‘Palm Royale’ review round-up: Kristen Wiig delivers ‘a virtuoso performance’ in ‘mischievous fun’ Apple TV+ comedy

Vincent Mandile
·3 min read
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On March 20, 2024, Apple TV+ premiered “Palm Royale,” a star-studded new comedy series with Kristen Wiig playing an ambitious woman scheming to secure her seat at America’s most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society circa 1969. Reviews are mixed (it’s currently at 60% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), but viewers are sure to enjoy the ensemble cast that includes Carol Burnett, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Josh Lucas and Ricky Martin (to name a few!). 

“Palm Royale” was created by Abe Sylvia (“George & Tammy”) and is based on the 2018 novel “Mr. & Mrs. American Pie” by Juliet McDaniel. The 10-episode series kicks off with “Maxing Goes to Palm Beach,” written by Sylvia and directed by Tate Taylor. Read our full review round-up below.

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Judy Berman of TIME Magazine notes, “The self-aware soap is an increasingly popular format, and ‘Palm Royale’ adheres to familiar conventions. But showrunner Abe Sylvia (‘Dead to Me’), loosely adapting Juliet McDaniel’s novel ‘Mr. and Mrs. American Pie,’ makes it feel fresh by nailing both the comedy and the melodrama, in a punchy first season that gets weirder with each episode. The cast is similarly well balanced, with actors like Dern and Janney counterweighting comic performers like Wiig, who makes an unhinged social climber lovable, and the legendary Carol Burnett as the funniest convalescent you’ve ever met. You’ll find mild wealth satire if you’re looking for it, but—like an afternoon spent poolside at a club that wouldn’t have you as a member—’Palm Royale’ is best enjoyed as pure, mischievous fun.”

Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times praises the series, stating, “Wiig delivers a virtuoso performance in a role that calls for physical shtick, near-manic mood swings, a song or two, a dance or two and a bounty of perfectly delivered line readings.” Continuing, “The cast is outstanding, with Kaia Gerber showing true promise and Ricky Martin taking what could have been a clichéd role and creating arguably the most sympathetic character in the series. With news clips of Richard M. Nixon explaining why America must remain in Vietnam often playing in the background, ‘Palm Royale’ slips in a healthy serving of social commentary, reminding us that this was a time when abortion was a crime (ahem), when young men who were not privileged were being shipped off to fight an untenable war, when women were expected to know their place.”

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Laura Babiak of Observer says, “This story of social climbing in 1969 America has all the components of a savvy, snappy new series, from its A-list stars to its exquisite period production, but it ends up a bloated mess with a major identity crisis.” Concluding, “When the series dips its toes into soapier waters, such as Linda’s (Laura Dern) relationship with her father (played by Bruce Dern) or the local gossip columnist’s intense attention on Maxine, it feels like a waste.”

Angie Han of Hollywood Reporter writes, “the eye-popping style is as good as the show gets; the fun ends where the surface does. While there’s plenty going on in ‘Palm Royale,’ including back-stabbings, torrid affairs and attempted murders, there’s precious little true substance lurking beneath its candy shell. ” Adding, “A huge part of Palm Royale‘s draw is its star-studded cast. And the actors certainly come to play: Wiig brings an off-kilter intensity to Maxine’s Barbie-perfect looks and pageant-ready smiles, so that no matter how hard Maxine works to blend in she cannot help but stick out. Janney could play ‘imposing matriarch’ in her sleep, but that makes it no less entertaining to watch her swan around in caftans while cutting Laura Dern’s feminist Linda down to size. ”

 

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