The finale was a total bloodbath. Literally. When that gun went off at the end of the first season, it didn't just signal a cliffhanger; it basically blew up the entire social hierarchy of 1969 Palm Beach. Now, everyone is buzzing about Palm Royale Season 2, and honestly, the stakes couldn't be higher for Maxine Simmons.
Apple TV+ didn't make us wait long for the green light. They renewed the show back in June 2024, which makes sense because people were obsessed with the costumes, the camp, and that wild, polyester-drenched drama. It’s one of those rare shows that feels like a fever dream but also a very sharp critique of how far people will go to belong.
If you're looking for a premiere date, keep your expectations grounded. While filming is underway, we are likely looking at a 2025 release. TV production is a slow grind. Especially for a show this glossy.
What Actually Happens Next in Palm Royale Season 2?
Remember where we left off? It was chaos. Mary shot the astronaut, Douglas is a mess, and Maxine is standing there watching her world crumble just as she thought she finally "made it." The creator, Abe Sylvia, has hinted that the second season will deal with the "hangover" of that finale. It’s not just about the party anymore. It’s about the consequences.
Maxine has spent the whole first season trying to get into the club. Now she's in, but the club itself is burning down.
The Cast is Growing (and Staying Iconic)
Kristen Wiig is obviously coming back. You can't have the show without her manic energy and those incredible floral prints. But the big news is the returning heavy hitters and the new faces.
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- Allison Janney as Evelyn Rollins is a must. Her performance as the gatekeeper of Palm Beach was masterclass level.
- Ricky Martin is expected to return as Robert, though his character’s fate was a bit of a question mark after the shooting incident.
- Josh Lucas will be back as Douglas, likely digging himself into an even deeper hole.
- Laura Dern isn't just an executive producer; her character Linda/Penelope has way more secrets to spill.
Expect some fresh blood too. When a show hits this level of popularity, every actor in Hollywood wants a guest spot. We’re hearing whispers of new socialites entering the fray to challenge Maxine’s newfound status.
Why the 1969 Setting Matters More Now
The late sixties weren't just about the music and the clothes. It was a time of massive political upheaval. While Maxine was worried about grasshopper cocktails, the world was changing. Palm Royale Season 2 is expected to lean harder into that tension between the "old world" of the country club and the "new world" of the feminist movement and the anti-war protests.
Maxine is a survivor. That’s her whole brand. But she’s also incredibly shallow. Watching her try to navigate actual reality while maintaining her tan is going to be the comedy gold of the next season.
Some fans think the show might jump forward slightly in time. If we hit 1970, the vibes change. The colors get muddier, the hair gets bigger, and the social rules get even weirder. Honestly, I’m here for it.
Addressing the Big Questions
- Who actually died? We saw Robert go down, but in a show like this, "dead" is a flexible term until we see a body. Most insiders expect him to survive because Ricky Martin is too big a draw to lose.
- What’s the deal with the Dellacorte fortune? The money is the engine of the show. With Norma (Carol Burnett) being... well, Norma, the legal battle over that inheritance is going to be even more convoluted.
- Will Maxine finally find herself? Probably not. And that’s why we watch. If she became a self-actualized, healthy person, the show would be boring.
The Visuals: Bigger, Louder, Brighter
The costume design by Alix Friedberg was the secret protagonist of the first season. Every outfit told a story. In Palm Royale Season 2, expect the fashion to evolve. We’re moving away from the structured mid-sixties look into the more fluid, chaotic early seventies aesthetic.
Think more Pucci prints. More dramatic headwraps. More "I just spent four hours getting ready for a lunch I’m going to ruin."
The set design will also likely expand. We’ve seen the club. We’ve seen the mansions. Now, we might see more of the "real" Florida that exists outside the gates, providing a sharp contrast to the gilded cage Maxine fought so hard to enter.
The Reality of Streaming Success
Let's be real for a second. Apple TV+ needs hits. They have The Morning Show and Severance, but they needed a "prestige soap." That’s exactly what this is. It fills the void left by shows like Desperate Housewives but wraps it in a much more expensive, cinematic package.
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The viewership numbers for the first season were strong enough to justify a bigger budget for the sophomore outing. This means more location shoots and probably more elaborate gala sequences. It’s a win for fans of high-camp television.
Critics were a bit split on the first season—some loved the fluff, others thought it lacked substance. But the audience didn't care. The "Rotten Tomatoes" score stayed solid because people just wanted to see Kristen Wiig trip over things in expensive shoes. Season 2 has the chance to prove the skeptics wrong by adding more depth to the satire.
What to Do While You Wait
If you’re starting to feel the withdrawal, the best move is to re-watch the first season with a focus on the background details. There are a lot of small clues about the Dellacorte family history that people missed the first time around.
You can also check out the book that started it all: Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel. Just a heads up—the show has strayed pretty far from the source material at this point, so don't expect a shot-for-shot preview of what’s coming next.
Keep an eye on the official Apple TV+ social feeds around late 2024. That’s usually when the first "first look" images start to drop.
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Re-watch the Finale: Pay close attention to the positioning of the characters when the shot is fired; it dictates who is legally and socially compromised in the opening of Season 2.
- Track the Casting News: Follow the trade publications like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter for specific new cast announcements, as these characters often define the central conflict of a new season.
- Explore the Era: Look into the real social history of Palm Beach in 1969-1970 to see the actual events that might provide the backdrop for the upcoming episodes.