Tulsa King – Or as I like to call it, “The Godfather, but Make It Oklahoma.”
Rating: 4/5 “Netflix and Actually Chill” – Stallone’s grizzled charisma carries this one like a mob boss with a grudge.
Plot Breakdown
Sylvester Stallone stars as Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a mob capo fresh out of a 25-year prison stint. Instead of receiving a hero’s welcome back in New York, he’s exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to set up shop for the mafia. Yes, you read that right—Tulsa—the land of cowboys and craft beer. Fish-out-of-water antics ensue as Dwight builds a criminal empire from scratch but with fewer Italian suits and more cowboy hats.
Plot holes? Sure, a few—like why anyone thought Oklahoma was primo mob territory. But let’s suspend disbelief and enjoy watching Stallone charm his way through small-town America like a retired Rocky trying his hand at Breaking Bad.
Acting Critique
Stallone is in his element, channelling his usual mix of brute strength and surprising vulnerability. Dwight’s quips land perfectly, thanks to Sly’s gravelly delivery. It’s like watching Rocky Balboa if he traded boxing gloves for brass knuckles and decided to quote Sun Tzu randomly.
The supporting cast is hit-or-miss. Andrea Savage, as Stacy, Dwight’s morally conflicted ATF agent flame, is solid, but a few minor characters feel like they wandered off the set of Yellowstone and into the wrong show. That said, the ensemble mostly keeps up, even if their accents sometimes don’t.
Technical Observations
Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, Sicario) knows his way around a camera, and it shows. The sweeping shots of Tulsa’s skyline and dusty streets are strangely captivating. The cinematography sells the “small-town crime” aesthetic with a modern twist. Editing-wise, it’s slick but sometimes indulgent—does every minor plot twist need its own dramatic pause?
The soundtrack is a bizarrely entertaining mash-up of classic rock and twangy country tunes. It’s like they raided a middle-aged dad’s Spotify playlist, and I mean that as a compliment.
Cultural Context
Tulsa King rides on the “gritty anti-hero” wave that’s been dominating TV since Tony Soprano took over cable. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s refreshing to see Stallone thrive in the streaming era instead of in yet another overblown Expendables sequel.
Also, props for blending mob drama with Western vibes. It’s The Sopranos meets Longmire, with a dash of Fargo-esque absurdity. Who knew that niche existed?
Hot Take Corner
The show works because it leans into its absurdity. Tulsa King isn’t trying to be Goodfellas; it’s closer to a mafioso Hallmark movie—with shootouts. Stallone’s Dwight may be rough around the edges, but his attempts to “do good” while being unapologetically bad make him oddly endearing. This is the anti-hero we didn’t know we needed.
Prediction
Tulsa King will be a sleeper hit, riding Stallone’s star power and Sheridan’s gritty storytelling. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s binge-worthy and surprisingly heartfelt. Expect memes, a devoted fanbase, and inevitable calls for a third season.
Final Verdict: Tulsa King is your ticket if you want a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously but knows how to deliver a punch (literally and figuratively). It’s the type of show that pairs perfectly with whiskey on the rocks—and maybe some cowboy boots.