The latest sports-comedy hybrid series from Apple TV+, in the same vein as the platform's Emmy-winning hit Jon Hamm's dark comedy crime drama Your Friends & Neighbors.

That said, there have also been some less successful original 2025 offerings on Apple TV+ over the first half of the year. For example, the Leo Woodall-led intellectual conspiracy drama series Prime Target failed to win over a majority of critics, resulting in a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of just 45% (paired with a similarly mixed 56% audience score). Meanwhile, the gritty, tonally ambiguous crime series Dope Thief and the action sci-fi comedy series Murderbot are two recent examples of brand-new celebrated Apple TV+ programs. Additionally, the acclaim of Severance season 2, the flagship drama series on Apple TV+, speaks for itself.

Stick Season 1's Rotten Tomatoes Score Debuts At 50%

Based On 6 Reviews, Just Days Ahead Of Its Series Premiere

At the time of writing, Stick season 1 has earned just a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its series premiere on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. If this RT score were to stick, it would make the new Owen Wilson-led sports comedy series the lowest-rated new Apple TV+ series of 2025. A common critic's consensus for Stick season 1 is that it doesn't have enough story to justify its 10-episode season, relying on tired tropes and recycled clichés that make its attempt to be a Ted Lasso supplement for Apple TV+ a bit too obvious and ultimately unsatisfying.

The most concerning aspect about the future of Stick season 1 is that all the poor reviews currently listed on Rotten Tomatoes are written by Top Critics on the site. Nick Shager of The Daily Beast writes, "Stretching clichés so thin that its comedy by and large vanishes, thereby neutering charming turns from Owen Wilson and Mark Maron, this slog is like a more heartfelt Happy Gilmore if it ran as long as Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander." Chase Hutchinson of TheWrap writes, "There could be an enjoyable 90-minute comedy hidden away in here, but a full TV season painfully overstretches a standard sports underdog story until you just wish it would call it a day and go home."

Our Take On Stick's Mixed Reviews Ahead Of Its Release

Don't Underestimate The Appeal Of A Modern Golf Comedy Show

While the critical reception for Stick season 1 has gotten off on the wrong foot, there's still hope that the series can find a fan base based on its strong ensemble cast and golf-focused themes and backgrounds.

Just like its underdog story, Stick season 1 still has a chance to bounce back.

Golf remains one of the most popular sports on the planet and is somewhat unrepresented in film and television outside of classics such as Caddyshack and Happy Gilmore, the latter of which has spawned a sequel that will release on Netflix in late July, the same week that the Stick season 1 finale will come out. Just like its underdog story, Stick season 1 still has a chance to bounce back.