Move over Netflix. Nike just premiered its own fitness-centric original series, Margot vs. Lily. At first glance, it seems curious that a company known for its athletic apparel would venture into Orange Is the New Black territory. But after getting a sneak peak of four episodes (you can check out the first one below), we were surprised by how much we liked it.
The series tells the story of polar-opposite sisters: Margot, a socially awkward fitness vlogger, and Lily, a social butterfly who has no idea what a WOD is. In a classic sibling rivalry, each challenges the other to spend time in her shoes (maybe even literally—Nike is behind this, after all.) Margot is tasked with making more friends, and Lily has to start her own fitness channel.
At times, the costuming on the show feels a tad unrealistic. Margot and her dad wear head-to-toe Nike apparel (product placement!) throughout much of the first episode. But the super relatable characters and cheeky jokes make this show worth watching. Most of us have at least one friend who can't stop talking about their latest sweat sesh and another who can't think of anything more terrifying than a burpee.
Photo: Nike
We love that neither character is perfect. Margot's uber-regimented fitness routine isolates her socially, a bold comment coming from an athletic brand. And even though Lily is constantly surrounded by friends, she's not exactly sure who she is and needs some serious motivation after losing her job. Even if you fall somewhere in between the two girls, you'll laugh along as Margot tries her hand at social interaction and Lily discovers the true struggle of next-day soreness (stay tuned for a hilarious scene of her flailing on an exercise mat). That's the whole point behind Nike Women's #BetterForIt campaign: Fitness is never an easy journey—whether you're an athlete or an average joe—but you're always better for it in the end.
The series comes with top-notch production that reminds us of everything we have sitting in our Netflix queue. Nike teamed up with Jesse Andrews, the screenwriter behind Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and Tricia Brock, a Hollywood regular who has directed episodes of Girls and The Walking Dead. Thanks to these pros, the characters have real depth—you see them change, and they'll even surprise you over the course of the eight-episode series.
The show doesn't come with the cliff-hangers that make us want to binge watch (plus that's hard to do with Nike releasing one episode every Monday for the next two months). Still, we definitely want to find out how the series ends, and give Nike a thumbs-up for this very real portrayal of the highs and lows of fitness that we know all too well.
Check out the first episode below:
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