Stick (TV Series): Episodes, Cast, Season 2, Where to Watch

There’s something quietly satisfying about watching Owen Wilson play a man who’s already hit rock bottom and decided to stay there a while longer. In Stick, Apple’s latest sports comedy, Wilson trades in his usual lovable slacker energy for something more weathered — a former golf phenom whose public meltdown at a major tournament still echoes in his small-town life two decades later. When a 17-year-old prodigy named Santi literally crashes into his world, Wilson’s Pryce Cahill finds himself reluctantly coaching someone who reminds him of everything he threw away.

Platform: Apple TV+ · Lead Actor: Owen Wilson · Genre: Sports comedy · Creator: Jason Keller · Season 1 Episodes: 10

How many episodes of Stick are there now?

Apple TV+ dropped the first three episodes of Stick on June 4, 2025, with new installments arriving weekly on Wednesdays. By the end of the Season 1 run, viewers had access to 10 episodes total — not the “at least 9” that early listings suggested, but a clean ten-episode season that gave the mentorship story room to breathe.

Season 1 episode count

ScreenRant confirmed the 10-episode count directly from Apple TV+’s listing, matching what appeared on TV Guide and other aggregators. This put Stick in the same ballpark as Ted Lasso’s debut season, though the comparison would become a double-edged sword for the show’s reception.

Episode 9 availability

Episode 9 exists on Apple TV+ alongside the full Season 1 catalog. Given the weekly release cadence, late-arriving viewers can binge the entire run by early August 2025, assuming no unexpected gaps in the schedule.

Did Stick get renewed for season 2?

Apple confirmed Stick’s return for Season 2 in mid-2025, joining a growing list of Apple TV+ originals that have secured second seasons ahead of their first-year finale. The announcement came with news that Billy Zane would join the cast — a casting choice that suggested the showrunners wanted bigger-name star power to anchor whatever direction Season 2 takes.

Renewal confirmation

The renewal put to rest speculation that had circled online forums and social media threads debating whether Stick’s mixed critical reception would doom it to a single-season run. Apple’s commitment to the property signals confidence in its subscriber retention value, even if the show hasn’t broken through into cultural ubiquity.

Season 2 cast additions

Billy Zane’s involvement marks the most high-profile casting addition since the series launched. Zane brings decades of film credibility — from Titanic to The Phantom — and his role remains unspecified, which gives the writers flexibility to introduce a character that could shift the show’s dynamics significantly.

Where can I watch Stick season 2?

Apple TV+ remains the exclusive home for Stick, Season 2 included. Unlike some competitors that license their originals to Netflix or Amazon after initial runs, Apple maintains tight control over its streaming library — you need an Apple TV+ subscription to watch, and that’s not changing.

Streaming platforms

Apple TV+ hosts the complete Season 1 catalog and will be the first and only place to stream new episodes as they arrive. Subscriptions start at $9.99/month with a free trial available for new users, though the content library is significantly smaller than Netflix or Disney+.

Season 2 release status

As of now, no specific premiere date has been announced for Season 2. Industry observers expect a similar release structure — possibly a multi-episode drop followed by weekly installments — but Apple hasn’t confirmed the rollout plan. The lack of a target date means viewers should monitor Apple’s official press channels for updates.

Is Stick a good show?

The honest answer depends on what you’re looking for. If you want sharp dialogue and intricate character arcs, you’ll likely end up frustrated. If you want a comfortable watch with Owen Wilson doing what he does best — being charmingly wounded and unexpectedly wise — Stick delivers exactly that.

Reviews and ratings

Metacritic aggregates the critical consensus at a score reflecting “Generally Favorable” reception, with individual critic reviews split down the middle. AV Club’s critical assessment published one of the more cutting assessments, calling the show “frustratingly half-hearted” and criticizing its failure to deliver on comedy, character, or genuine emotion. The review noted that the show “leans into melodrama and shallow characters” once the initial setup fades.

The Movie Junkie offered a counterpoint, praising Wilson’s ability to find warmth in material that could easily have been forgettable. Their assessment — that Stick “adds heart and humor” without reinventing the genre — captures the consensus among more forgiving critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score

Rotten Tomatoes lists Stick in its TV section with the official plot summary describing Pryce Cahill’s meltdown and subsequent mentorship of teen phenom Santi — the same framework that Apple TV+ uses in its own marketing materials. The platform’s critics’ consensus and audience score both hover in the mid-range, neither celebrating nor condemning the series decisively.

Is Stick as good as Ted Lasso?

Apple TV+ clearly hoped the comparison would land in Stick’s favor. The streaming giant positioned the show alongside Ted Lasso in its marketing — a bold move given that Ted Lasso earned near-universal acclaim across three seasons. The strategy may have backfired: expectations set that high are almost impossible to meet.

Key differences

The most significant gap lies in originality. ScreenRant’s review described Stick as an enjoyable watch with a solid framework despite an “unoriginal premise” — a verdict that highlights the core issue. Where Ted Lasso felt genuinely fresh in its optimism, Stick refines a familiar formula without transcending it.

The Ted Lasso comparison also raises questions about tone. The Jason Sudeikis series committed fully to its earnest approach, while Stick oscillates between genuine sweetness and melodramatic beats that AV Club’s reviewer found hollow. The result is a show that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be.

Similarities in charm

That said, both shows share a reliance on star power. Wilson’s appeal is different from Sudeikis — more world-weary, less relentlessly sunny — but it works within Stick’s framework. The mentorship dynamic also echoes Ted Lasso, though Santi’s arc lacks the depth that made Ted’s relationships feel lived-in across multiple seasons.

What critics are saying

Three voices capture the critical divide around Stick. ScreenRant’s review called it “an enjoyable, almost effortless watch, and even when its story couldn’t always deliver, I appreciated what the sports dramedy was going for.” The review acknowledges the familiar beats while crediting the cast for elevating material that could have been generic.

The biggest problem is that there isn’t a charismatic counter to the grumblings of the old men.

— AV Club Reviewer (AV Club review)

The AV Club assessment cuts deeper, identifying the show’s structural weakness: without a character who provides meaningful opposition to Wilson’s grumpy Pryce, the story lacks the friction that drives compelling drama. The cast additions for Season 2 — particularly Billy Zane — might address this gap.

Not one for cynics but for everyone else it’s a heart-warming, joyous show.

— Metacritic User Reviewer (Metacritic user review)

Audience reviews on Metacritic skew more positive than critical ones, suggesting that viewers approaching Stick without genre expectations tend to enjoy it more than those anticipating the next Ted Lasso. The show’s heart, rather than its craft, seems to be winning over casual viewers.

The cast breakdown

Stick assembles an ensemble that mixes established comedy credibility with fresh faces. Owen Wilson anchors the show as Pryce Cahill, a role that lets him channel his signature charm while exploring territory slightly darker than his usual roles.

Peter Dager’s Santi carries the burden of being the young phenom whose talent confronts Pryce with his own failures. The dynamic works best when the script gives both characters room to breathe — less effective when the show forces melodramatic confrontations that neither actor can sell convincingly.

Marc Maron brings his podcast-trained improv instincts to Mitts, the former caddy who functions as Pryce’s only real friend in Indiana. Mariana Treviño’s Elena operates at the periphery — important to the family dynamic but underserved by writing that too often reduces her to plot function.

The production team

Stick’s pedigree behind the camera initially suggested more ambition than the finished series delivered. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris — the directing duo behind Little Miss Sunshine — directed the premiere, bringing their signature blend of quirky comedy and genuine emotion to what could have been generic sports fare.

Showrunner Jason Keller shapes the day-to-day creative decisions, with a background in comedy writing that serves the lighter moments well but struggles to find consistent depth. The series’ themes of second chances, mentorship, and finding meaning beyond fame resonate more as marketing copy than as lived-in story beats.

Summary

Stick won’t redefine sports comedy, but it doesn’t need to. Owen Wilson’s performance alone justifies the watch time for anyone who’s enjoyed his work across two decades of films, and the supporting cast brings enough warmth to soften the formula’s familiar edges. Critics who wanted more ambition have a point — the show does play it safe — but for viewers seeking comfort viewing this summer, Apple TV+ has delivered exactly that.

For Apple TV+ subscribers on the fence about adding another series to their queue, the calculation is simple: if Wilson’s particular brand of wounded charm has ever worked on you before, Stick will work again. If it hasn’t, no amount of Billy Zane casting news will change your mind.

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Owen Wilson anchors the Stick series cast breakdown, portraying washed-up golfer Pryce Cahill who mentors rising prodigy Santi across Season 1’s ten episodes.

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