by Chantal Ashford, Contributing Writer
Palm Royale is a new dramedy series starring Kristen Wiig. The show follows the journey of Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons (Wiig), an outsider who aspires to be part of the elite Palm Royale club. Despite the seemingly glamorous life, Maxine soon realizes that maintaining this lifestyle is no walk in the park.
Maxine, a character we can all find a piece of ourselves in, hilariously grapples with the desire to fit in and be accepted by the ladies of the Palm Royale. She spends money she doesn’t have on expensive outfits, a struggle many of us can understand. The former beauty queen is willing to go to extreme lengths to join the elite, even if it means stealing from her comatose rich aunt-in-law. With her not-so-oblivious husband by her side getting into his own share of trouble, Maxine’s determination is unwavering, making her a character we can all root for.
One of the standout features of Palm Royale is its engaging storytelling. The series is brought to life by a star-studded cast, from Academy Award winners Laura Dern and Allison Janney, to comedic icon Carol Burnett and, the multi-talented Ricky Martin. The beautiful 1960s Palm Beach setting, the stylish costumes, and the theatrical storytelling all contribute to a series that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The series gets off the ground running when Maxine is introduced by gracefully scaling the club’s wall to make her way inside to be “noticed.” But it isn’t long before the woman is out on the curb before one car accident changed everything.
The first season of Palm Royale is a rollercoaster ride of unexpected twists and turns. From a murder mystery to an imposter, a moon landing, and even a whale (you must wait until Episode Eight), the series keeps you on your toes with its random subplots. Each episode is a new surprise, and I was happy with every recap, which reminded me which plot line we were dealing with for the following episode.
Wiig’s performance as Maxine feels like an SNL character coming to life, but she is brought to life with emotional depth as she becomes likable. You want to see Maxine succeed even when she is not the innocent person herself. Even though there are those who are supposed to be her friends, they still see her as an outsider. Maxine trying to fit in isn’t easy; in the end, she still struggles. With her ups and downs, she still laughs and does what she feels is right.
While it may not be consistent throughout, this element of surprise kept me hooked, even through the somewhat lackluster season finale.
In the finale, “Maxine Throws a Party,” we see the moment that Maxine is waiting for, and as expected, everything goes wrong, leaving us on a cliffhanger. A second season? While there isn’t any news of a new season yet, I’m hopeful for a chance to delve deeper into Maxine’s world and not be left with a sudden end.
Rating: Liked It
Palm Royale is currently streaming on AppleTV+
You can read more from Chantal Ashford, and follow her on Twitter or Letterboxd