Tulsa King, the new crime drama featuring none other than Sylvester Stallone, is easily one of the most discussed TV series heading into fall 2022.
The series has been generating a ton of buzz not only thanks to its extremely well-known lead cast member but also for its potential to offer something refreshing and different.
After all, Tulsa King will be the first time audiences watch Stallone transition from familiarity of the big screen to a long-term role on television. He’s already went on record describing the difference in the two mediums, even defining the process on TV as “mercurial”. However, thanks to the show being developed by some of the biggest names in the industry, it’s safe to assume Tulsa King will be a success.
The show has been drumming up a lot of comparisons to another extremely popular TV series with new episodes this fall, Yellowstone . However, are the comparisons fair and valid? Yellowstone is one of the most successful TV shows of all time.
The comparisons between Tulsa King and Yellowstone begin with Taylor Sheridan, who produced both series along with others like 1883 and Mayor of Kingstown. Sheridan has developed a TV show empire over the last couple of decades and gets a boost from another top producer – Terence Winter (“The Sopranos”, “Boardwalk Empire”) – who is also connected to Tulsa King.
The two heavyweight Hollywood producers are leading many fans to speculate that Tulsa King will not disappoint. The show features some of the biggest names in the film industry – cast and crew – with a formula that is proven to work. Stallone, who portrays the character of Dwight “The General” Manfredi in the series, certainly looks in his element even if he’s relocated to rural Oklahoma.
In fact, the one element that Sheridan insists will distinguish Tulsa King from any of his previous TV installments is that the main character is out of his element. It’s true, after serving a 25-year prison sentence, “The General” finds himself in unfamiliar waters after the mafia family decides to relocate him from New York to Tulsa.
Therefore, despite Tulsa King demonstrating some of the familiar ingredients of a Taylor Sheridan universe (powerful families, stubborn patriarchs, etc.) there is enough to make the series memorable.
For starters, the crime drama promises to deliver Sheridan’s visceral violence while also departing from the seriousness of shows like Yellowstone. Co-star Andrea Savage confirmed as much when discussing Tulsa King during its press tour, even suggesting the first episode has a “fun life to it”.
Winter agreed with the sentiment, remarking that audiences may find Stallone’s humor incredibly dark yet the overall tone of the show lighter compared to other Sheridan dramas. He applauded the addition of comedian Martin Starr to the cast along with several other noteworthy additions. Sheridan has certainly had success in the past working with A-list talent including Sam Elliott, Jeremy Renner, and Kevin Costner.