Stick’s Jason Keller, Peter Dager, and Lilli Kay on Season 2’s Hero’s Journey and Owen Wilson’s Mannerisms: Podcast

Listen via: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | More Platforms Golf might be the only sport where standing perfectly still can feel like an existential crisis, which makes Stick an ideal playground for people trying to figure out what the hell they’re doing with their lives. With the Apple TV comedy returning for Season 2, creator Jason Keller and stars Peter Dager and Lilli Kay spoke with Kyle Meredith about taking the show’s lovable collection of misfits into unfamiliar territory. Owen Wilson’s washed-up golf pro Price Cahill is mounting an unlikely comeback, Dager’s Santi is discovering that fame comes with a nasty learning curve, and Kay’s Zero is looking for something beyond being the supportive partner. Add some Midwestern nostalgia, a soundtrack stacked with classic rock, and a few suspiciously accurate impressions of the cast, and there’s plenty happening beyond the putting green. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts. For Keller, the series has always been about something bigger than birdies and bogeys. “This show is a love letter to the Midwest,” the Indianapolis native explained, acknowledging that his own upbringing continues to sneak into the show’s DNA. But Season 2 takes things further, borrowing from Joseph Campbell’s philosophy that everyone is living their own hero’s journey. “I wanted the scope of the challenge to be bigger for each of them,” Keller said. That hits particularly hard for Santi, whose newfound success is starting to resemble a pressure cooker. Dager admitted that his character’s struggles often mirror his own experiences navigating the industry, calling the process “therapeutic in some ways” as he channels personal anxieties into his performance. Meanwhile, Kay sees Zero moving beyond the security of the family she’s found. “I think she wants to contribute. I think she wants to change things, change the world in some way,” she explained, pointing toward a character finally discovering ambitions of her own. Of course, soul-searching goes down easier with a killer soundtrack. Keller revealed that Stick’s impressive collection of songs from The Who, The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, and others began with a simple question about what Price would blast from the speakers of his yellow Corvette. “Everybody started to really see and feel this show through the music,” he recalled, crediting Apple for encouraging the production to go big with its musical choices. He also discussed falling for CAAMP, the band behind the show’s theme song. On the lighter side, Kay gets to take a crack at impersonating co-star Marc Maron, though she’s reluctant to claim victory. “I wish I could do a Marc Maron impression. He is a singular character,” she laughed. Dager, meanwhile, confessed that Owen Wilson’s famously distinctive delivery has started creeping into his everyday conversations. “I see myself picking up things that he does and I’m just like, why am I doing that?” Listen to Jason Keller, Peter Dager, and Lilli Kay talk about Stick Season 2, and more in the new episode above or by watching the video below. Keep up on all the latest episodes by following Kyle Meredith With… on your favorite podcast platform; plus, check out all the series on the Consequence Podcast Network.