‘Palm Royale’s Best Relationship Isn’t Romantic

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Palm Royale.

The Big Picture

• Maxine and Robert’s hilarious feuds provide
  Palm Royale
  ‘s funniest moments, showcasing Ricky Martin and Kristen Wiig’s perfect comedic chemistry.
• Maxine’s attempt to have an affair with Robert leads to a surprising revelation, solidifying their journey from enemies to true friends.
• Maxine and Robert’s platonic friendship in
  Palm Royale
  showcases their unique bond as outsiders fighting against a society of snobs.

Sometimes the greatest enemies start out as the best of friends. In Palm Royale‘s case, the new Apple TV+ series starring Kristen Wiig, it’s the exact opposite. Created by Abe Sylvia, Wiig stars as wannabe socialite Maxine Dellacorte, and her sole dream is to be a member of the exclusive resort club, Palm Royale. Once she joins, she spawns various cons to hide the fact that she and her husband’s finances are in shambles. As expected, the elitist members of the club have affairs, secret rendezvouses, and heartbreaks, but those never eclipse the best, most endearing relationship in the series.

Ricky Martin co-stars as Palm Royale employee, Robert Diaz, and as an outsider himself, he can sniff out Maxine’s lies with ease. Robert and Maxine then enter into a feud as sworn enemies, and Martin and Wiig’s chemistry has quickly turned into the most electric part of the show. The trajectory of their relationship takes an unexpected turn, as they go from enemies to best friends. The two forge ahead as outsiders in a society that they never belonged to, as Maxine and Robert’s friendship has become the highlight of Palm Royale.

What Is ‘Palm Royale’ About?

Palm Royale is a swinging, dazzling 60s period piece, set in the sweltering heat of Florida during 1969. Wiig is the ultimate female antihero as the lying, crime-spinning Maxine, and she will do anything she can to sink her claws into the high society she so desperately wants to belong to. Coming from nothing, she’s a part of the rich Dellacorte family thanks to her marriage to the entitled Douglas Dellacorte (Josh Lucas), who has been cut off from his wealthy, comatose Aunt Norma, played by comedy legend Carol Burnett.

As Maxine cons her way into the Palm Royale, she butts heads with several of the renowned members, including Allison Janney as Evelyn Rollins, Leslie Bibb as Dinah Donahue, and Julia Duffy as Mary Jones Davidsoul. Laura Dern also stars as Linda, a rebellious feminist who leaves high society behind, only to carry juicy secrets of her own that collide with Maxine’s world. Writing false checks, crashing at Norma’s mansion without permission, and stealing everything beautiful in sight, the one person who sees Maxine’s true colors is Robert, the bartender at the club and Norma’s previous caretaker. As the two live in Norma’s mansion together, they have feuds, stand-offs, and an eventual understanding. Their friendship unites them against the cold-hearted, rich Floridians, and together, they threaten to cause fires everywhere.

Maxine and Robert Have Hilarious Feuds on ‘Palm Royale’

In one episode, Maxine steals and auctions off a cat statue from Norma’s house, which causes a major rift between her and Robert. Who knew a stone cat could cause so many problems and so many great moments of comedy? Where Maxine’s morals steer left, Robert is always there to try and guide her to the right. Attending a charity event at the Palm Royale, which is raising money for fibrosis, Maxine auctions off the cat, only to discover that there are just two others in the world of its kind. Desperate to save the cat, she bids on it herself to save it from leaving Norma’s possession, much to Robert’s relief. The cat feud is one of Maxine and Robert’s most ridiculous scenarios and the series’ funniest altercation as they play cat and mouse in the mansion, trying to stop the other from reaching their goal.

Martin and Wiig’s commitment to the bit is what makes the whole thing sing, as they take the issue at hand very seriously. Sure, there are cat lovers, but Robert takes it to new heights, and it’s just another argument for why Martin has become the best part of the series. They also fight over how to make cocktails, how to best take care of an ailing Norma, and who gets to have guardianship over her. This being the 1960s, Maxine uses being a rich white woman to her advantage, and wins nearly every time. Thanks to Robert’s integrity in being an honest individual, their feud begins to rub off on Maxine, and makes her a better person.

Maxine and Robert Have An Affair in ‘Palm Royale’ — Almost

One of Wiig’s best comedic moments in Palm Royale arrives in the wild, electric Episode 5, “Maxine Shakes the Tree.” On a downward spiral towards ruin after various checks and cons fall through, Maxine gets drunk on a golf cart with her sometimes bestie/sometimes enemy, Dinah. Clearly too intoxicated to drive, Robert intervenes and drives her home himself. Here, Wiig reminds audiences why she used to be the star of Saturday Night Live, and that doing slapstick comedy or physical bits for her is like riding a bike. Believing there to be an unspoken passion between the two, Maxine attempts to have an affair with Robert, and because Martin is so dashing, who can blame her?

A gentleman first and foremost, Robert gets Maxine home safe, only for her to lay a big, smooching kiss on him. Unbeknownst to Maxine, Robert is a closeted gay man. Wiig writhes and crawls all over the floor attempting to seduce him, and is downright outrageous. But Martin is also a standout during the scene, and his strait-laced comedy paired with Wiig’s over-the-top performance is what makes them a comedy duo match made in heaven. It’s also the most important scene shared between the two. When Robert comes out to Maxine as gay in the aftermath, she accepts him for who he is. Robert is also accepting of Maxine’s secrets and false identity, and the whole debacle solidifies their journey from enemies to true friends.

Kristin Wiig and Ricky Martin Are the Perfect Comedy Duo on ‘Palm Royale’

Martin gets the opportunity to flex his comedic muscles in Palm Royale, something he has not gotten the chance to do in his past works. Known for his recent performance in Ryan Murphy‘s dark thriller, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Martin brings the same intensity to the character of Robert. His deadpan delivery of rebuttals to every crazy word that comes out of Wiig’s mouth is magic. As their relationship progresses into friendship, Wiig and Martin become the backbone of the series as two people who’ve been discarded for their entire lives by a wealthy class of snobs.

The pair’s friendship becomes one of Maxine’s few redeeming qualities, despite her being the antihero of the show, as she’s loving and supportive of Robert’s sexual orientation as a gay man during 1960s America. Robert also doesn’t judge Maxine’s secret of being a lower-class woman fighting to belong. There aren’t many series that have platonic friendships between men and women, and it’s refreshing to watch.

Episode 6, “Maxine Takes a Step,” changes everything, as Robert gives Maxine the push she needs to send the items in Norma’s explosive, blackmail-filled Rolodex out into the world, ensuring the implosion of everything she’s tried so desperately to belong to. Maxine and Robert have come to the conclusion that if they can’t join them, they’ll beat them at their own game. When describing the series in an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Martin remarkedy: “It’s about trying to fit in. It’s very difficult because we all want to fit in, someway, somehow… You will laugh, you will cry, you will be very insecure at times.” As Maxine and Robert both care for Norma in their own ways, and aim to set fire to the Palm Royale, they become the Robin Hoods who eat the rich, and their iconic friendship is sure to be the reason the club will go up in flames.

Palm Royale is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

Watch on Apple TV+