New Apple TV+ series ‘Palm Royale’ is carried by its campy sense of humor
Kristen Wiig stars in “Palm Royale,” premiering March 20, 2024 on Apple TV+.
“Palm Royale” is a true underdog story that follows Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) as she endeavors to break into Palm Beach high society. As Maxine attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, “Palm Royale” asks the same question that still baffles us today: “How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice to get what someone else has?” Set during the powder keg year of 1969, “Palm Royale” is a testament to every outsider fighting for their chance to truly belong.
Loosely based on the novel “Mr. and Mrs. American Pie” by Juliet McDaniel and produced for Apple TV+ by Apple Studios, “Palm Royale” is written, executive produced and showrun by Abe Sylvia for Aunt Sylvia’s Moving Picture Company, executive produced by Laura Dern and Jayme Lemons for Jaywalker Pictures, Wiig, Katie O’Connell Marsh, Tate Taylor and John Norris for Wyolah Films, Sharr White, Sheri Holman and Boat Rocker. The series is directed by Taylor, Sylvia, Claire Scanlon and Stephanie Laing.
Kristen Wiig is best known as a comedic performer, but she’s proved her dramatic skills in indie films like The Skeleton Twins and Welcome to Me. That means it’s not entirely surprising to see her leading an Apple TV+ drama series, even if her exaggerated outfits and hairstyles as Maxine Simmons in Palm Royale suggest a character who’s at least slightly ridiculous. Palm Royale is much less comedic than people might expect from Saturday Night Live alum Wiig, but it has a campy sense of humor that carries it.
What Palm Royale resembles is the golden age of the network nighttime soap opera, from Desperate Housewives back to the original Dallas and Dynasty…
It’s a sunny, silly soap opera, and it’s most entertaining when it leans into those aspects. If it had aired in 2003, it would probably have been a runaway hit. Many modern Apple TV+ viewers may not know what to make of it, but anyone who appreciates the surprising wit and intelligence of shows like Revenge or the original Gossip Girl will find plenty to enjoy in Palm Royale.
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