Review of the series «Stick»

On July 23, the comedy-drama series «Stick» starring Owen Wilson ended on Apple TV+. So far, the fourth season of the undisputed Apple hit «Ted Lasso» is at the stage of filming, the apple office is trying to fill the free space with another sports drama, this time dedicated to golf instead of football. In the review below, we tell you how interesting it is to watch the local sports, or any other, passions.

«Stick»

Genre sports drama
Showrunner Jason Keller
Starring Owen Wilson, Peter Deger, Lilly Kaye, Mariana Treviño, Mark Maron, Judy Greer, Timothy Olyphant
Premiere Apple TV+
Year of issue 2025
Website IMDb, official website

Price Cahill was once a successful professional golfer. At one of his tournaments, he indulged in unacceptable behavior in the style of Lucky Gilmore (who will be discussed later), which led to his promising career going down the toilet. Now the failed athlete sells sports equipment, gives golf lessons to bored pensioners, and in times of financial need, scams wealthy restaurant patrons, working in a well-established scheme with his former caddie, Mitts.

One day on the training field, Price spots a young boy named Santi Wheeler, whose shot impresses him. He invites the teenager and his mother, Elena, to attend several amateur tournaments, as he sees great potential in Santi. Faced with some difficulties, Cahill persuades them to take this step. Who knows, maybe the heroes will have great victories ahead of them, but at least they will have an exciting journey.

It is obvious that Apple is betting not only on adding sci-fi projects to its colorful video library, which is already more than enough on the platform, but also on therapeutic drama stories. After «Shrinking» and «Ted Lasso», which «Stick» shares a sports theme, the streaming service is launching another show designed not for the mind, but for the soul.

Yes, the viewer knows exactly what to expect from them. But that’s their power: if you need light, unobtrusive content that also celebrates humanity and goodness (and there’s a lack of it today), it’s better to spend your free time on something like «Ted Lasso» or «Stick» than, say, a fictional TikTok.

The series’ creators, led by showrunner Jason Keller, whose credits include «Escape Plan» (2013) and the sports-related hit «Ford v Ferrari» (2019), harmoniously combine lightness of storytelling with sad overtones, and the slightly comedic with the dramatic. At the same time, they manage to present the conflicts of generations in an interesting way, contrasting the zoomer’s zealous jibes with the wise advice of grumpy veterans.

The moment when a local, self-described «genderqueer anti-capitalist and postcolonial feminist»  ̶d̶o̶e̶s̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶t̶u̶r̶n̶ ̶d̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶1̶0̶,̶0̶0̶0̶ ̶b̶u̶c̶k̶s̶ receives some old-fashioned advice from Mitts is telling. And at the same time, it is she who is the one who prompts the gloomy widower to take a step towards a new happiness. That is, as the creators assure us, different generations can not only look at the older/younger with suspicion, but also support each other. Who said that Simon & Garfunkel’s old as time «Cecilia» could be a dinosaur anthem?

About support and humanity. About goodness and the importance of finding ways to understand each other even when it seems impossible. And also, of course, about the need to live on despite the tragedies that fate has prepared. Actually, about life itself. This is more relevant today than ever.

The storyline of the protagonist, played by the extremely harmonious and appropriate Owen Wilson, is based on this tragic background. It resonates with the arch of Eric Bana’s character in the recent «Untamed». And it’s connected to the heartbreaking part of episode 7, which shows the hypothetical course of Price Cahill’s life under different circumstances. In reality, by the will of the writers, the stars turned out differently, but still as they should: Price becomes a father figure for Santi, but he needs to communicate with the teenager as much as he does.

Watching this, you may get the impression that the lion’s share of local conflicts are pulled out of the water. Then it’s worth remembering how many times you’ve fought or at least argued with someone close to you over some silly little thing.

It is not without noticeable flaws, including simplicity, predictability, and naiveté inherent in therapeutic dramas. And in episode 8, the story turns into a kind of clumsy farce. But in general, the show has its own obvious benefits, and they are not in fierce sports battles. The main thing here is not to hit the hole, but the heart of the viewer.