While fans of Apple TV Plus's sun-soaked Palm Royale await a second season, Netflix can fill the gap with a pair of films starring two of the show's biggest names — Allison Janney and Laura Dern.
Palm Royale may have received a lukewarm critical response, but its viewing figures painted a totally different picture, so much so that only a month after the series one finale, the streamer announced it would be back for a second season.
Set in 1960s Florida, the comedy/drama follows aspiring socialite Maxine Dellacorte-Williams as she tries to break into Palm Beach's exclusive social scene and it boasts a star-studded cast, including Kristen Wiig as Maxine, alongside Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Carol Burnett and Ricky Martin. Its no-expense-spared couture and set design have captured the imagination of viewers, as well as evoking a nostalgia for what seemed like simpler times. And attitudes to class and status have given it a topical edge that audiences have quickly embraced.
While a date for the start of season two hasn't been confirmed so far, filming is already well underway. The cameras started rolling in September and in recent weeks Wiig has been pictured shooting a scene in LA with new cast member, John Stamos. Carol Burnett is already set to return for the show's second outing, alongside Dern, Janney and Martin — which is just as well as there’s a cluster of cliffhangers from season one begging to be resolved.
And those who cannot wait to see more of the show’s stars should head to Netflix for a double bill of films featuring two of the most illustrious members of the cast. Academy Award winner Allison Janney swops the glamour of Florida for the rain and rugged surroundings of the Pacific Northwest in Lou. Hiding away from the world, she's compelled to take matters into her own hands when a neighbor's daughter is kidnapped, even if it means revealing aspects of her life that she's tried to keep secret. It's a typically powerful, no-nonsense performance from an actor who never fails to deliver on screen, from comedies like The Way Way Back (2013) to the role that won that long-awaited Oscar, the acerbic mother in I, Tonya (2017).
Still best known as CJ from TV’s The West Wing (1999 – 2006), she's also back in the world of American politics in the The Diplomat season 2.
From playing a press officer who went on to become White House Chief Of Staff, she's now guesting as the ultimate political operator, Vice President Grace Penn, who plays a pivotal role in the season's climax. Word is that, when she saw the script for the final moments of the show, Janney threw the pages across the room in astonishment. And that closing scene really is as explosive as her reaction.
Oscar-winner Laura Dern, who also produces Palm Royale, can be seen on Netflix as well, but in a decidedly more romantic setting. Recently launched on the streamer, Lonely Planet sees her as a novelist who heads to Morocco and falls into her own unexpected love story.
Her relationship with Owen (Liam Hemsworth), who she meets on a writers’ retreat, comes at a turning point in her life and gives her a new perspective on the world. Aside from her award-winning performance in Marriage Story (2019), Dern’s extensive career includes a huge range of roles, from going up against dinosaurs in the Jurassic franchises and venturing into the avant-garde in David Lynch's Blue Velvet (1986).
With such acting royalty leading its cast, Palm Royale's return can’t come soon enough for its many fans. Their calendars are ready and waiting for that release announcement.
Lou, The Diplomat and Lonely Planet are all on Netflix in both the US and UK. Palm Royale is on Apple TV Plus in the US and the UK.
