Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Stick season 1, episode 6.Owen Wilson may lead Apple TV+’s golf comedyStick, but he’s actively being upstaged by another actor in the popular sports show. Owen Wilson is easily the biggest star in thecast ofStick, and he accordingly plays the main character, Pryce Cahill. Additionally, most of the plot ofStickcenters around him and his struggle to deal with the trauma of thedeath of Pryce’s son, Jett. Even Santi’s (Peter Dager) golf career is really about Pryce trying to restart his own pro career and reconnect with his lost son, as Mitts (Marc Maron) so perceptively pointed out.
Even though Pryce is clearly the main character ofStick, and Owen Wilson is clearly the show’s biggest name, both of them are being upstaged.Stickdoes have a solid score of 79% onRotten Tomatoes, butreviews forStickhave also pointed out that the show’s comedy doesn’t always land as it should. There is one character inStickwho is always good for a laugh, but it’s not actually Pryce. In fact, though he’s easily the most prominent comedian in the show, Owen Wilson is frequently being upstaged by another actor asStick’s funniest character.
Owen Wilson Is The Main Attraction Of Stick, But Marc Maron’s Mitts Is A Funnier Character
Pryce Is Mainly A Dramatic Character In Stick & Mitts Has Picked Up The Slack Of Comedic Relief
Stickwouldn’t be a show without Owen Wilson; his name is on every poster, his face is essentially the logo of the series, andStickhas basically been described as Owen Wilson’s first time leading a TV show. In spite of all that,it’s Marc Maron’s Mitts, not Wilson’s Pryce, who is the funniest character onStick. Pryce certainly has his moments, like when he was interacting with Santi and Zero’s (Lilli Kay) friends or when he was calling potential investors, but he just hasn’t been all that funny so far. Mitts, on the other hand, essentially functions asStick’s comedic relief.
In almost every episode ofStickseason 1 so far, Mitts has always been good for a laugh. Whether it was being stuck under the bed in his RV or, most recently, interacting with some nosy kids during the barbecue, Mitts always has a good joke up his sleeve. Maron, a professional comedian himself, is also tremendous at comedic timing and delivering dry, sarcastic responses at the perfect moment. Pryce, on the other hand, has been shouldering the brunt of the show’s dramatic moments.Even though Owen Wilson’s face is on the posters,Stickis pretty much only a comedy because of Mitts so far.
Mitts May Be Funnier Than Pryce, But Owen Wilson Is Still Killing Stick’s Emotional Stor
Wilson’s Comedy May Not Be The Highlight Of Stick, But He’s Given Pryce So Much Heartfelt Emotion
Mitts may be funnier than Pryce, but Marc Maron simply can’t compete with Owen Wilson in another, equally important, category: drama.Owen Wilson has been putting on a dramatic tour de force inStickseason 1, and it almost makes up for Pryce’s lack of great jokes. He’s nailing the nuances and little tragedies of a parent who never really processed his son’s death. The moments where Pryce actually lets himself feel something are some of Wilson’s best work. Pryce’s explanation of how much he wishes he could have experienced the mundane parts of fatherhood to Elena (Mariana Treviño), for example, was utterly heartbreaking.
On the other hand, Mitts' dramatic story so far inStickseason 1 hasn’t amounted to much. Mitts has this sad backstory of being an older widower who refuses to process his wife’s death, butStickhasn’t done much with it yet.Aside from an outburst and his misguided attempt to kiss Elena, Marc Maron hasn’t really had a chance to be a dramatic powerhouse. If he’s not there to make a joke or provide context for Pryce, Mitts basically just eats crow every once in a while and continues to ignore his problems.
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Interestingly enough, Mitts also indirectly had a hand in giving Wilson a chance to showcase his dramatic talents.Pryce is so closed off and emotionally reserved inStickseason 1, but Mitts' talks and his pointing out what Santi means to Pryce have helped him open up more. Without Pryce and Mitts' earlier conversation, we probably wouldn’t have seen Pryce helplessly tell Santi not to walk away at the end of this week’s episode. So, while Marc Maron is upstaging Owen Wilson inStickseason 1, he’s also giving Wilson a chance to stand out in a different way.
