Last week, we suggested readers take advantage of Paramount’s newest promotion (promo code 1923) to catch up on all the latest from popular franchises like Yellowstone and South Park. However, there’s another diamond hidden in that “Mountain of Content”; Sylvester Stallone’s latest crime drama Tulsa King, which may be Paramount Plus at its peak.
With classics like Rocky and Rambo under his belt (literally), most viewers were probably under the impression they’d seen the best of Sly. After all, the 76-year-old legend has nothing to prove; he’s racked up 33 awards and 71 nominations in a career spanning over five decades. Nuff said. This may be why viewers were surprised to hear Stallone had taken on the role for Paramount+. But, wow, we’re glad he did.
Tulsa King promotional trailer, credit Paramount
Tulsa King plot synopsis
After serving 25 years for murder, mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi returns to New York to find his family in turmoil. There isn’t room for him to earn in NY, so his new boss sends him to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to establish operations, which he does, despite the threat of local gangs and an FBI office on high alert for organized crime.
Cornered and outgunned, Dwight never breaks a sweat; this is the kind of swagger and charm that only Stallone could pull off. Honestly, it’d be hilarious if it wasn’t so damn good.
To be clear, this is a show about a retired New York gangster marching into Tulsa (population 411,401) and shaking down small-town business owners by offering protection for unnamed “threats” in the state. But this is mobbing with a twist, as Dwight never truly “shakes down” anyone, relying on his charisma and will to nudge them into his sphere of influence as they protest comically along the way.
Medicinal marijuana shop owner Bodhi says it best, “What threat? There was no trouble until you [Dwight] walked in,” after reluctantly agreeing to go for the ride.
Tulsa King was written for Stallone
Considering the premise of Tulsa King, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Stallone pulling this off. A New York mafia capo walks into Tulsa, Oklahoma, and begins to shake down small businesses in full view of the ATF, FBI, Tulsa Police, and every biker gang in the state? Sure.
Dwight’s mission is fraught with peril. On the one hand, he’s navigating a law enforcement infrastructure that isn’t expecting him, experienced or familiar with organized crime. On the other, he’s just one man, inexperienced or not; these are still federal agencies with enormous power and resources.
In addition, Dwight has problems with local gang leader Caolan Waltrip (Ritchie Coster) and rivals back in New York, who’ve become disenchanted with his rebellious behavior.
This character has to look directly into the camera and convince audiences he can succeed despite every imaginable threat, on the cusp of certain doom at every turn. But Stallone makes it look as effortless as chewing gum.
It’s almost as if Stallone is watching the series with you. He’s a straight man ignoring the ludicrousness of the narrative. As if he’s watching everything unfold and giving you a nod, “yea, it’s dumb, but that’s what we’re doing.” In that way, Tulsa King is an easy show to watch; but it’s only possible with the stone-cold confidence and nonchalant strut of Sylvester Stallone.
Needless to say, we highly recommend Tulsa King.
How many episodes are in season one of Tulsa King?
Unlike 1883, 1923, and Mayor of Kingstown, all of which Taylor Sheridan directed or produced for Paramount, the first season of Tulsa King has only nine episodes. Many viewers were expecting a tenth to drop on January 15, 2023, but showrunners Taylor Sheridan and Terence Winter clearly wanted to leave some room for excitement; episode nine wrapped up most of the series’ plotlines while creating an entirely new thread for us to pull on – perhaps with too much to resolve in a single episode.
But not to worry….
Promo code “1923” still works, giving new Paramount+ customers 30 days of streaming for free; more than enough time to binge season one of Tulsa King.
And…
Tulsa King has been renewed for season two
After shattering records for Paramount last year, the streamer announced that Stallone would return to the small screen soon.
Chris McCarthy, the President and CEO of Paramount Media Networks & MTV Entertainment Studios, added, “Tulsa King scored as the #1 new series of the year, topping all others including the ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel ‘House of the Dragon,’ with its preview on Paramount Network, and Paramount+. It shattered records, driving us to our biggest new sign-up day in history – which is why we instantly greenlit season two.”
We want this as a painting. #TulsaKing #SylvesterStallone pic.twitter.com/XrSOvwJ6iq
— Tulsa King (@TulsaKing) January 10, 2023
When will season two of Tulsa King premiere?
So far, Paramount has been mum on a release date for season two of Tulsa King. However, considering the first episode of season one dropped in November, there’s a slight chance we could see Dwight return in 2023. A more likely scenario is that the first episodes come early in 2024.
Related: Is The Yellowstone Series Now Destined To Be A Shared Universe?