TV Dad Review: Stick Episode 1 – “What’s Next?” (Apple TV)

The first time we meet Pryce (Owen Wilson), he’s in his element at the pro shop. Smooth, confident, working a customer with a solid sales pitch to move some overpriced clubs. But right after he closes the deal, reality sets in. He’s begging for an advance on his commission. That tells the viewer a lot about him. He’s down bad, middle-aged, and probably still living in the past.

Back home, it’s rough. The house looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in years. He’s been divorced for two. His ex-wife, played by Judy Greer, seems to have moved on just fine. Pryce hasn’t. She offers him $75K to sell the house and start fresh. He refuses. This isn’t about money. It’s about holding on to what’s left of a life that used to mean something.

At the driving range, he spots a teenager dinging 320-yard drives. The kid’s name is Santi. You can tell Pryce sees something there, even if he doesn’t say much yet.

Later we meet Mitts, played by Marc Maron. He recognizes Pryce at the bar and immediately starts giving him a hard time. Brings up the past and mocks his falloff. Back in the day, Pryce was a legit pro player in major tournaments and earned the nickname “Stick.” Now he’s pushing gear behind a counter. What happened? He crashed out in 2009 and hasn’t played professionally since.

Mitts challenges our guy to a putting bet right there on the bar floor. Pryce lines it up and misses the putt. Mitts pockets the cash like it’s nothing, but then we see it for what it is. They’re in on it together. It’s a hustle they’ve run many times before. Pryce is broke, and Mitts is helping his buddy out. Back home, Mitts sparks something inside Pryce by asking him what’s next. It’s a great scene that lets us know how close these two really are.

Pryce tracks Santi down at his job and gives him the same kind of pitch he gave that customer at the pro shop. Drop the grocery store gig and take golf seriously. The kid has real potential and could make some serious money. But Santi shuts it down. Says he doesn’t even like golf anymore.

With Santi uninterested, Pryce shifts gears and tries his mom, Elena. He gives her the pitch instead. She seems genuinely moved that someone else sees what she sees in her son. She reminds Santi how much he used to love the game, especially playing with his dad, who isn’t around anymore. Eventually, she agrees to the plan, but there’s a catch. Pryce has to cover everything—travel, expenses, the whole thing for both of them. And she wants a hundred grand up front. Money Pryce definitely doesn’t have.

But he figures it out the only way he knows how. He goes back to his ex, uses that old charm, and convinces her to invest after she watches Santi swing. She’s just as impressed as Pryce was the first time he saw the kid launching drives at the range. She agrees. Now they’ve got a plan, a kid with real talent, and a long road ahead.

Pretty good start. I’ll be reviewing episodes 2&3 when I get the time. Stay tuned!

-TV Dad