Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Palm Royale, Season 2, Episode 7.
Key Insights
- Episode 7 resets the power dynamics among the characters, setting the stage for a chaotic finale.
- Maxine’s staged death reveals the self-inflicted chaos within the group.
- Robert’s journey takes a darker turn as he grapples with grief and risky decisions.
After Episode 7 of Palm Royale Season 2, Maxine’s (Kristen Wiig) “death” has already gone spectacularly off the rails. After it’s advised that the wannabe socialite hide at a gay resort with Robert (Ricky Martin) over suspicions that Norma (Carol Burnett) was the one behind her twin sister Mirabelle’s murder, things take a jaw-dropping turn in “Maxine Plays Dead.” But of course, all of it is a disaster of Maxine’s own making, culminating in a fake funeral where she quite literally climbs out of her coffin and kills whatever stability the group had left. Oh, and did we mention Rock Hudson shows up?
It’s obviously funny, but it’s also a moment of truth as all the secrets they’ve tried to keep under wraps are now at risk of exposure. It’s especially true for Robert, who began the season as everyone’s savior but now finds himself heartbroken and slipping into the comfort of Norma’s version of love. As Martin and co-star Leslie Bibb joke in our Collider exclusive interview, the idea that “Norma adopts him” sounds absurd — and yet “Maxine Plays Dead” makes it feel dangerously plausible, especially as he is more vulnerable after losing Tom (Rick Cosnett) and inclined to making some “messier” choices.
But while Bibb’s Dinah is also learning that privilege doesn’t protect you when threats turn real, that sense of exposure extends to Kaia Gerber’s Mitzi the most. With the very pregnant character’s photo turning up in Jed’s (Dorsey Ryan) wallet, the actress frames the moment not as a twist, but a confirmation: Mitzi has always been smart, choosing to be underestimated as a form of control.
In a spoiler-filled interview with Collider, Martin, Bibb, Gerber, and Josh Lucas unpack how Episode 7 quietly reshuffles the board ahead of the finale — especially with Douglas’ impulse to run away with Maxine. As Palm Royale barrels toward its endgame, “Maxine Plays Dead” makes one thing painfully clear: the power dynamics are shifting fast while everyone’s choices — especially the messiest ones — are about to come back around.
Robert’s Next Move Is “Crazier and Messier” — and He Gets Married, According to Ricky Martin
COLLIDER: Robert begins the season as everyone’s savior, but by Episode 7, he has lost Tom, and then Norma adopts him. In the last three episodes, does he finally reclaim his agency, or does he sink into the role that Palm Beach or even Norma has kind of written for him?
MARTIN: It gets crazier and messier in the last three episodes. I love it because he gets married, but I’m not going to say to whom. It’s just crazy like that. It’s very special.
BIBB: It’s crazy. No, because it’s like…
MARTIN: What?
BIBB: That’s what’s happening. You try to figure out who it is.
I will! It’s going to be a puzzle in my head.
BIBB: Like, how does it work out? Do you find that it does bring you agency? That marriage?
MARTIN: Yes, it does.
Leslie Bibb Teases an “Unexpected Dinah Moment” at the End of Season 2
Image via Apple TV
Dinah starts the season draped in privilege, and she ends up realizing that money and status can’t buy her safety. As the story barrels towards the finale, does she evolve, or does she double down to save Palm Beach on her own terms and also her own status?
BIBB: I think a little bit of both. I think Dinah is always evolving. I think that woman is like a cat on a hot tin roof. I love her. I think she always lands on her feet. She might stumble, but she always is upright very quickly. I think at the end of the season, she’s really questioning much more than at the end of the first season. With this power and this money, it hasn’t quite brought her what she thought it would, and she’s doubling down with somebody that she feels like she has to stay with, and I think it’s really scary for her. I said to Abe [Sylvia], “It’s a real challenge,” because it’s such a different side of her, the way the show this season ends, because it’s unexpected. I feel like it’s an unexpected Dinah moment when you see her at the very end of Season 2, and what she decides to do. I love playing this character. I just love her. She’s insane, and she’s vulnerable and weird and funny and dark. She’s a cat on a hot tin roof.
MARTIN: We all love Dinah.
You know what? I have a funny feeling the two of you are paired together today, and you are basically telling me that Dinah and Robert get married.
MARTIN: I love it. I love how you think.
BIBB: We’ll see!
Mitzi’s Mask Slips as Douglas Plots an Escape in ‘Palm Royale’
Kaia, early in the season, Dinah tells Evelyn that Mitzi’s gotten smart, and then by Episode 7 we kind of piece it all together. Her picture in Jed’s wallet hints at something bigger. How did you want audiences to feel about Mitzi at this point? Should they be impressed by her or should they be worried about her?
KAIAGERBER: I think it’s very complicated. I think that’s an interesting line, “Mitzi’s gotten smart.” I think Mitzi has always been smart. I think that she just didn’t reveal that because it made maneuvering easier for her because people underestimated her. So I think they’re like “Oh she’s starting to catch on.” It’s like no no Mitzi intentionally was Ditzy Mitzi in the beginning. I think though at the core of Mitzi really she is in a very difficult position. She is being forced into these very complicated-to-navigate situations for a young woman often controlled by an older man not being asked by anyone what she wants. So I had a lot of empathy and most of all respect for her bravery and her intellect and her ability to navigate in a way that helped her empower herself find her strength do what was best for her and her baby whoever’s baby it is.
‘Palm Royale’s Midseason Twist Completely Tears Laura Dern’s Character Apart
Patti LuPone teases her introduction to Palm Beach means drinking the “blood of her victims.”
I will say that I love your performance this season. I feel like you’re giving Josh’s character Douglas a run for his money. But Josh by end of Episode 7 Douglas is really planning to run away with Maxine while still tangled in this web of relationships between two women how do you see that moment? Is it romantic desperation at this time or is it first time he’s being honest with himself?
JOSH LUCAS: The thing I love so much about Douglas is besides being total mess human being every way he’s really just been spoiled baby his whole life but what he has is he has heart gold heart truly is love Kristen’s character Maxine from very first moment they met saw his whole life being with having children everything so idea now gets have baby Mitzi kind wildly complicates but fulfills dream again kind spoiled like can have all but what he does no matter what day love Maxine just loves wants be with got these plans how he’s going figure out have all it’s how creates many problems life this spoiled sort baby element grown man has but its core comes from sweet place which is love.
“Heavy Consequences” Are Coming for Douglas and Mitzi According to Kaia Gerber
I think part of it is Douglas has no idea how follow heart because he just puppy dog always following heart heart telling him multiple things lost person way but for our relationship fact child involved very chaotic deep without giving anything away filled big crazy finish that’s for sure.
KAIAGERBER: For Mitzi really stopping asking herself what wants what real love looks like relate being young woman not knowing what looks like or thinking know looks completely wrong so think for Mitzi realizing first empower herself so just realizing maybe looks little different thought did but consequences aren’t necessarily bad thing there heavy consequences end season every character good bad.
Palm Royale streams every Wednesday on Apple TV.
- Release Date
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March 19th
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Carol Burnett
Norma Dellacorte
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