If you want an example of how Hollywood has changed, look no further than Owen Wilson, movie star, becoming a television guy. Wilson got to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but only as a small-screen sidekick on Loki. Now he’s leading a feel-good sports sitcom “from the home of Ted Lasso.” (That’s how Apple TV+ is billing itself now.) It’s not just that movie stars have completely crossed over into TV (though of course they have); watching the Stick trailer, the story feels like something that would’ve been a mid-budget theatrical experience 15 years ago before that format fell out of favor for 10-episode TV shows.
Nevertheless, Stick does look charming. The series follows a former professional golfer Pryce Cahill (Wilson) who washed out after a bad game and a major meltdown, described in detail in the trailer by a bar patron played by Marc Maron. Despite Maron publicly embarrassing “Stick” (Wilson’s character’s nickname, and the titular role), the two forge a bond with Maron’s character encouraging Stick to find a new schtick. He does so in the form of 17-year-old golf prodigy Santi (Peter Dager), whom Cahill takes under his wing.
The Stick trailer trots out a lot of familiar beats. (Shout out to The A.V. Club commenter who accurately guessed that Judy Greer would be playing the “put-upon ex-wife,” though that was probably a pretty safe bet.) Santi is prickly and has daddy issues; Pryce yearns to be relevant in the golf world again, but he needs to learn how to value his loved ones over the game. Spoiler alert: he does. “You are my friend, and that’s got nothing to do with how well you swing a golf club. I care about you more,” Wilson tenderly tells his protégé. From the home of Ted Lasso indeed—Apple TV+ is clearly trying to tug on the ol’ heartstrings again. Stick premieres on the streaming service on June 11.
