Palm Royale Season 1 Episode 4, “Maxine Rolls the Dice,” begins at one of Norma’s (Carol Burnett) parties in 1949. Maxine (Kristen Wiig) narrates the observation that in Palm Beach, everyone has money but not everyone is truly rich.
A Loaded Gun
Norma asks Nigel (Douglas Fisher) to see what’s taking everyone so long. She drinks a martini while she waits. Suddenly, a gunshot is heard, followed by a man’s scream. Maxine’s voiceover says, “An untold secret is like a loaded gun. You never know when it might go off. Or who it might hit.”
In the present day, Maxine walks towards the swimming pool in a bikini, carrying two cocktails. She hands a drink to Douglas (Josh Lucas). She confesses that she’s passed bad checks, stolen Norma’s jewelry to pawn for cash, and run up a mountain of debt. He’s totally okay with it. She freaks out and tells him they don’t have an inheritance coming. Rewind to Maxine walking out to the pool. She decides not to spoil the day with the truth.
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Norma’s Return
In Norma’s suite, Evelyn (Allison Janney) rifles through her drawers looking for the key to the safety deposit box. She unburdens herself to Norma. Norma is sitting up in bed, eyes open. She blinks. Evelyn establishes that Norma can answer yes and no questions by blinking once for yes and twice for no.
She asks Norma if the Rolodex is in the room. Norma blinks twice. She asks Norma if the key is in the room. Norma blinks three times. Frustrated, Evelyn frisks Norma for the key. Norma looks delighted.
Robert (Ricky Martin) dresses in a nice shirt and tie and practices answering a judge’s questions. He notices that the Rolodex is missing. Then, he goes to the pool to ask Douglas and Maxine if they’ve been in the pool house. When he leaves, Douglas announces that he plans to retire from flying after his next flight.
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Playing Like a Palm Beach Native
In the bookstore, Linda (Laura Dern) goes through the Rolodex. She hides it when Maxine arrives, calling her name. Maxine shares everything with Linda (and everyone else in the store) about the disinheritance. Linda reassures her that everyone’s faking their wealth in Palm Beach, and it won’t matter unless she gets caught and maybe not even then. Maxine declares them best friends.
When Maxine gets home, a man in a fedora is outside the house. She tries to hide in the car but he’s seen her. He’s Sgt. Paul Sanka (Rick Cosnett) with the Palm Beach Police. She asks if it’s about the jewelry, the checks, or Stone Mable because she’s ready to confess everything. He pauses and tells her that she must appear in probate court regarding Norma Dellacorte’s guardianship and serves her the court papers.
He Who Is Nurse Gets the Purse
In court, Maxine discovers that Robert has petitioned for conservatorship over Norma’s trusts and assets. Things get heated, and the judge (Nicholas Coster) tables the matter until one of them can prove they are Norma’s rightful caregiver and have the authority to look after the Dellacorte Trust.
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Outside the courtroom, Maxine tries to get Robert to work with her and asks if he knows where the key to the safety deposit box is where the Rolodex is stored. He realizes that she didn’t take it.
Robert goes to visit Norma, worrying that he won’t be able to protect her from Maxine and Douglas. Outside her room, he runs into Linda. He accuses her of stealing the Rolodex. She admits she did it because the Rolodex contains a secret about her she needs to keep hidden. He decides it’s better that the Rolodex is with her than Maxine.
She invites him in to meet her father, Skeet (Bruce Dern). When she tells him that Robert fought in Korea, he calls it another pointless war. Skeet tells Robert that he should read Timothy Leary. He tells Linda to get The Psychedelic Experience from her bookstore for Robert to read. Looking Robert over, he tells him he has a presence.
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Fancy Dancing
Douglas comes in to see Maxine as she’s trying on a new dress. He tells her that he’s already quit his job since their fortune’s about to come in.
They attend Raquel’s (Claudia Ferri) Havana Nights fundraiser where Perry Donohue (Jordan Bridges) greets Douglas enthusiastically. They head to the craps table, leaving Maxine to get some drinks. Maxine walks around the fundraiser, overwhelmed by its transformation. Evelyn is sitting at a table on the upper level and gestures for Maxine to join her.
As Maxine sits down, Evelyn comments on how tacky the fundraiser is. She asks Maxine if she’s found the key yet. Maxine says she hasn’t.
In the center spotlight, Raquel introduces her husband, Pinky (Roberto Sanchez). Evelyn informs Maxine that he just got out of Sing Sing last Tuesday.
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Evelyn bemoans the fact Palm Beach is sliding into the domain of the common criminal. She feels like she’s about to be forced out. She tells Maxine she doesn’t like her, but she’s lonely since Skeet’s been ailing. The Beach Ball is all she has to live for now.
The Trouble With Dougie
Suddenly, Dinah (Leslie Bibb) arrives and insists that Maxine join her at the poolside immediately. Dinah tells Maxine that Eddie (Jason Canela) has threatened to kill Perry out of jealousy. She thinks it’s very sweet and thanks Maxine for encouraging her to get back together with Eddie.
Also, with Douglas back in town, Perry is distracted enough that Dinah and Eddie have more time together. He’s shared with Dinah that he and Douglas bring out the worst in each other. Maxine is concerned to hear this. She finds him gambling recklessly at the craps table. He refuses to leave the table with her. He’s having too much fun with Perry.
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Ruby Dangers
Maxine goes to the bar to order and finds Robert there. The music changes and Mitzi (Kaia Gerber) makes an entrance with the dancers, and Raquel invites everyone out to dance the rumba.
Maxine notices that Raquel is wearing Norma’s ruby necklace. Robert notices, too, and wonders how she got the necklace. He threatens to tell the probate judge about this. He tells her he’s going to dance with Raquel and asks about the ruby. Maxine tries to intercept Raquel but Douglas grabs her to dance instead. He tells her he’s lost a ton at the tables and now Perry wants him to invest in a new real estate deal. Maxine makes a quick escape.
While they dance, Robert and Raquel discuss his relationship with Norma. He hints that he’ll soon have control over the Dellacorte Trust. He asks about the necklace. She says it’s something Pinky bought for her.
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Pinky calls out a partner change, and Maxine ends up dancing with Perry. He tells her about the real estate venture he wants Douglas to invest in. Another partner switch is called. Robert and Raquel are about to dance again when Maxine cuts in and asks about her necklace.
Making Mistakes
Douglas comes by to dance with Maxine and she suggests that he go ask for his job back again until Perry’s deal is ready to go. He says it’s too late. Next, Maxine excuses herself and encounters Mitzi on the dance floor. Mitzi is excited by all the eligible men she’s meeting.
Mary (Julia Duffy) gets in front of Maxine and grabs her to dance. She tells Maxine her check bounced. Maxine insists it was just an accounting error and promises to sort it out in the morning. Mary warns her that she doesn’t want to develop a reputation with the Beach Ball coming up.
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Maxine gets away from Mary and hurries by Perry dancing and flirting with Mitzi. Meanwhile, Raquel offers to double Norma’s wage if Robert comes to work for her. He declines and mentions her necklace is Norma’s and was stolen. If she just returns it to him, her recently-paroled husband won’t face any accusations of theft.
Maxine finally tracks down Raquel, but the necklace is gone. They look to the door where Robert stands. He holds up the necklace and leaves.
Maxine’s Gamble
Maxine sits down to think things over. Mitzi rushes over to ask for a pen so she can give her number to a guy she’s met. Maxine pulls out Sgt. Sanka’s business card from her purse. She calls him to report a stolen jewel. In court, Maxine shows the ruby necklace and states that it was found in Robert’s pocket at the Havana Nights fundraiser after it had been stolen from the Dellacorte home.
Meanwhile, Robert is released from holding. Sanka tells him someone posted his bail. Back in the courtroom, Maxine makes a big show of sympathy for Robert and promises not to press charges if she is granted conservatorship. The judge rules in Maxine’s favor but places the condition that Norma must be moved back to her home.
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Norma Moves In
As they roll Norma into her living room, Douglas expresses his concern about taking care of Norma. Norma begins moaning. Maxine runs down the things they need to do to take care of her.
When Douglas mentions his inheritance again, Maxine finally tells him that Norma’s estate is willed to a cat sanctuary and he won’t inherit anything. He’s shocked and declares that he plans to kill her. Maxine tells him they must keep Norma alive as long as possible because it is the right thing to do, but also because as the conservator, Maxine can authorize a salary for their care.
When they flip Norma to keep the blood circulating, Maxine discovers there’s a key on a chain around Norma’s neck. Meanwhile, Linda opens a door and invites Robert into the bookstore’s back office. She’s shocked he didn’t get conservatorship. He comments that this is the way for people like him. She advises that he check out the books in Aisle Seven.
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Secrets
At the bank, Evelyn congratulates Maxine. Maxine expresses hope that Linda and Evelyn mend their fences. Evelyn comments that Maxine’s a very good friend to Linda, hinting there’s a reason they shouldn’t be friends. Before Maxine can ask about this, the bank manager comes to get them.
Robert goes to Aisle Seven in the bookstore, a section on Gay Studies. He takes a book off the shelf but gets so nervous that he puts it back and walks away. Elsewhere, Linda goes through the Rolodex and finds the card for Penelope Rollins, her former name. On the back of the card, Norma wrote, “aka Linda Shaw attempted murder.”
Virginia (Amber Chardae Robinson) walks in, startling Linda who jumps up to block the Rolodex from view. At first, she denies she’s hiding anything but then sits back down so Virginia can see the Rolodex.
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The bank manager places three safety deposit boxes on a table and leaves Maxine and Evelyn to go through them. The first box contains a collection of worthless mementos. The second holds Norma’s famous tiara. The third box is empty. Evelyn turns on Maxine, calling her useless. She storms out.
Maxine begins to put the boxes back, but something rattles in the third one. She opens it again and finds a small gun and an invitation. The invitation is for Penelope’s wedding. Maxine’s eyes widen as she reads it.
Her Eyes Are Open
She storms into the mansion shouting Douglas’s name. He’s nowhere to be found, but Maxine hears Norma. She goes to Norma who is awake and trying to speak but slurring her words. Maxine can’t understand her and Norma gets louder with her utterances.
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On a close-up pan of Norma’s gun collection, a weapon is missing. A gunshot goes off. Norma’s utterance is heard one more time.
Palm Royale streams on Wednesdays on Apple TV+.
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