Band of Brothers spiritual successor Masters of the Air had a good run as Apple TV+'s number one show, but another has now climbed higher over at the streamer.
Palm Royale is the new top show at Apple’s streaming library, according to Flixpatrol figures, hitting peaks where it was number one in 64 countries.
The series stars Kristen Wiig as Maxine, a woman desperate to claw her way into the great and good of Palm Beach. And it’s set in 1969, so we get all the style and culture of the era, for good and bad.
Palm Royale sees Wiig in a less flat-out comedic role than you may be accustomed to, while the rest of the cast includes acting legends Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Carol Burnett and — a blast from the past for the millennials out there — Ricky Martin, as a bartender at a country club.
It’s a 10-part series, with episodes deployed in usual Apple fashion, one a week up until early May.
But is it any good?
Palm Royale reviews
Palm Royale hasn’t had quite as enthusiastic a reception as Masters of the Air, although just about no-one has called Palm Royale boring. Some did accuse Masters of the Air of being just that, at least in parts.
The Boston Globe sums up the general vibe on this one, which to us suggests you’ll have a good time as long as you don’t come in with sky-high expectations.
“A little more drama -- or even some heavier satire -- might have given the show more weight and purpose. Still, it’s an enjoyable, if forgettable, romp,” says the review.
Palm Royale is a satire that isn’t all that searing, but there’s still plenty to enjoy.
Empire gave Palm Royale one of the most positive write-ups out there, saying “the overall experience is so fizzy, luscious and imaginative that you’ll want to keep staying for one more round.”
“A deft mix of social commentary and campy social climbing, Palm Royale is one of the year’s smarter comedies and a great vehicle for Kristen Wiig,” is its conclusion.
Paste Magazine liked the show too, calling Palm Royale “a sudsy melodrama teeming with weird and wonderful humor, and it’s a must-watch delight.”
If you have an Apple TV+ subscription, we advise not taking the current 56% Rotten Tomatoes score to heart too much, and giving it a go. Palm Royale sure looks more expensive and stylish than the average Netflix original, for one.
