Apple TV+’s new sports series, Stick, landed on the platform on June 4, 2025. Despite being a well-established actor in movies, this show marks Owen Wilson‘s first full dive into a leading role in television after a supporting role in Loki. He is joined by an eclectic mix of rising stars as well as veteran actors like Marc Maron and Timothy Olyphant. However, it seems that all eyes are on the leading man for this one.
Stick has opened to a rather mixed reception from both audiences and critics. However, Owen Wilson is being widely praised for his performance, and as the episodes move along weekly, momentum is gaining. So, here’s everything we know about the show and our thoughts on whether this could be Wilson’s answer to Apple’s mega-succesful series, Ted Lasso.
What Is the Plot of Stick?
Stick centres on Pryce Cahill (Wilson), an over-the-hill ex-golfer who is unexpectedly fired from his job and on the verge of being flat broke. To make matters worse, his wife has left him too. However, a fire is lit in his belly when he stumbles upon a troubled teen named Santi (Peter Dager), who aside from his turbulent personal life, also happens to be prodigy in golf. To that, Pryce stakes his future on the youth’s success. Described as a sports comedy, Stick has quickly been compared to Ted Lasso because of its energetic and light tone that explores themes of family and love through sport. However, as the episodes have rolled out, more dramatic elements have been introduced, indicating that this series could become more of a comedy drama by the time it reaches its final episode.
Breaking Down the Reception So Far
This golf series did not exactly come out swinging. The first three episodes landed at once, but prior to this, Rotten Tomatoes had cast a somewhat muddy consensus. So far, the reception has been notably fluctuating, making it difficult to gauge its true popularity early on. Before it even streamed, Stick struggled to find its footing with critics, receiving a disappointing 40% score from professional reviewers who were granted early screenings. In today’s world, where viewing options are endless, this can be disastrous for a show as it can cause many consumers to skip it altogether. However, in a surprising turn of events, just four days after this initial low score, Stick experienced a remarkable rebound.
By the day after its release, Owen Wilson’s sports series soared to an impressive 83% score with critics (Tomatometer). Audience ratings mirrored this upward trend, with viewers awarding it an 84% score (Popcornmeter). However, as new episodes roll out weekly, the score is continuing to fluctuate. Currently, Stick has a Tomatometer of 79% and a Popcornmeter of 59%, a significant drop, removing it from Certified Fresh status.
Could Stick Be The Next Ted Lasso?
Stick seems to be following a very similar path to Ted Lasso in its narrative, and it’s likely that this is intentional. In 2021, Ted Lasso had 50.8 times more momentum than the average show worldwide. By 2023, it had generated a staggering 16.9 billion viewing minutes of watch time. As of 2025, it has won 13 Primetime Emmys. So, it’s safe to say this somewhat hard to trump. However, Severance managed it, dethroning the show to become Apple TV+’s most watched series of all time. Whether Stick can manage the same feat is yet to be seen, but with a total of 10 episodes to get through, there’s still time yet.
In terms of the show’s tone, as we mentioned, many are comparing it to Ted Lasso. Owen Wilson has been widely praised for his rendition, with critics calling his performance “utterly charming”, and “clever”. However, it appears he is the standout element as many critics are saying the show itself is simply “fine”, and others are calling it “unnecessary”, and stating that it takes too many shortcuts. Yet, Wilson’s character has proven to be multi-layered in these early episodes, meaning there is likely many surprises to come which could help turn things around.
Pryce is flawed in many ways. He has a gambling addiction, and his hustling ways make him take some risky moves that put his dignity on the line as well as the success of others. With that said, Stick could easily transition into more of a drama as more aspects of Pryce’s life unravel. And if it goes that way, we’re certainly in the right hands with Wilson to lighten the load with humour where it is needed.
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