Sylvester Stallone takes on his first major television role in “Tulsa King,” the newest Paramount+ series from creator Taylor Sheridan. Well known for projects such as Yellowstone and Sicario, Sheridan is quickly building an empire of high-quality drama series at Paramount.
Tulsa King introduces us to Dwight Manfredi, a New York Mafia capo who has just completed a 25-year prison sentence and is now being released back into a very different world to the one he left.
Sylvester Stallone brings the power to this show and he fully embodies the role of Dwight. Taylor Sheridan and Terence Winter have crafted an old-school Mafia world that in a way, made me feel like a fish out of water alongside Dwight. As we learn about what his world used to be like and witness his shock at not exactly being welcomed home, it’s hard not to immediately join Dwight’s team. I love an underdog.
Chickie (Domenick Lombardozzi) and Vince (Vincent Piazza) inform Dwight that he no longer has a place in the New York operation, despite the sacrifice he made for the family 25 years earlier. Offended, Dwight quickly makes an enemy of Vince before deciding he’ll take the proposal: Set up a new gang chapter in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It seems like a very odd place to move to and start a new gang, but I’m intrigued.
In Tulsa, Dwight meets Tyson (Jay Will), a cabbie who quickly gets recruited to be his driver and right-hand man. Tyson is funny and makes a great partner to the gruff Dwight – who gets a crash course in the world of 2022. Dwight quickly learns 1997 is a long time ago now, technology has evolved. iPhones are a foreign object to him. It amuses me to see Dwight take offense to Tyson calling him a gangster, as if that isn’t exactly what he is.
I love watching Dwight find his feet in Tulsa. He’s a natural at making new friends – by force or otherwise – and the first episode builds the friendship between Dwight and Tyson really well. I feel like they’re going to be a dynamic duo throughout season 1. One scene in particular at a car dealership shows us that Dwight will not be taking any shit from the locals.
Local weed dispensary owner Bodhi (Martin Starr) is one of Dwight’s first.. reluctant business partners. Poor Bodhi essentially has no choice in the matter, though he brings some comedy to the show which I love. Another addition to Dwight’s crew is bartender Mitch (Garrett Hedlund) who I feel will be very useful, as he owns the bar that Dwight decides to make his local watering hole and likely has contacts in the area that could be beneficial.
Andrea Savage has a great introduction as Stacy, a woman belonging to what looks to be a bachelorette party at the bar. After inviting Dwight to karaoke – which naturally, is not very “Dwight” – the two embark on what could potentially be a rocky relationship, once Dwight finds out what secret Stacy is hiding.
The future is bright for Tulsa King. A sharp drama with a stellar leading actor and a strong ensemble cast, I’ll definitely be tuning in again for this one next week. The pacing is just right – every time we learn something new about Dwight, I already want more. I’m excited to see how Dwight’s new life progresses.. and what happens when the local bad guys get wind of him and his plans.
Check it out: The first two episodes are available now on Paramount+.
