Stick Season 1, Episode 7 Review: Apple's Golf Comedy Show Opens On An Emotional High Note But Still Misses Its Own Point

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Stick season 1, episode 7.

Stick episode 7 packs an emotional punch early by diving inside Pryce Cahill’s past as he imagines the life his son Jett could have lived. After starting out as a golf comedy, Stick has found new footing as an extended family drama series focused on grief and recovery. Golf becomes much less of a focal point and more of an extended metaphor for the characters in Stick, who find themselves stuck in the rough and caught in bad lies but try to overcome and reframe on their next shot.

Following a blowout fight between Pryce, Santi, and Zero in Stick episode 6, episode 7 deals with the aftermath of Pryce making a deal with Zero behind Santi’s back in Stick episode 4. Each main character battles internal conflicts that largely have to do with their identities and past wounds, all while trying to inspire Santi to reach his potential. Wilson’s Pryce continues to carry the show with his signature lightheartedness, although the best moments of season 1 so far stem from Pryce’s greatest tragedy.

Stick Episode 7 Portrays Grief Much Better Than It Does Golf

The core group of characters in Stick all deal with various levels of grief and loss, some of which come to a head in episode 7, titled “Dreams Never Remembered.” The episode opens with what is by far the most effective and well-executed sequence in the series, with an inside look into Pryce’s mind.

Watching Pryce live out memories with Jett that he was never able to have is a tender and heartbreaking experience.

The magnitude of Pryce’s pain, as well as that of his wife, Amber-Linn, is beautifully portrayed in Stick episode 7. It’s devastating without getting forcefully emotional. It tells you everything you need to know about Pryce in a few minutes, which is why it may have been better placed at the start of the series rather than being buried this late in the first season. It’s ironic and telling that Pryce has suffered the greatest loss out of all the characters, but is still the one holding them all together.

Watching Pryce live out memories with Jett that he was never able to have is a tender and heartbreaking experience. Jett is shown in various stages of childhood and adolescence, all to the day when he would have left for college. Pryce asks him to stay home instead of going out with his friends, saying, “What about me? What if I’m not gonna be all right?” with a chilling sadness, given the reality. It took seven episodes to get here, but Stick is finally starting to show viewers the type of show it’s meant to be.

Stick’s Hollow Supporting Characters Prevent The Show From Getting Too Deep

There’s Way Too Much Jargon About Generational & Ideological Differences

Mitts (Marc Maron) looking distraught in Stick season 1, episode 5

The lack of golf focus and knowledge in Stick is no longer the show’s biggest problem after seven episodes. Viewers who felt misled by the gold comedy premise are likely on to their next show anyway. Stick’s supporting characters are overly defined by generational gaps and ideological conflicts to the point where they don’t really feel like authentic people. Instead, characters like Mitts and Zero are voice boxes for separate communities, each trying to maintain or establish their status quo.

These rigid character archetypes and blatant caricatures are what’s holding this show back from being consistently enjoyable or at least entertaining. During Mitts and Zero’s argument about Santi, for example, Mitts can’t help but blame Gen Z for Zero’s emotional sensitivity, and Zero tosses in a “Bye, Boomer,” after taking cash from Mitts. People don’t actually talk like this with such hypersensitivity to generational differences.

Marc Maron and Owen Wilson in Stick season 1

Marc Maron’s Mitts Was Totally Right About Stick’s Most Divisive Character – And The Aftermath Will Be Brutal In Episode 7

Mitts was right about a major problem between Pryce and Santi in Stick season 1, and now the golf comedy has to pick up the pieces of Pryce’s mistake.

This amalgamation of very different character types has created a strange tension between the characters, which really works against the “feel-good” dynamic that Stick is after. More importantly, it’s not very entertaining and makes it hard to invest in any supporting character outside the context of Pryce. On top of all this, Stick’s greatest supporting characters, played by Judy Greer and Timothy Olyphant, are virtually absent from the show.

All things considered, Stick continues to be a letdown. Even looking past the biggest issues from the first half of season 1, there’s just not enough heart or authenticity to care about the show. It feels like it was cooked up in a lab and checked all the boxes for success based on data and trends. Unfortunately, that may be exactly why it feels so hollow. Even though the show looks to be getting back on the golf course in its last three episodes, it may be too late to stick the landing.