43/45
Nondescript Character: Where do you pray?
Tale
Following his release from prison, mob boss Dwight “The General” Manfredi goes into exile in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he builds a new criminal empire with a cast of unlikely characters. Sylvester Stallone’s first starring role in a television series. Dwight “The General” Manfredi: I don’t really go to church. The opening credits sequence shows various photographic and painted views as well as Oklahoma landmarks imposed upon the New York City landscape: A statue of Sioux Indian chief “Touch the Clouds” wearing a war bonnet and a bone choker necklace (breastplate) imposed upon the top of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Featured on CBS News Sunday Morning: Episode #457 (2022)
The Golden Driller statue imposed upon the Statue of Liberty. The Western Gateway Arch of Route 66 imposed upon one of Manhattan’s main “avenues.” In New York City, in the borough of Manhattan, there are several numbered “avenues” that are crisscrossed by smaller numbered streets. I thought this would be an entertaining show. We’ve grown accustomed to thinking that anything with Stallone in it nowadays would be a comedy, and Tulsa King features a fair amount of humor.
The characters are genuinely likable across the board
But Taylor Sheridan isn’t going to create a simple parody of a mob story and use Stallone as a joke and punchline. The show has promising depth, despite the light-hearted premise of a former top mobster forced to start over in a new city after a long prison sentence. Some comedy ensues as a New York mobster finds his way into Tulsa to establish his territory using his “old world” ways. While it’s not unusual to root for a “bad guy” protagonist, with his bluntness and old world common sense values, it does appeal to those of us looking for something refreshing amidst today’s societal nonsense.
Stallone gives a terrific performance
The irony of the message is that it takes a bully who bows to no one to break through and expose shallow societal hypocrisy. This is the same formula that made Yellowstone a success, and Sheridan knows this is what many of us want. Before he was turned into a caricature by his later roles that brought down the Rocky and Rambo franchises, his performance and screen presence created those iconic roles. It’s nice to see him back on screen in a role that seems perfect for him, and to harness some of that brash personality to add depth to his character and the show, rather than undermine it.
Overall, it’s a very entertaining show that I look forward to, and an excellent addition to the Paramount+ portfolio
Check out our recap of “Yellowstone” Season 5, Part 2, “Squid Game” Season 2, and more of the most anticipated new and returning series coming to TV and streaming.