I'm longing for a resort weekend to unwind, but that's not in my schedule right now. However, I discovered the next best thing—Stick, the charming new AppleTV+ series starring Owen Wilson. It's as relaxing, refreshing and pleasantly escapist as an Aperol Spritz—and I'm here to make the case that even if like me, you're no sports fan, this is the show you'll want to dip into, stat.
This New Owen Wilson Sports Bromance Is a Must-Watch Series with a Secret Weapon: Mom
Also, its 79 Rotten Tomatoes score beats 'Sirens'
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Published Jun 6, 2025
Apple TV+
Pryce "Stick" Cahill (Wilson) is a washed-up pro golfer whose friendly ex-wife (Judy Greer) insists on selling their former home where Wilson lives in burnout squalor. When Wilson discovers a 17-year-old golf prodigy at the driving range, he sees an opportunity to regain professional success and overcome personal setbacks by coaching the undisciplined young Santi Wheeler into national competition. Will Stick's former caddy/wingman Mitts (Marc Maron) and Santi's frazzled single mom Elena (Mariana Treviño) support the crazy scheme? Did Tiger Woods score a 59 the week before his historic win at the Masters in '97?
AppleTV+
Answers: Yes and Yes—and if I've just lost you in my showy golf history reference, don't be fooled. I just Googled that and know next to nothing about playing golf, even though I come from a long line of affable putting dudes, starting with my dad. No, the appeal of Stick is in the likable and relatable characters, who just want to do a little better in their lives, and make the most of their talents and opportunities. You're rooting for achievable excellence; in counterpoint to TV's current spate of contemporary crime dramas and power struggles between the obscenely wealthy, everyone in the piece is relatable and basically good-hearted. Wilson's trademark charm delivered via bleating line deliveries is on point. As Santi, actor Peter Dager's youthful arrogance and insecurites hit home. Maron's grumpy uncle mien is endearingly pitch-perfect.
AppleTV+
And I'm pleased to say this series also has a new twist—plucky mom Elena is a strong and layered woman who we're rooting for, too. When she joins the qualifying tour, we discover she's a wary working-class woman who won't let her son's or her dreams be trampled in the sometimes snooty and always bro-centric world of golf. While I have only binged the first three available episodes, frankly Santi's mom's quick wit, fierce spirit and dogged determination are what I'll be watching for more of all season, along with rooting for her son's victories. New episodes of the 10-part series drop Wednesdays through July—a great fizzy pick-me-up to get us all through summer's hot weeks ahead.
