Stick is not a new Ted Lasso season or spinoff. It is a separate Apple sports comedy starring Owen Wilson as a former professional golfer who tries to rebuild his life by mentoring a troubled teenage prodigy. The first reviews broadly found an accessible, warm show with a winning lead—while warning that its underdog formula can feel familiar and predictable.
What is Stick about?
Wilson plays Pryce Cahill, a former professional golfer whose career ended roughly two decades ago. His marriage has collapsed, he has lost his sporting-goods-store job, and his confidence is badly depleted. His chance to start over arrives through Santi, a gifted but troubled 17-year-old golfer played by Peter Dager.
Pryce’s attempt to guide Santi supplies the series’ central conflict: an emotionally damaged adult, a volatile young talent and an improvised support system trying to survive competition, personal mistakes and one another. Golf is more than a backdrop. Its etiquette, pressure, rivalries and intensely individual contests provide the show’s recurring comic and dramatic situations.
The premise and character details were reported in the June 3, 2025 first-review coverage from 9to5Mac.
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Is Stick actually related to Ted Lasso?
No. There is no evidence that Stick is a Ted Lasso spinoff, sequel or shared-universe story. Pryce Cahill is not a renamed Ted Lasso, and the series has no established continuity with the soccer comedy.
The comparison is tonal and structural. Both shows place a damaged adult in a sporting environment, surround that person with a developing community and use mentorship, optimism and emotional recovery as their engines. That makes Pryce a Ted Lasso-like role, not a continuation of the character.
The distinction matters even more now that Apple lists Ted Lasso season 4 for August 5, 2026 on its consumer offer page: Apple TV. Stick is best judged as its own golf comedy rather than as a replacement for the returning series.
Who stars in Stick?
- Owen Wilson as Pryce Cahill, the former professional golfer attempting a comeback of sorts.
- Peter Dager as Santi, the talented but troubled teenage golfer Pryce mentors.
The available first-review material establishes these principal roles but does not provide a complete authoritative cast list. Additional names should be confirmed against Apple’s dedicated title information before publication.
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What did the first reviews praise?
The first wave of coverage, summarized by 9to5Mac with observations from outlets including Rolling Stone, TV Insider and Exclaim!, was broadly positive but qualified.
Owen Wilson’s performance
Reviewers responded to Wilson’s quick, conversational comic timing and the way his banter masks Pryce’s fear and regret. The performance gives a potentially standard mentor figure more vulnerability than the premise alone promises.
Warmth and accessibility
The show’s emotional register is inviting rather than harsh. Its damaged characters, awkward attempts at connection and emerging found-family dynamic make it easy to watch, particularly for viewers who prefer uplifting sports stories driven by relationships.
A comfortable sports-comedy rhythm
Stick offers the kind of low-stakes emotional comfort associated with character-centered sports comedies: setbacks matter, but the series keeps returning to the possibility of repair, teamwork and second chances.
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What did critics question?
A familiar underdog blueprint
The same ingredients that make Stick approachable can also make it feel derivative. A failed adult mentoring a gifted young athlete recalls Ted Lasso, underdog sports films and other redemption stories.
Predictable turns
Reviewers noted that inevitable setbacks and familiar twists may prompt eye rolls, especially for viewers who have seen several versions of the “damaged mentor and prodigy” setup.
The burden of the comparison
Expecting the cultural impact or emotional intensity of Ted Lasso sets an unusually high bar. Stick appears more interested in charm and accessibility than in reinventing the sports-comedy form.
Not a hard-edged golf drama
Its wholesome, relationship-first approach may disappoint viewers seeking rigorous golf realism, cynical humor or a darker examination of professional sport.
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Stick versus Ted Lasso
| Element | Ted Lasso | Stick |
|---|---|---|
| Sport | Football/soccer | Golf |
| Central figure | An unusually optimistic coach | A former professional golfer rebuilding his life |
| Main relationship | Coach, team and wider community | Mentor, teenage prodigy and an emerging found family |
| Tone | Warm, optimistic and emotionally expansive | Warm and comic, with a more familiar underdog structure |
| Principal risk | Sentimentality in later material | Derivative plotting and predictable setbacks |
| Best fit | Viewers wanting a deeply character-centered sports comedy | Ted Lasso fans open to a looser, golf-based variation |
The overlap is in emotional DNA, not story continuity.
How strong is the audience and critic response?
A Rotten Tomatoes browse result surfaced an 81% critics score and a 72% audience score for Stick when checked for this article. Those figures are a dated snapshot, not a permanent rating; scores can change as more reviews and audience votes are added. The source is Rotten Tomatoes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you watch Stick?
It is a good fit if you want:
- Owen Wilson’s fast-moving, conversational comedy.
- An uplifting mentor-and-prodigy story.
- Golf culture used for character comedy and competition.
- A warm, relatively easy sports series rather than a bleak drama.
Approach it cautiously if you need:
- A genuinely novel premise or sharply subversive sports satire.
- Technical, highly realistic golf drama.
- A show that matches Ted Lasso at its emotional or cultural peak.
The fairest expectation is a charming, accessible sports comedy built from familiar ingredients—not “the next Ted Lasso” as an established fact.
Release history and where to watch
Stick premiered in 2025 under the service branding commonly written as Apple TV+. The reported rollout put the first three episodes out together, followed by weekly episodes, according to the June 3, 2025 coverage from 9to5Mac.
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Apple’s current consumer pages generally call the service Apple TV. In the United States, Apple’s offer page listed $12.99 per month after a seven-day free trial when checked August 18, 2026: Apple TV offer. Pricing, trial eligibility and promotions vary by country and account, so confirm the terms at signup.
You can watch through the Apple TV app or tv.apple.com. Apple says the service is supported on Apple devices, compatible smart TVs, streaming devices, game consoles and other platforms listed in its service information: Apple TV press information. Apple hardware is not required.
If you are subscribing only for Stick, compare the monthly cost with your existing Apple One or Apple TV access and with the rest of Apple’s catalogue. A bundle or trial is useful only when its terms and the additional programming fit your viewing habits.
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