Synopsis:
Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi, (Sylvester Stallone) as he’s released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a crew from a group of unlikely characters to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet.
What We Thought:
I’ve been a fan of Sylvester Stallone since I was a kid so I was looking forward to Tulsa King and it didn’t disappoint. Stallone is fantastic in an actual age appropriate character that allows him to be dramatic and funny at the same time. If you know that My Blue Heaven is the unofficial comedic sequel to Goodfellas then Tulsa King is right up your alley. I’m looking forward to more of it now.
Can Stallone play a character like this in his sleep? Of course, but that’s what makes the show watchable. He’s charming, he’s a gentleman, he’s old-school and he’s a gangster who just got out of prison. Stallone oozes that Made Man charisma, he’s a murderer sure, but he’s classy and great with the ladies. He’s going to hold a door open for you, but if you don’t say thank you, he might whack ya.
Mixed in with that mafioso angle is the classic fish-out-of-water storytelling. Not only is The General not used to today’s world of technology, but he’s forced out of New York and into Tulsa, a place he wasn’t made for. Old people not good with cell phones and the internet can be played out quickly, but Stallone is charming enough that the joke isn’t beaten to death. When he first walks into a legal pot shop, he can’t believe what was once part of his illegal activities is now open to the public.
It’s that pot shop and those involved in Tulsa that brings in a slew of characters including Martin Starr who has no way of controlling the New Yorker. You get Tyson, a cab driver who instantly wants to be part of Dwight’s lifestyle. I think Garret Hedlund is an underrated actor and he’s great as the bar owner. Plus you have Dana Delaney and Andrea Savage as love interests or at least possible love interests.
Tulsa King was created by Taylor Sheridan who has given us some of the best TV of the past 5 years. Terence Winter is an executive producer as well. Two of TV’s best along with Stallone in a proper character for his age make for quality programming. I’m curious to see where it goes because it has a lot of talent I appreciate and I binged through Season 1 very quickly. If you don’t have Paramount+, pick up the home video release if you’re a Stallone fan.
Bonus Content:
Includes over 90 minutes of bonus content in 6 never-before-seen featurettes where the cast and crew discuss the different dynamics of the show’s plot and setting and working with Sylvester Stallone. Plus, take a closer look at how costume design enhances the characters, planning action-packed and safe stunts, and the differences between shooting in Brooklyn and Tulsa.
- Stranger in a Strange Land: Genesis
- Carpe D.M.: Stallone
- Mercy and Malice: The Cast
- Haberdashery: Costume Design
- Outthink Your Enemy: Stunts
- The Here and Now: On Location in Tulsa
- Behind the Story for every episode
The Nerds Templar 