“Reality came through”: Palm Royale’s Matt Rogers breaks down the iconic funeral scene from the Apple TV series

For Matt Rogers, the funeral scene in Palm Royale became a rare moment where comedy gave way to something deeply personal and politically charged. Reflecting on the scene, Rogers explains how channeling Bruce allowed him to speak back, emotionally and symbolically, to Nancy Reagan and an era that silenced queer voices during the AIDS crisis.

Talking to the outlet about the funeral scene on the show, Rogers talked about how it was cathartic to respond back to Nancy Reagan, especially with how the Reagans responded to the AIDS crisis as he said,

"Some reality came through. It was cathartic. I was sort of using Bruce as a vessel for me and all the gay men who have something to say and a piece of their mind to give to Nancy Reagan and her husband."

He then talked about how the show managed to show a more vibrant and happier community of gay men, as opposed to the bleak, traumatic depictions that most period pieces go for as he added,

"But one thing I loved about this [episode] was we’re showing a vibrant, fun gay community. Sometimes when we think back on our history, we focus on the trauma that was to come. A lot of [period pieces] that look at the gay experience and gay history focus on that time because it is such a turning point in our history and is unfortunately in the fabric of what it means to be a gay man and a queer person. I love that we were able to see men of this time having fun without that on their mind."

More details about Palm Royale

Palm Royale doubles down on chaos, camp, and cold-blooded ambition in its second season, turning Palm Beach high society into an elegant crime scene where everyone has something to hide and Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons is done playing nice.

The second season opens in the wreckage of the disastrous Beach Ball, with Maxine briefly institutionalized and slipping deeper into a reality she refuses to accept. While she fights to regain control of her life, the power structure of Palm Beach quietly reshuffles. Norma is restored as the town’s reigning queen, Evelyn claws her way back into wealth and influence, and Linda’s secret life as an undercover FBI agent pushes the story into full conspiracy territory. Murder, blackmail, and betrayals stack up fast, especially once the truth about Axel’s death and Norma’s stolen identity comes to light.

However, Maxine is on her steps to becoming a strategist from a social climber as she weaponizes blackmail, manipulates alliances and uses the town's traditions against it's own people. The tunnels beneath Palm Beach have become both literal escape routes and metaphors for the rot beneath the glamor.

There are three more episodes for the second season of Palm Royale to end for now, and it will certainly be interesting to see where Maxine ends up.

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Palm Royale is available to stream on Apple TV+.

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