WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Stick season 1, episode 8.
Stickepisode 8, “Clark the Mark,” introduces the Apple TV+ golf comedy’s new lifeline in Timothy Olyphant’s character, Clark Ross. Clark played on the PGA Tour withOwen Wilson’s Pryce Cahillback in the day and said an unforgivable thing aboutPryce’s son, Jett, which sparked a viral rage-fueled blowup that ended Pryce’s career.
In the flesh, Clark Ross is hard to dislike. Handsome, charming, and annoyingly fit, Ross is portrayed as one of those special guys who has it all and is loved by everyone, except for ourmainStickcastmembers, who try to hustle him in his own steakhouse. Despite some complications that are typical of thisStickcrew, Pryce’s plan ends up paying off at the end of what becomesStick’smost enjoyable episode thus far.
Timothy Olyphant Shines As A Likable Antagonist In Stick Episode 8
His Dynamic With Wilson Should Have Been A Main Feature Of The Show
Olyphant’sStickcharacter not showing up until the eighth episode of a 10-part debut season perfectly encapsulates the type of showStickhas become. It has a surplus of enticing ingredients that should theoretically make a hit show, butits poor organization and execution are holding it back from greatness.
Had the series forced [Pryce & Clark] to reunite from the first episode on, perhaps with the angle of them fighting over coaching Santi to go pro, thenStickwould have hooked me from the start.
Additionally,Clark and Pryce are unintentionally hilarious together in episode 8, adding some much-needed humor to a show that was marketed as a comedy. Had the series forced them to reunite from the first episode on, perhaps with the angle of them fighting over coaching Santi to go pro, thenStickwould have hooked me from the start.
When Clark and Pryce are both onscreen, it feels like nothing else that is going on in the series matters. It’s easy to forget that the show’s protagonist is supposed to be Santi during these moments, and itmakes me wish thatStickwas truly Pryce’s show.
Hopefully, Olyphant will continue to be front and center in the final two episodes ofStickseason 1. There’s still much more to explore about his backstory with Pryce, andall signs point to him being the Apple TV show’s equivalent ofHappy Gilmore’sShooter McGavin– a self-centered golf elitist who could use a lesson from an underdog.
Stick’s Inconsistency Continues To Be The Most Frustrating Part Of The Show
The Show Mixes Too Many Tones & Genres To Establish A Winning Identity
IfStickhad a scorecard, it would’ve shot one or two under par in its first three holes (episodes),triple bogeyed the fourth, and may have just gotten back to even par with its seventh. After episode 8, which felt like a clutch eagle putt late in the third round,Stickseems to be climbing back up the leaderboard ahead of its final two episodes, positioning itself nicely for a strong recovery finish.
After episode 8, which felt like a clutch eagle putt late in the third round,Stickseems to be climbing back up the leaderboard ahead of its final two episodes, positioning itself nicely for a strong recovery finish.
That said, it’s hard to overlook how inconsistent the show has been throughout its first season, not only in tone and genre, but also in quality. A lot of the actual drama, mostly concerningPryce’s tragic backstory and his shot at revenge against Clark, has been avoided and overwrittenby melodrama coming primarily from flat characters like Santi, Zero, and Elena.
The golf logic inStickepisode 8 works well enough for the show’s purposes. Pryce skimming the ball over the pond with an antiquated 3 iron was actually a great touch, although a much more common 4 iron or hybrid would have had the same effect.I wish Santi would stop calling the PGA Tour “the show,“a sports term that generally refers to Major League Baseball, not professional golf.
Ultimately,Stickis starting to become more of the golf comedy show it marketed itself as with its eighth episode, setting itself up for an unexpected final round comeback.
Stick Season 1, Episode 8
Cast
A disgraced golf pro seeks redemption by mentoring a troubled teen prodigy, igniting a journey of healing and second chances.
