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Tulsa King starts off with Dwight ‘The General’ Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone – Samaritan) in prison in Northern Pennsylvania for reasons undisclosed, having graced their presence for 25 years. He regrets his time in there, but he’s finally out… and about to go straight?
Stallone goes for a sort-of Mafia meet-up, where he’s told he has to go to Tulsa and set up a business, but he’s annoyed about being bossed around do because he feels he’s been disrespected.
Still, because reasons, he does it anyway, but comes across like a fish out of water – not just in Tulsa, but on this planet. He’s too old school, and thinks someone runs the local neighbourhood, as if it’s all Mafia-based. Similarly, he goes into the first shop he comes to, which sells CBD oil and other stuff to get high, and thinks it’s a bigger deal than it is.
As such, he wades in, being all heavy-handed, knocking out the security guard to the shock of owner Bodhi (Martin Starr – Spider-Man: No Way Home More Fun Stuff Version), and quips “He’s taking a break”. But he’s not done there, since Sly wants to take protection money from them, saying he’ll protect them from the gangs, to which comes the bemused reply, “What gangs?!”
Similarly, after getting one taxi ride with Tyson (Jay Will), he suddenly trusts him enough to offer a job where he’ll be his driver, for $2000/week, thus cementing his position as a self-entitled douche.
Later, he meets Margaret (Dana Delaney) in a bar, getting on very well with her. You’ll see how their relationship develops, and there’s some interest in that, but only mildly, and doesn’t feel like anything we haven’t seen before.
And to that end, the whole thing feels like rather a nonsense, with Stallone’s character having as much Mafia heavyweight as Kramer from Seinfeld, especially the way he delivers a punch to knock a bad guy out, then putting the man’s hat on him to make it looks like he’s fallen asleep drunk. It’s Crocodile Dundee all over again!
Clearly, this isn’t Goodfellas, more like Daftfellas. Some people seem to fear him, but in reality, he’s a bit of a prat who solves his problems with his fists.
Additionally, unlike most Stallone ventures, it’s not just him who mumbles in this, but everyone does in this show!
As an aside, it took me a while to recognise Domenick Lombardozzi (The Irishman) as Charles ‘Chickie’ Invernizzi, since he’s normally bald, and here, he wears a bad syrup.
I only remember Dana Delaney from being in the godawful 1992 ‘comedy’ Housesitter, alongside Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn, but what I explicitly remember, is that my advice at the time to friends and family was: Wait until it comes on TV… AND THEN GO OUT!!! 😀
For Tulsa King, only one episode was available, but can we take Sly acting all entitled for the whole ten episodes? I’m not sure. The real Dwight – if he existed – wouldn’t bother wasting his time on a tiny pot shop.
Similarly, like 1899, this also doesn’t give a full cast list at the end, not even mentioning the main cast members and their characters. Why not?
Thanks to our friends at Paramount+ for the screener prior to release.
Tulsa King is not available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but is on Paramount+ from Monday November 14th, showing weekly.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 40-45 minutes per episode (10 episodes, weekly)
Release date: November 14th 2022
Studio: Paramount+
Format: 2.39:1
Series Directors: Allen Coulter, Ben Semanoff
Creator: Taylor Sheridan
Writers: Taylor Sheridan, Joseph Riccobene, Terence Winter
Music: Danny Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans
Cast:
Dwight ‘The General’ Manfredi: Sylvester Stallone
Stacy Beale: Andrea Savage
Bodhi: Martin Starr
Tyson: Jay Will
Armand Truisi: Max Casella
Charles ‘Chickie’ Invernizzi: Domenick Lombardozzi
Vince Antonacci: Vincent Piazza
Pete Invernizzi: AC Peterson
Mitch Keller: Garrett Hedlund
Margaret: Dana Delany
Clint: Dashiell Connery
Goodie Carangi: Chris Caldovino
Grace: McKenna Quigley Harrington
Fred the Security Guard: Justin Garcia-Pruneda
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.