Apple TV+ Pulls Plug on Hit Series Palm Royale After Just Two Seasons

Apple TV+ just closed the book on one of its splashier originals. Palm Royale is over after two seasons, which is a quick exit for a show that arrived with big names, big hair, and plenty of awards chatter.

What happened

The streamer canceled Palm Royale after two seasons and 20 episodes. The series premiered in March 2024 and wrapped its second season this year. Apple declined to comment on the decision.

The show

Created by Abe Sylvia and produced by Apple Studios, Palm Royale followed Kristen Wiig as Maxine Simmons, a fiercely determined outsider trying to elbow her way into Palm Beach high society in 1969. It was loosely adapted from Juliet McDaniel's novel 'Mr. and Mrs. American Pie' and leaned into the question of status, reinvention, and how far someone might go to trade up.

'That impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots.'

'How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice to get what someone else has?'

Who was in it

• Series lead: Kristen Wiig as Maxine Simmons
• Main ensemble: Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Leslie Bibb, Amber Chardae Robinson, Mindy Cohn, Julia Duffy, and Carol Burnett
• Season 2 additions: Claudia Ferri, Jason Canela, Jordan Bridges, James Urbaniak, Roberto Sanchez, Rick Cosnett, Ryan Dorsey, John Stamos, Patti LuPone, Vicki Lawrence, and Matt Rogers

The reception

Season 1 landed 11 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy (Wiig), and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy (Burnett). It won for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music. The show also picked up a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Wiig scored a Season 2 nod at the Annual Actor Awards. Not bad for a sun-drenched social satire.

Where Season 2 left things

Maxine spent much of the second season rebuilding after a very public crack-up left her branded a social pariah. Her mission shifted from getting in to taking over, proving she belonged in the room and maybe at the head of the table. The finale closed with a tribute to Carol Burnett's grande dame, Norma Dellacorte, who performed 'Something Good' — a classy curtain call for a character and a legend.

Bottom line

Palm Royale exits with a short run and a long paper trail of nominations, a show that swung big on style and ambition. The party is over, but it left a distinct ring on the coffee table.