What the Hell Is Going on With the Whale in ‘Palm Royale’?

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Palm Royale Episode 8.

Palm Royale takes a somewhat cynical view of society as it portrays the insistent blackmail, bribing, and illegal activity of the upper-class citizens of Palm Beach. As Maxine (Kristen Wiig) tries to work her way into upper-class society using the illness of her husband’s wealthy aunt, Norma (Carol Burnett), as an excuse, the ruthless society is determined to keep her out, and Norma is set on killing her. This lends itself to a rather serious plot despite Maxine’s constant positivity, but the series includes a strange plotline in Episode 8, “Maxine Saves a Whale.” The whale in the title is literal as a beached whale threatens the party Maxine is staking her reputation on. Yet the whale is more than an obstacle as it inspires a major realization for the lead character.

As the giant whale flops on the beach, it enthralls Evelyn (Allison Janney), a normally level-headed and refined woman. More importantly, it pushes Maxine to learn about the creatures and form an emotional bond with them, making the outlandish storyline important to the character’s development. But what does the whale mean exactly? Because, at first, Maxine is more concerned for her party than the whale, and that is more in line with the series. However, with Evelyn’s out-of-character obsession and Maxine’s change of heart, the whale becomes much more, foreshadowing major changes. While, initially, it seems Palm Royale jumped the shark (or whale), it’s actually a critical moment in the story.

Palm Royale

910

Chronicles a woman reconstructing her identity in the 1960s after being dismissed by her husband and her entire social circle.

Release Date

March 20, 2024

Creator

Abe Sylvia

Cast

Kristen Wiig , ricky martin , Josh Lucas , Leslie Bibb , Laura Dern , Allison Janney

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

1

What Happened With the Whale in ‘Palm Royale’?

The whale’s appearance happens suddenly as Maxine and Robert (Ricky Martin) are talking on the beach. The whale washes ashore just a few days before the Beach Ball and in the same place. Maxine searches for help in getting rid of it, only to learn that her only hope is for it to return to the sea. The turn of events is viewed as a weird sort of karma for Maxine’s actions. But, when she sees the harpoon among the things Evelyn is packing, Maxine gets a new but half-formed idea. This gets Evelyn down to the beach, where she witnesses the glory of the whale and loses the ability to think of anything else. Evelyn spends the evening talking to the whale as she processes the major changes in her life since her husband’s death and her stepdaughter Linda (Laura Dern) inheriting everything. Evelyn is at a crossroads with no money or husband left, but it’s unclear how the whale is supposed to help.

Meanwhile, Maxine learns more about whales and is particularly impressed by the fact that they once were land animals before “returning to where they belong.” This strikes a chord with Maxine, who repeats the fact consistently, showing her feelings that she is a fish (or mammal) out of water. She eventually realizes the best way to fix her problem is to get the whale back into the sea. Using a yacht and a microphone, she impersonates whale sounds to call it back to the ocean, and the whale leaves. The whale is only one plot as the episode continues with other storylines, like the growing rift between Maxine and Douglas (Josh Lucas), Robert learning what happened to his relationship with the “prince,” and Norma’s past starting to be uncovered. But the whale is easily the most attention-grabbing part.

How Does Maxine Connect to the Whale?

Though, at first, Maxine is upset about the whale’s existence, she has a change of heart once she learns more about whales. What stands out to her is the whale’s ability to change their minds and the fact that they once evolved into land creatures only to return to the sea (a simplified version of the situation). Her new knowledge creates a connection between the two. Though she does not interact with it the same way as Evelyn, Maxine shows empathy for the whale by the end, focusing less on how the situation affects her party. This is because what she learns about the whale makes her relate to it.

Maxine’s humble background doesn’t fit with the society she is in, perhaps explaining her connection to a whale trapped in an unfamiliar environment where it cannot survive. Though Maxine maintains a positive attitude throughout the show, she is clearly overwhelmed in this episode, proving she isn’t entirely happy with her situation. The comparison between her and the whale hints at Maxine changing her goal. Up to this point, she has been ruthless in pursuing her rise in society, but her determination is wavering, which creates another similarity between her and the whale. Like the creatures, Maxine can change her mind. Maxine has fought for every step in Palm Beach and is still the subject of ridicule and dislike, so would it be so bad to give up? The other thing Maxine repeats about whales is that they returned to where they belonged, suggesting she may go home herself, though that remains to be seen.

But What Does the Whale Mean to Evelyn?

Evelyn’s connection to the whale is more dramatic and strange. While Maxine remains herself as she learns about the creature, Evelyn is different. She is mesmerized by the whale, changing her personality completely. Certainly, Evelyn is in a vulnerable place since the death of Skeet (Bruce Dern), and maybe that’s why the whale has such an impact. Crying when it goes because she doesn’t want to be alone is more grief than she expressed at her beloved husband’s funeral.

However, there has to be a reason for the connection. Though Evelyn doesn’t research whales like Maxine, the same connection can be true. Evelyn and Maxine are actually very similar, and Evelyn is at a crossroads. Like Maxine, Evelyn was not born into the upper class but came from a small town. With no money (Linda has offered her only 500 dollars a week and a house in the lazy beachside town of Port Salerno), Evelyn is looking at a simpler life. Moving to Port Salerno would be more like her background than the life she has been living, but perhaps a good choice for her. Though her path is unclear, if nothing else, the whale gives Evelyn the chance to grieve, which is significant. The whale is a strange interruption to the story that doesn’t exactly gel with the rest of the series, but it seems to move these character arcs along.

Palm Royale is streaming on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

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