Palm Royale season 1 recap: Everything to know before season 2 airs

If high-society satire, old-money extravagance, and scandalous secrets are your guilty pleasures, Palm Royale season 1 on Apple TV+ offered them in sparkling excess. Created by Abe Sylvia and based on Juliet McDaniel’s Mr. and Mrs. American Pie, the ten-episode comedy-drama follows Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig), a former beauty queen determined to infiltrate the posh world of Palm Beach’s elite. 

As Season 2 approaches, let’s revisit the outrageous twists, betrayals, and cliffhangers that left us gasping for more.

Maxine’s grand ascent and the web of deceit

At the start of Palm Royale season 1, Maxine and her husband, Douglas Dellacorte (Josh Lucas), arrive in Palm Beach with dreams of inheriting the wealth of Douglas’s ailing aunt, Norma Dellacorte (Carol Burnett). When Norma slips into a coma, Maxine seizes the moment to pass herself off as Palm Beach royalty. With charm, audacity, and a few stolen heirlooms, she muscles her way into the exclusive Palm Royale club, the heart of old-money society.

But her bid for acceptance isn’t easy. Evelyn Rollins (Allison Janney), Dinah (Leslie Bibb), Mary (Julia Duffy), and Raquel (Claudia Ferri) rule the roost with sharp tongues and sharper claws. Maxine fakes friendships, sells off family treasures, and manipulates anyone who stands in her way. Her desperation culminates in a disastrous charity auction where she bids $75,000 she doesn’t have, but luck, and a timely endorsement from activist Linda (Laura Dern), finally secures her a place among the Palm Royale elite.

As Maxine’s facade grows, so do the secrets around her. She learns that Norma’s wealth isn’t guaranteed, that her husband’s loyalty is wavering, and that the Palm Royale women are just as desperate as she is to cling to relevance. Meanwhile, Robert (Ricky Martin), Norma’s loyal caretaker, becomes both her ally and her conscience, even as he hides secrets of his own. The midseason episodes unravel the tangled relationships between Maxine, Douglas, and Linda, revealing that Linda was once Douglas’s fiancée and the keeper of a dark family cover-up involving her father’s death. By the time Maxine ascends the social ladder, she’s knee-deep in deception, and the real Norma is waking up.

Palm Royale Season 1 ending explained: The beach ball chaos and the shocking finale

The finale of Palm Royale season 1, titled Maxine Throws a Party, shows Maxine finally hosting the legendary Beach Ball, co-chairing with her rival Evelyn while Norma lurks in the background, fully recovered and plotting revenge. The event is attended by astronauts, con artists, and even President Nixon — a perfect stage for disaster. Norma’s sinister manipulations hit a peak when she convinces Mitzi (Kaia Gerber) to reveal she’s pregnant with Douglas’s child. As Maxine performs a teary rendition of Peggy Lee’s “Is That All There Is?” — the show’s haunting anthem — she spots her husband and Mitzi whispering in the crowd. The heartbreak triggers an explosive breakdown, with Maxine roasting Palm Beach’s hypocrites mid-song in what might be Wiig’s finest performance of the series.

Meanwhile, Robert uncovers the season’s wildest twist: Norma is not who she claims to be. The real Norma Dellacorte died decades ago, and her diabetic roommate, Agnes, assumed her identity — explaining both her mysterious past and murderous tendencies. Before Robert can expose her, an assassination attempt gone wrong leaves him shot during the chaos. The season cuts to black as Maxine sobs over his body, leaving viewers dangling on multiple cliffhangers — Is Robert alive? Will Linda take the fall? And can Maxine survive her own web of lies?

Palm Royale season 1 may not have tied up its sprawling threads, but its finale delivered pure, glossy chaos worthy of Palm Beach’s glittering excess. The premiere episode of the upcoming season will be released exclusively on Apple TV+ on November 12, 2025, at 9 pm PT/12 am ET in the United States.