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The new Apple TV+ miniseries, Palm Royale, premiered its first three episodes on March 20, after great anticipation created on social media.
The series stars the actress Kristen Wiig, known for being one of the female faces of comedy for a few decades, having already been part of the cast of the important TV show known for its sketches and participation of famous artists, Saturday Night Live, in addition to acting in films such as Bridesmaids (A Best Bachelorette Party) to criminal masterminds.
Find out more about the plot, cast and what we think of the series below.
History
Based on the book by American author Juliet McDaniel, Mr. and Mrs. American Pie, the story of the series is told based on the experiences of the actress’ character Kristen Wiig (Maxine Simmons), who, upon moving to Palm Beach, tries to join the “most exclusive club in the world”, Palm Royale. This proves to be a difficult task, as the club so far only has upper-class and influential members, very different from the humble character.
The drama, however, is not just about the character's attempts to be accepted, but also about the games of betrayal, intrigue and deceit that make up the high society elite. It also deals with how Maxine deals with all of this when she realizes that her world of ambition is nothing like it appears to be from the outside.
All of this is set in 1969 at an important time in history, that is, while the United States was going through a time of historic change and the world outside the Palm Royale was preoccupied with the Vietnam War.
Cast
Kristen Wiig
Having already consolidated her career as a comedian, the actress has been venturing into roles outside her comfort zone, seeking new challenges with roles such as a leopard woman in the film Wonder Woman 1984 and now as Maxine Simmons in the drama Palm Royale.
Allison Janney
Allison has been a recurring figure on screen and in film for many years, having been awarded an Oscar for best supporting actress for her role as LaVona Harding in the film me, Tonya. In the series she plays Evelyn, one of the most influential names in Palm Royale, the “queen” who fears losing her throne and does everything to prevent that from happening.
Carol Burnett
The actress had several self-titled shows on American TV when she was younger, and has since become a legendary actress. In the series she plays Norma D'ellacourt, the matriarch of the club's society and Maxine's embolized aunt.
Josh Lucas
Known for playing Dylan Johns in the film Poseidon and Don Haskins in Road to Glory. In the series he plays Douglas D'ellacourt, Norma's nephew and Maxine's husband, with whom he begins to spend his aunt's fortune while she is embolized.
Ricky Martin
Singer and icon of the 80s/90s, he became known for participating in the musical group Menudo of the 80s, before embarking on a solo career. As an actor, he participated in some episodes of series such as Glee, General Hospital and more. In the series he plays Robert, one of the waiters at the Palm Royale who hides many secrets – one of his biggest roles to date.
Laura Dern
Winner of prestigious awards such as Oscar and Emmy, Laura has participated in high-grossing films such as Jurassic Park , Little women e Star Wars, as well as popular series such as Big Little Lies. In the series she plays Linda, a progressive and down-to-earth feminist, despite being from a wealthy family.
Leslie Bibb
Actress known for roles such as Alicia Billington in the film Becky Bloom's Consumer Delusions and Viv in the series American Housewife. She plays Dinah in the series, one of the women from Palm Royale society who tries to become the “queen” of the club.
Kaia Gerber
Daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, Kaia got her start in the professional world acting as a model and has done a great job growing her portfolio as an actress in recent years, having been cast in films such as Fight Club for Girls e Babel.
In Palm Royale she plays Mitzi, a manicurist with aspirations of becoming a model who ends up connecting with Maxine at the salon where she works.
main highlights
We watched the first three episodes of the series and so far we can say that it does a great job of creating a plot with characters that don't resort to frivolous dramas or low blows that demonstrate immaturity. Despite the intrigues, the characters are well resolved in their steps to get what they want, with the exception, sometimes, of Maxine.
The series follows a fast pace that does not allow for great moments of tension: things tend to be resolved quickly, sometimes even too quickly, with details only given in future episodes, which can be frustrating.
Kristen Wiig's comedic streak was put to use in this series, since, despite it not being a comedy, the character brings this trait with her in almost every scene. The series was a masterful choice at this point in the actress' career, allowing her to gradually explore a more dramatic side, without completely losing connection with her comedic mastery.
Allison Janney's performance was magnificent as usual, she delivers her lines simply, without much exaggeration, but extremely convincing. It's easy to understand why she was chosen to play the 'queen' of the Palm Royale.
Laura Dern does a great job as Linda, her chemistry in the scene with Kristen is certainly a highlight, often acting as the voice of reason for Maxine, who tends to escape reality easily.
Carol Barnett does a great job of showing why she is a legend. Most of her acting was on a unconscious bed, but it's surprising what she manages to deliver in such a short time.
Technical aspects
The series had episodes directed by Abe Sylvia, Stephanie Laing and Tate Taylor. Discover more of their work below:
abe sylvia
Abe is known for having directed episodes of series such as Nurse Jackie e Dead to Me, in addition to films such as Dirty Girl, starring Juno Temple. In this project, he directed 3 episodes in total.
Stephanie Laing
Stephanie has directed episodes of the series Physical, Made for Love e Couple Life. In the Palm Royale series, he was responsible for directing 2 episodes.
Tate Taylor
Tate has directed series such as Grace and Frankie e Filthy Rich, in addition to films such as The Girl on the Train e Cross Stories. In the series Palm Royale, he directed 2 episodes.
Conclusion
Every scene in the series is a surprise. You never know what will happen or what will be revealed in each dialogue. Important information is said at unexpected times, so it is really necessary to pay attention so as not to miss any information.
The series has a fast pace — perhaps because this is increasingly required by the public due to the popularization of short videos — but the story is intriguing and encourages you to keep watching. However, the biggest question in the series is whether Maxine will lose her sense of compassion and good girl attitude at the end, becoming colder and more calculating like the other women of Palm Royale, or not.
Ricky Martin has so far done a good job as an actor and we can't wait to find out how he does as the character develops in the plot, as until now there hasn't been enough depth to show his skills.
It's a series worth following, as long as you don't have high expectations. After all, despite being mostly well executed, it remains a story told quickly to please a society with low attention span about a woman who wants to be accepted into an elite club.
Where to watch
The first three episodes of the series are now available on Apple TV + and new episodes will be released on the platform every Wednesday until March 8th.
Have you watched the series? Tell us what you think so far in the comments below!
See also other features
reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 21 / 3 / 24.
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