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This review was made possible by early screeners of Palm Royale. Palm Royale premieres on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, March 20th, 2024.
Palm Royale is Apple TV’s latest series set to premiere March 20th with a special three-episode release. The show is created by Abe Sylvia (Dead To Me, The Eyes of Tammy Faye) and enlists a heavy-hitting cast. Kristin Wiig, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Laura Dern, Leslie Bibb, and Allison Janney star in this “underdog” tale of a girl just trying to find her way amongst the elites of Palm Royale in 1969.
FROM RAGS TO RICHES
Maxine (Wiig) shows up to this world of rich elitists with high hopes and outdated attire as she attempts to find her place within the social hierarchy. Her husband Douglas (Lucas) is an airline pilot who hopes to be able to return because, as it turns out, they are there to see to it that his Aunt Norma (Carol Burnett) passes away. Leaving him as her only living relative with a hefty inheritance. Not all is as it seems as Maxine must play a social Game of Thrones as the outcast against players such as Dinah (Bibb), Evelyn (Janney), Robert (Martin) and others are out to get to the bottom of what she really is up to.
I was initially excited about this series. In addition to Apple’s recent success in delivering top tier series, the star-studded cast promised a lot of intrigue. What I was left with, however, was a show that was uncertain of its identity in the first few episodes, leading to a messy tone and a struggle to bring us in. Admittedly, I may not have been the target audience for this show, which is also okay. While it takes three episodes for the show to find its groove, some interesting plot devices and characters exist.
Laura Dern delivers a strong performance as Linda Shaw, a “hippie” who is out for Women’s Rights, anti-war, and overall free spirit. Another pleasant surprise was seeing Kristin Wig play a more serious role as a Southern Belle, attempting to climb the social ladder in this foreign land. She delivers the lovable and endearing character we expect her to play while also making us loathe her character at points in the story. Lastly, Ricky Martin’s return to a series was a pleasant surprise as he plays a Korean War Veteran turned jack of trades in this elite establishment. His character may have been my favorite in the series.
MESSY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
While this series was tonally all over the place and generally a mess, I do see how someone might enjoy it. If you enjoy the rich eating one another in cutthroat ways, multiple plot threads introduced throughout the show, and speaking with whales (you’ll see), then this one may be for you. Plus, good news it has been renewed for a Season Two! Make your own opinion and go in with an open mind.
Rating: 6.5/10
Palm Royale releases on Apple TV+ on March 20th with a special three-episode premiere. Check out the trailer below!
