Loveless marriages, illicit affairs, shady business dealings, hidden agendas, heavy drinking, and general unhappiness — the telltale signs of a juicy series about insufferable rich people and the bad things they do.
Apple TV+’s latest series has all of that plus a gorgeous 1960s aesthetic.
Palm Royale, a 10-part dramedy from showrunner Abe Sylvia (George & Tammy), is loosely based on Juliet McDaniel’s 2018 novel Mr. & Mrs. American Pie. The stylish satire boasts a star-studded cast led by Kristen Wiig and Laura Dern, executive producers along with Sylvia, who shares directing credits with Tate Taylor (The Help), Stephanie Laing (Physical), and Claire Scanlon (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt).
It’s the summer of 1969 and Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) is hellbent on becoming a Palm Beach socialite. The blonde Tennessee pageant queen explains in narration that she and her pilot husband Douglas (Josh Lucas) recently moved to his native Palm Beach, Florida, while his elderly aunt, Norma Dellacorte (the legendary Carol Burnett), is currently incapacitated after suffering an embolism.
Appearance-wise, Maxine mostly fits in amongst the wealthy ladies of Palm Beach and she religiously reads the Shiny Sheet, the local newspaper for gossip that executive producer Jayme Lemons (Enlightened) likened to Instagram. After she scales a wall to the exclusive Palm Royale Country Club, she tries and fails to make a positive impression. Evelyn Rollins (Allison Janney) has assumed the role of queen bee while Norma, the matriarch, remains unresponsive. Joining her for poolside cocktails are the other mean girls — Dinah (Leslie Bibb), Mary (Julia Duffy), and Raquel (Claudia Ferri).
Set against the backdrop of ’60s-era politics, the series touches on the Vietnam War, the draft, women’s rights, and landing on the moon. While the socialites obsess over charity galas and shopping, Nixon is often seen on TV in the background. They live in this strange version of reality where world issues don’t affect them, and although they appear confident and carefree, they are all in fear of losing everything at any moment. Even though they act like she’s an inferior nuisance, the ladies are clearly threatened by Maxine’s presence.
Her first encounter with them at the club doesn’t go well and she still manages to make a faux pas significant enough to get caught by bartender Robert (Ricky Martin), whom she later learns is Norma’s caretaker/friend, for pretending to be a member. And because Norma is wealthy, they’re suspicious of each other’s true motives. Because of Martin’s fantastic performance, Robert holds a lot of the heart of the show. As someone in the service industry, be it mixing cocktails or administering medicine, he’s also an outsider among the elite. He has secrets of his own and that same desperation to belong, except he’s much more lowkey about it.
Maxine only meets a few seemingly genuine people including her young and naive manicurist Mitzi (Kaia Gerber) and Linda (Laura Dern), who is proudly “dedicated to raising the collective consciousness of the global sisterhood,” and runs a feminist bookstore in West Palm Beach with fellow activist Virginia (Amber Chardae Robinson). The sisterhood of patrons sees how willfully oblivious Maxine is to current social issues, particularly women’s rights, making for some of the funniest scenes in the series. Linda isn’t new to the ridiculousness of high society and as Maxine continuously comes to her for help, she asks the question we’re all asking: “Why do you wanna be where you’re not wanted?”
The cast is made up of legendary actors who know how to play dark comedy well, making the main characters anything but one-note. Evelyn, Dinah, and Mary all show the conflicting aspects of their personalities and true selves (Raquel doesn’t get as much development, unfortunately).
I would’ve loved more time with Virginia but her mysterious past left me intrigued. Speaking about her character, Robinson noted that Virginia “was living in a reality that really showed what was going on. She’s dealing with being a fish out of water in this place and time and navigating that.”
We’re with Maxine most of the time, so we think we have a solid understanding of her character by the end of the first episode. But we quickly learn that she’s… a lot of things. Wiig nails the part, perfectly portraying Maxine’s relentless optimism and aggressive friendliness while also showing the underlying yearning that drives her often unhinged behavior. For the most part, Maxine is unfazed by their casual cruelty and continues to smile her way through painful interactions. Dinah even flat-out tells her, “You’re very good at making things awkward.” She truly is.
Blending the sleek look of an Apple TV+ production and the distinctive aesthetic of late 1960s high society, Palm Royale’s hair, wardrobe, and production design are unsurprisingly incredible. Every mansion has a gorgeous interior and the Dellacorte dwelling is a personal favorite. Even though we’re in Florida, Norma’s home is very old Hollywood, filled with various trinkets and artworks collected from her travels.
Production designer Jon Carlos and set decorator Ellen Reede, both of whom worked on Westworld and Hacks, were inspired by the iconic photography of Slim Aarons that documented the idyllic, decidedly isolated lives of wealthy elites. The vibrant colors of every set — lots of pinks, teals, oranges — maintain perpetual sun-drenched vacation vibes. Carlos and Reede also collaborated with costume designer Alix Friedberg (Sharp Objects, Big Little Lies) on the visual narrative. Character styles range from bohemian to tenniscore, and there’s an abundance of maxi dresses, floral prints, and oh so many kaftans.
Palm Royale is a darkly funny dramedy with deliciously stunning visuals, glamorous fashion, wicked humor, and characters as layered as its mysteries. Along with an award-winning cast of comedic talent, Wiig is the perfect interloping heroine, showing off her penchant for physical comedy and emotional nuance in genuinely heartbreaking moments. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll want to go on vacation.
Palm Royale premieres its first three episodes March 20 on Apple TV+, followed by weekly episodes every Wednesday through May 8.
