As a seasoned television enthusiast with a soft spot for gangster dramas, I must say that the cast of Tulsa King is as diverse as a box of colorful pasta in a bustling Italian kitchen. From the charismatic Dwight, played by Sylvester Stallone, to the eclectic mix of characters surrounding him, each one brings their unique flavor to this engaging series.
It seems odd to argue that Sylvester Stallone was miscast in the show Tulsa King, as this series appears to have been specifically created around him. This is similar to suggesting Godzilla was miscast in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. In both instances, these productions serve primarily as vehicles for presenting iconic figures that audiences adore. Essentially, I’m questioning why the Stallone-producing machine produced Sylvester Stallone for me to watch when I expected more of the same? It’s like going to Dunkin’ and criticizing the abundance of donuts.
And yet. Despite its usually light tone, Tulsa King is, after all, the story of a mafia captain taking over a city through extortion and violence. Violence is something we know Stallone can do, as well as anyone who has ever done it, historically speaking. But it’s the mafia-captain thing that doesn’t quite work. Stallone has played killers before, to understate the case considerably, but once stardom found him, he never played a notable heel again. The closest any of his star turns have come to villainy are the first and fourth Rambo films, but Rambo is Frankenstein’s monster, not Dracula. (In this metaphor, Dr. Frankenstein is Uncle Sam.)
In simpler terms, the character Sylvester Stallone plays in Tulsa King appears to be more compassionate compared to his earlier roles like Rocky. However, it’s challenging for viewers to fully embrace this new gangster persona because it seems out of character for Stallone, who has always been perceived as a nice guy rather than a tough mob boss. The show tries to soften the image of Stallone’s character by showing that his crimes are primarily justified, but this change still feels unnatural and contrived, like watching Sylvester Stallone act as if he isn’t Sylvester Stallone pretending to be a gangster.
As a devoted fan, I find the pre-season shake-ups quite intriguing. Originally serving as the showrunner, Terence Winter relinquished his position due to creative clashes with Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind the hit series “Yellowstone.” Now, Winter is focusing on scriptwriting, while Craig Zisk takes over as director and executive producer in place of a designated showrunner. Moreover, a renowned figure, Sylvester Stallone, has joined the writing team. He collaborated with Terence to pen not only the season-two opener but also the finale!
Hypothetically speaking, the outcome might be quite impressive. Terence Winter, known as one of the finest writers from “The Sopranos” (“Pine Barrens”, “Long Term Parking”), also developed “Boardwalk Empire”, a critically underappreciated and uncompromising drama from the second wave of the New Golden Age. (It spans five compact seasons, currently airing on Max, featuring an array of talented character actors – why delay any longer?)
Meanwhile, Stallone is undeniably an intriguing director with genuine talents. It’s important to recall that this man wasn’t merely an actor in the legendary films Rocky and First Blood, but he actually penned them himself. If not for the numerous follow-ups that overshadowed their original charm, these movies would be fondly remembered as poignant reflections of the New Hollywood era, albeit with a tarnished legacy due to Stallone’s involvement in writing and directing many of those sequels.
Regrettably, this season-two opener fails to showcase the depth and complexity that typically characterizes both the moral dilemmas of violent characters (Winter) and the dramatic intensity of personal struggle (Stallone). In essence, it can be summarized as a single sentence: Sylvester Stallone portrays a mob boss who relocates to Tulsa, leading to a series of comedic events.
In the finale of the first season, Stallone’s character, known as Dwight “The General” Manfredi, decided to break free from his apparent superior, Chickie Invernizzi (Domenick Lombardozzi, also known as Herc from ‘The Wire’). Chickie leads a crime family bearing his name, which he acquired through an underhanded act of drowning his father in the bathtub. This family based in New York City includes Dwight’s main adversary, Vince Antonacci (Vincent Piazza, famously known as Lucky Luciano from ‘Boardwalk Empire’). Tired of Dwight’s defiant behavior, they find his independence increasingly problematic. After serving 25 years in prison without betraying anything, Dwight was expelled from New York when the younger generation had no use for him upon release. Quite an ungrateful welcome!
It’s likely that Dwight’s unique group is connected to the situation, as it comprises two individuals who defected from the Invernizzi family. One is Armand Truisi (played by Max Casella, known as Benny from The Sopranos), who left the mafia years ago due to his distaste for the violent crimes and moved to Tulsa to escape that lifestyle. The other is Goodie Carangi (portrayed by Chris Caldovino, who played Tonino on Boardwalk Empire). Notably, Goodie switches allegiances when the conflict between the two aspiring bosses becomes irreconcilable. (I apologize for the inconsistent metaphor: Dwight, who spends all his time in prison reading and recites Oscar Wilde from memory, would disapprove of such a mix-up.)
Instead of a mafia-like group, Dwight’s operation consists of an assorted assortment rather than a traditional Italian crew, as there are only three Italians and two made men in the mix. Tyson (Jay Will), Dwight’s energetic and outgoing African American driver and right-hand man, is one member of this team. Mitch (Garrett Hedlund, who bears a resemblance to Sam Elliott in his youth) is another, a quiet former rodeo rider and ex-convict who manages the bar that Dwight transformed into a casino. Bodhi (Martin Starr) is the humorless owner of the marijuana shop that Dwight took over as soon as he arrived in town; his employees – heavily tattooed Grace (McKenna Quigley Harrington), burly security guard Fred (Justin Garcia-Pruneda), and previously dreadlocked white man Clint (Dashiell Connery) – also join the ranks. Jimmy (Glen Gould), an Indigenous marijuana farm owner, and Bigfoot (pro wrestler Mike “Cash Flo” Warden), a newcomer with a mountainous physique, complete the cast of this diverse crew.
Since Tulsa King, a man who’s also known as a wise guy, is involved in a romantic situation with two intriguing middle-aged women, it’s important to note them. One is Special Agent Stacy Beale (Andrea Savage), who initially saw Dwight as being 20 years younger than his actual age, which he found flattering, and their relationship included her protecting him before eventually betraying him for career advancement. The other is Margaret Devereaux (Dana Delany), the ranch owner whom Dwight admires for her striking hair, a quality he describes poetically.
In this installment, Margaret extends an invitation to Dwight for a glamorous event. There, she presents him to Cal Thresher, a haughty marijuana magnate (played by Neal McDonough). Watching everyone in the group flaunt their unique takes on formal attire as they strive to win over high-class society is quite amusing. However, Dwight and Thresher don’t see eye-to-eye, which seems to set up Cal as our main adversary for the season. Enjoy!
However, it’s crucial to note that the most significant person in his life is none other than his daughter, Tatiana Zappardino (Tina). In a previous season, she disclosed that one of Dwight’s mafia associates had sexually abused her while he was imprisoned. Enraged by this revelation, Dwight savagely killed the man in Chickie’s father’s club, contributing to the estrangement from New York. Since then, Tina has moved to Tulsa following an attack on her husband as retaliation. She also provided the funds necessary for Dwight’s bail after Stacey arranged his arrest at the end of season one.
It’s well-known that mafia members often end up either deceased or imprisoned. With option B, being alive in prison, seemingly unavailable for now, Chickie appears to be considering option A – he murders a supporter of Dwight to send a message, and then reaches out to Bill Bevilacqua, the mob’s representative in Kansas City (who is always a pleasure to watch, played by Frank Grillo). Is he planning to let another mobster expand his control over Chickie’s city? I believe we have our second antagonist.
Sylvester Stallone portrays a charismatic character, effortlessly defeating younger opponents with a single punch, charming attractive women, and boosting the morale of his motley crew while recruiting them for gunfights against biker gangs and other miscellaneous conflicts. The title “benevolent mafia boss” aligns with other TV stereotypes that soften the image of problematic institutions. However, it’s clear that this portrayal doesn’t reflect real-life mafia activities. The debate revolves around whether you find pleasure in watching Sylvester Stallone emulate “Goodfellas.” If you seek a more serious role from Stallone within a gritty crime story, “Cop Land” is available on Paramount+. Essentially, “Tulsa King” offers entertainment, regardless of whether you’re enjoying it or not while watching it.
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2024-09-15 22:54