'Palm Royale' Episode 5 Takeaway: Linda Shaw's haunting secrets invite trouble in Palm Beach
Contains spoilers for 'Palm Royale'
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Secrets, betrayals and thefts have been the essence of Apple TV+'s 'Palm Royale'.
The series, which premiered on March 20, 2024, gains momentum as it delves deeper into its supporting characters, providing fans with a more profound insight into their backgrounds.
One intriguing character is Linda Shaw (Laura Dern), who has become Maxine Simmons' (Kristen Wiig) newfound best friend.
A self proclaimed feminist, Linda's past was briefly touched upon in earlier episodes when she reluctantly revealed to Maxine that her real name is Penelope Rollins and she is Evelyn Rollins' (Allison Janney) step-daughter.
However, her character undergoes further exploration in Episode 5 as we uncover the reasons behind her decision to steal Norma Dellacorte's (Carol Burnett) Rolodex.
What is Norma Dellacorte hiding in her Rolodex in 'Palm Royale'?
Norma Dellacorte maintained a record of the secrets of Palm Beach society residents in her Rolodex, which also held a dark secret about Linda Shaw.
In 'Palm Royale' Episode 3, Linda stole the Rolodex from Robert Diaz's (Ricky Martin) custody, yet her motive remained undisclosed.
Episode 5 reveals that Norma wrote down Linda's big secret in her Rolodex and kept it as "insurance" to use if the need arises.
What is Linda Shaw's secret in 'Palm Royale'?
The latest episode reveals that Linda shot her own father, Skeet Rollins (Bruce Dern), on the day of her wedding with Douglas Dellacorte (Josh Lucas).
Linda was skeptical of Douglas having an affair while being engaged to her.
On the day of her wedding, she heard sounds of moaning behind a closed door, and she assumed that Douglas was getting physically involved with one of her bridesmaid. In a fit of rage, Linda grabbed a gun and shot at the door.
Linda immediately regretted her decision as she found out that it was her father, who was getting a massage from his then-lover and now-wife Evelyn Rollins.
At this moment, Norma came in and took control of the situation by taking the gun in her custody and hiding it in her safety deposit.
The gunshot wound left her father paralysed for life and Linda has to live with the guilt forever.
Is Linda Shaw in trouble in Apple TV+'s 'Palm Royale'?
The gun that Norma hid from authorities for two decades is discovered by Maxine, who keeps it in her purse. With the weapon out in the open, one may assume that the troubles might knock at Linda's door any moment.
The incident that the Palm Beach residents buried deep into their memories might get back into the spotlight, creating disbalance in the society.
Meanwhile, Linda dislikes the idea of keeping other people's secrets in the box, only to be later discovered by someone else for blackmailing purposes. She burns down the secrets of Rolodex, including her own, against the desires of bed-ridden Norma.
Maxine too decides to dispose of the gun by tossing it into the ocean. She realizes that she has clung to the past for too long and feels compelled to put an end to the pain and suffering for everyone, signaling that it's time to move forward.
However, is it truly the end of Maxine and Linda's troubles? With five episodes yet to release, it would be interesting to see how their lives take further twists.
'Palm Royale' is available to stream on Apple TV+.
