Cast: Owen Wilson as Price “Stick” Cahill, Peter Dager as Santi, Mariana Trevino as Elena, Lilli Kay as Zero, Marc Maron as Mitz, Timothy Olyphant as Clark, Judy Greer as Amber Lynn

Streaming Service: Apple TV +

Length: 10 episodes

Audio Description Created By: Pixel Logic Media

Written by:

Narrated By:

What Is It? A washed up former professional golf player finds an undiscovered young golfer and goes all in on mentoring him, and getting him to the big show. Only if the kid was interested in even having a mentor. As they hit the road, they are joined by an eclectic crew that become a dysfunctional family, but it’s all to help get this golf prodigy on the pro tour.

What Works: Heir apparent to the Emmy winning Ted Lasso, this warm hearted comedy is full of laughs, without every needing to be crude or offensive, and pulls at the heartstrings as the backstories of these characters is sobering. Price, for example, was once a father, but his son died when he was still young, and it was that loss that fueled his path off the course. Santi has a history of mentors leaving him, since his dad left the family when Santi stopped playing golf as a kid. Even Mitz is a widower. Zero, who ends up with Santi, has trust issues, and likes Santi because they feel safe.

Episode 7 has this long what if look at Price as a father, and all the moments he missed with his kid as he would have grown up. All the silly things parents deal with that he never got to do, and it honestly really got me. It hits with very little context, and you aren’t sure when it will end, or what note it will end on.

It’s been a while since Owen Wilson has been this good. this is Emmy worthy stuff. And Marc Maron, who just keeps getting better and better, has a nice role to sink his sarcastic teeth into.

What Doesn’t Work- I felt like nine episodes did really tee up that finale, but even with that, man it was predictable. It was fine, but I felt a little deflated that the finale was as predictable as it was. I’m still really excited for season two, but for a smart show that occasionally caught me off guard, that finale was painfully obvious.

the Audio description- Actually, there were so many great moments just in the last episode, focusing on facial reactions, especially from Santi and his mother. It’s a nice track. I feel like sometimes with contemporary shows, the sets and costumes are less important, and the ensemble is rather small. But, I do occasionally notice when the AD is able to capture a moment and make it feel big. the montage of Wilson being a father was great, and an early scene with Santi shooting a ball in the parking lot was a standout. Mostly, facial expressions come through.

Why You Might Like it: You miss Ted Lasso.

Why you Might Not Like It: you prefer your comedies R-rated, you naughty boy.

Final Thoughts: While Stick has room to grow, its first season still flies like an eagle under par. Owen Wilson is in the right role at the right time.

Fresh: Final Grade: 8.8/10