Premiering Nov. 4 with new cast additions Rhea Seehorn and Billy Zane, the sophomore season pairs Pryce Cahill's improbable quest for a major title with grounded ensemble humor.
Owen Wilson returns to the fairway on Nov. 4 as Apple TV+ launches the second season of its sports comedy Stick, expanding the narrative from an eccentric mentorship into an ambitious late-career comeback. The ten-episode sophomore season debuts with two installments directed by Stephanie Laing, following former prodigy Pryce Cahill as he shifts from the coach's box back into active competition. Written by series creator Jason Keller, the new run tests whether an aging athlete can overcome twenty years of accumulated regret to chase professional history on the greens.
The inaugural season introduced Cahill as a washed-up former competitor working at an Indiana sporting goods retailer two decades after an infamous collapse at TPC Sawgrass halted his promising career. That opening chapter centered on his discovery of Santi Wheeler, played by Peter Dager, a raw teenage talent whom Pryce steered across the country in an aging RV alongside Santi's mother Elena, portrayed by Mariana Treviño, and former caddy Mitts, played by Marc Maron. That road-trip dynamic garnered an 82 percent critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, drawing praise for its unhurried pace and genuine emotional warmth.
Season 2 upends that comfortable formula by giving both golfers separate competitive journeys. Rather than remaining solely a mentor in Santi's corner, Pryce decides to mount an improbable return to elite golf. Encouraged by longtime rival Clark Ross, played by Timothy Olyphant, Cahill targets an audacious benchmark: attempting to become the oldest golfer ever to win a major championship. The shift forces Pryce to confront the deep grief and self-doubt that derailed his prime, transforming his quest from vicarious redemption into a direct physical test.
The transition also alters Santi's trajectory. After qualifying for the ReadySafe Invitational in the finale, the young phenom must navigate the disorienting glare of professional golf while wrestling with the sudden reemergence of his estranged father Gary Wheeler, played by Mackenzie Astin. The split focus allows Keller to explore two distinct generations grappling with the psychological isolation of a notoriously unforgiving sport.
The series preserves its core appeal through the lived-in rapport of its ensemble cast. Dager brings authentic vulnerability to Santi, who now confronts the suffocating pressures of sudden celebrity and expectations. Their dynamic avoids predictable sports melodrama because Keller frames their relationship around mutual respect rather than contrived friction. Lilli Kay also returns as Santi's unconventional caddy Christina 'Zero' Duffy, whose blunt observations continue to puncture the rigid etiquette of the professional circuit.
Apple TV+ has deepened the supporting lineup for Season 2 by promoting Olyphant and Judy Greer, who portrays Pryce's ex-wife Amber-Linn, to series regulars. The production also adds Rhea Seehorn as Amanda, an astute partner who joins Maron's Mitts in managing Pryce's rigorous physical conditioning and mental preparation. Recurring guest appearances from Billy Zane and former Saturday Night Live writer John Higgins bring fresh comic friction to Cahill's increasingly chaotic training camp, expanding the comedic texture without diluting the narrative focus.
Mariana Treviño also anchors the emotional stakes as Elena, whose protective instincts toward Santi evolve as she builds a quiet romantic connection with Mitts. The ensemble balance prevents the sports comeback from overwhelming the human connections that gave the first season its heart.
Advance critical assessments indicate that the dramatic expansion in athletic stakes has not diminished the gentle charm that distinguished the debut season. Wilson delivers one of his most layered television performances, blending his trademark drawl with genuine melancholy beneath Cahill's sun-drenched optimism. The narrative continues to honor the enduring grief surrounding the death of Pryce's young son Jett, ensuring that his athletic resurgence carries poignant emotional significance rather than feeling like hollow wish fulfillment.
By refusing to treat golf merely as an excuse for superficial punchlines, Keller captures the solitary psychological tension of the game alongside the affectionate camaraderie of a ragtag traveling family. The production, filmed in Vancouver and executive produced by Wilson alongside Ben Silverman and Guymon Casady, treats its flawed characters with patient dignity. Following its two-episode premiere on Wednesday, Nov. 4, new episodes of Stick will stream weekly on Apple TV+ through the season finale on Dec. 30, 2026.
Source:
Apple TV+ Press August 20, 2026 (Updated October 2026)
Deadline Hollywood February 17, 2026 & March 4, 2026
Rotten Tomatoes 2025–2026 Database Record
CBR / User Context(Access Attempted / Blocked) October 2026