to know how honest he was being with himself and others about his rehab.
It frequently felt like Jinx was often deflecting from his emotions and the true struggles of addiction. He states facts as if he has no emotional experience with his substance abuse. However, Nick Offerman gives Jinx authenticity and emotion that’s hard to watch but also really moving.
Mark Meets Bodhi In The Apple TV Show
In Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Mark refuses to meet his son until after litigation. In fact, the NDA explicitly states that she cannot even contact him, making it impossible for her to introduce Mark to his son. The moment that he meets Bodhi, he absolutely adores him.
The fact that Mark hasn’t even met Bodhi makes it all the more confusing that he pushes for full custody with no visitation for Margo. He doesn’t even know his son. However, Margo introduces Bodhi to Mark when she goes to demand money from him.
Mark is absolutely enthralled by Bodhi, even if he thinks it was a mistake for Margo to have him. This enthusiasm for his son makes it a little less weird and weasel-y that he tries to take Bodhi away after making her sign that NDA.
It at least makes a little more sense that he would care about the child. Bodhi’s physical presence in front of Marke makes the child all the more real, rather than just an idea in his head. He actually has something to protect and care for. Mind you, he’s still a scumbag, but he’s slightly less malicious in the process.
The Agreement Between Mark’s Mom & Margo Doesn’t Include Any Money Upfront
In Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe, Margo signs a contract which gives her a $10,000 lump sum of money immediately and a $50,000 trust for Bodhi when he turns 18. In exchange, she cannot discuss the baby’s paternity, attend Fullerton College, or contact Mark or his family.
This at least gives her a nest egg to work with while she figures out what she’s going to do for work. Mind you, that doesn’t go a long way, as babies are expensive. Plus, childcare is difficult to find, let alone afford. However, it is at least something.
The TV show changes this in a big way. Margo gets nothing up front and is held to those same rules. However, when Bodhi turns 18, he will get approximately $250,000. The offer is virtually impossible to deny because it will give her son financial security in the future.
However, it also means that her need for a job is imminent. She cannot take the time to figure things out since she has no money to pay for rent, food, or anything related to Bodhi. There’s a ticking clock. This makes it all the more understandable that she doesn’t consider the pros and cons of the job before she jumps into OnlyFans in Margo’s Got Money Troubles.
Jinx & Margo Go To A Wrestling Convention
Margo’s Got Money Troubles features a wrestling convention that didn’t exist in Rufi Thorpe’s book. Jinx has no reason to attend a wrestling convention in the original story, as he has completely cut himself off from his former career due to concerns about relapsing. He explains to Margo that substance abuse is extremely common among wrestlers because of the injuries.
However, the TV show introduces this convention for a few big reasons. Firstly, Margo also doesn’t really know Jinx, and this event gives her the opportunity to really experience him in his element. He pretty easily slips back into the wrestling world, and Margo loves seeing what he was like before. It’s a true moment of bonding that deepens their connection.
Additionally, the convention introduces the theatricality and choreography of wrestling. They mention this often in the book, as Margo uses this narrative approach to promote her OnlyFans. However, the scene provides viewers with a tangible reference point so they can understand what’s happening, regardless of their background knowledge of wrestling.
Most importantly, it is a way to introduce Nicole Kidman’s character, Lace, who will play an important role in the second half of the series.
The Lawyer From Rufi Thorpe’s Book Is One Of Jinx’s Former Wrestling Buddies In The Show
When they announced the cast of Margo’s Got Money Troubles, they confirmed that Nicole Kidman, one of the executive producers, would play the role of Lace. They described her as a former wrestling buddy of Jinx. However, they collapse the new character with an existing one from the book.
In Rufi Thorpe’s novel, Margo hires a custody lawyer named Michael T. Ward to help her fight for custody after Mark hits Jinx with a restraining order and serves Margo with custody papers. Though she’s skeptical about the amount of money it will cost, she does it because she loves her son.
Michael helps her through the legal case every step of the way, providing her with crucial legal counsel. Lace will take on this role in the TV show. The shared history between Jinx and Lace will make Margo’s relationship with the lawyer much warmer and give her more incentive to fight for her. This isn’t just a complete stranger. It’s, for all intents and purposes, a friend.
Jinx Physically Harms Mark Instead Of Threatening Him
Based on the book alone, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is not an Apple TV show anyone could miss. However, the series raises the stakes, and episode 4 is proof of that. In the book, Jinx calls Mark after discovering who Bodhi’s father is. He threatens to physically harm Mark, and Mark responds by getting a restraining order against Jinx and painting him as violent during the child custody mediation. I’m not saying threatening bodily harm is a great thing by any means, but the book’s version of events isn’t nearly as impactful as the TV incident.
Instead of calling Mark to threaten him, he shows up at Mark’s office. He introduces himself, and Mark doesn’t seem to immediately pick up on who Jinx is. However, he realizes after Jinx reaches in for a handshake and squeezes tightly. He reiterates his last name and mentions Mark’s hypothetical son. A look of fear and then pain washes over Mark’s face as Jinx breaks his hand.
This makes it more understandable if Mark ends up painting him as aggressive in the Apple TV comedy. Additionally, it is a much more understandable reaction for someone who has a tendency towards aggression and protectiveness of his daughter. That doesn’t make it right, but it does make it a logical series of events in Margo’s Got Money Troubles episode 4.
Kenny Is Neurotic But Caring In Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Kenny is one of the most unlikable and frustrating characters in Rufi Thorpe’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles. He lets his piety rule everybody else’s life. He thinks he’s “progressive” because he doesn’t ostracize Margo for having a baby out of wedlock. That doesn’t change how deeply bigoted he comes across in writing.
A large part of that comes from the fact that he has virtually no redeeming qualities. He feels more like a caricature than an actual character. He likes spicy food. He encourages Shyanne to volunteer. He got a crib for Bodhi. However, that’s the most character development that Kenny has. Luckily, Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Trouble changes this.
Kenny actually feels like a real person in the TV show, rather than a flat caricature of a religious person. He’s neurotic and anxious, but he’s willing to reflect on where he went wrong. The perfect example of this is Kenny recognizing that he should have been a little more flexible about the magic show.
What’s more, Kenny also expresses genuine affection for Margo. It doesn’t feel like he’s constantly judging her. Instead, he even points out that he is marrying into the family, not just marrying Shyanne. He offers to be there for her in any way she needs him to.