Stick: el swing perfecto

Interesting characters, decent writing, good acting and one snotty millennial actress Lilly Kay just destroys the show and renders it unwatchable. The chemistry between the rest of the cast is good, she is like a permanent oil stain on a racetrack.

Good portrayal of what it is like to be a golfer, the precarious balance between confidence and coming off the rails at any moment. The precarious balance between letting a teenager test himself and providing the safety net when he predictably fails. Owen Wilson is the perfect "former great golfer" - equal measure of chaos, arrogance and neediness.

Owen Wilson carries off this light weight comedy well, he's funny with good timing, plus his character is well written and interesting.

The young golfer is an awfully unlikeable character and his girlfriend (I think) Zero is even worse, they are both grumpy, spoilt people and I'll throw in badly acted.

And that just drags down this show to just being okay, firstly is Zero a boy pretending to be a girl or vice versa, I'm not sure, but more importantly I don't care, she's just a boring sad character, I can't quit workout why they dropped her into the story.

More amusing than funny, with all the best lines going to Wilson, again the golf prodigy and his girlfriend are unlikeable characters without any funny lines, just dull attempts at comments on society.

The show started off promising. Owen Wilson is playing his stock likable lead character well enough, but the supporting characters are going to tank this show fast if something doesn't change.

At first, the stereotypical smart alec teen and the sassy Latina mom are okay, but their shticks quickly wear thin. Both are spoiled and unlikable, and by the fourth episode, I found myself fast-forwarding through most of their scenes since they mostly consisted of Pryce (Wilson's character) begging them for one thing or another. You'll find yourself getting angry on his behalf that he has to beg people he's paid $100k for basic respect and to hold up their end of the contract.

I haven't even mentioned yet the caddy-"Zero" is (her?) name-who is some compilation of every radical woke stereotype wrapped up in one. The identity wouldn't matter if the person was even semi-likable. But she too is insufferable and mean and bratty. (Why does one show need to stack up with so many unlikable characters? Every single character must be mean and snarky and pile on to bully the lowly main character? Why did the writers themselves not get how lopsided and hard to watch that would be for the viewer?)

I will give it a little more time, but I have one foot out of the proverbial door at this point. When I'm having to fast forward scenes of a new show because they're predictable and redundant and frustrating, that's not a good sign. I hope the writers course-correct before it's too late.

Watch it with no expectations!

I don't know much about golf and it's definitely not a sport I follow, but this show really surprised me. Even though golf is the central theme, the real strength of the series lies in the characters, relationships, and little life lessons along the way.

It's light, funny, and easy to watch - I binged the whole thing in just two days. The episodes are short, and the pacing keeps you engaged without feeling overwhelming. It's not a groundbreaking series, but it has heart, charm, and a unique setting that sets it apart from other shows.

If you're looking for something refreshing that doesn't take itself too seriously, give it a shot. It's one of those "feel-good surprises" that stays with you longer than you'd expect.

My hopes weren't particularly high with this one as the marketing seemed very lightweight and the first episode in particular included every single washed up star cliche in the book. But as the show goes on and the core premise started to take shape, I soon find myself looking forward to each episode.

Stick has been dubbed 'the golf Ted Lasso' but doesn't quite swing for the same dramatic depths (other than a few standout scenes) and the writing is not quite as tight (whether intentional or not, almost every character has moments where they come across as unlikeable or rude).

However what we do have is a light, breezy watch that doesn't outstay its welcome, and a few moments of euphoria when everything clicks and the show is firing on all cylinders. If you're going throgh a tough time in your life, this might just be the show you need right now.

Bonus points if you're a golf fan - there's plenty of references and the actual golfing itself is shot rather well!