Another great season from Sylvester Stallone's Tulsa King. This one is out now.
“As Dwight’s (Sylvester Stallone) empire expands, so do his enemies – and the risks to his crew. Now, he faces his most dangerous adversaries in Tulsa yet: the Dunmires, a powerful old-money family that doesn’t play by old-world rules, forcing Dwight to fight for everything he’s built and protect his family. Robert Patrick co-stars as the patriarch of the Dunmire family and Beau Knapp is his son, Cole, while the rest of the outstanding cast includes Martin Starr as Bodhi, Jay Will as Tyson, Kevin Pollak as Agent Musso, Dana Delany as Margaret Devereaux, Neil McDonough as Cal Thresher, Frank Grillo as Bill Bevilaqua, and James Russo as Quiet Ray. This 2-disc Blu-ray set includes all 10 dynamic episodes from Season Three.”
The idea of Sylvester Stallone playing a New York mobster who is released from prison after 25 years and sent to Oklahoma seems like an unlikely but entertaining combination given his past roles. Tulsa King, Created by Taylor Sheridan, mixes gangster drama with comedy, violence, and a fish-out-of-water story. While it has never been the most subtle crime series on television, Stallone’s charisma and the supporting cast have made it an enjoyable show to follow.
The first season introduces Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a New York mafia capo who is released from prison after serving 25 years. Rather than being welcomed back by his criminal family, Dwight is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he is expected to establish a new operation. With little support and almost no knowledge of the area, he begins building his own crew, including young driver Tyson, dispensary owner Bodhi, and several other unlikely associates. Dwight’s operation quickly grows, bringing him into conflict with local criminals, law enforcement, and the people back in New York who would rather see him fail.
Season two expands Dwight’s criminal empire as he becomes involved in a casino, a marijuana business, and other investments. However, success brings new enemies, including the Kansas City mob and local businessman Cal Thresher. Dwight also faces pressure from the New York mob, legal problems, and the consequences of trying to maintain relationships while building an increasingly complicated criminal organization. The second season continued to balance violence and drama with the show’s more humorous character interactions, although some of its plot developments felt overly convenient.
Season three finds Dwight attempting to expand his empire into the bourbon business. He becomes involved in acquiring a local distillery, but his ambitions put him in direct conflict with Jeremiah Dunmire and the dangerous Dunmire family. What begins as another business opportunity quickly turns into a battle over territory, power, and control. Dwight must also contend with the Dixie Mafia, law enforcement, personal loyalties, and the increasingly dangerous consequences of his actions.
One of the more interesting aspects of this season is the way Dwight tries to move beyond simply operating a criminal organization. His interest in building a legitimate bourbon brand gives the story a new direction, but the series never allows him to escape the violence and criminal behavior that made his success possible in the first place. The attempt to combine legitimate business with organized crime creates plenty of opportunities for conflict, even if the overall storyline continues to seem familiar.
The Dunmire family provides Dwight with another formidable opponent, and the season gradually builds toward an inevitable confrontation. The series continues to rely on the idea that Dwight is usually several steps ahead of everyone else, though his confidence can also lead him into situations that are more dangerous than he initially expects. There are plenty of betrayals, escalating threats, and violent confrontations, but the show still finds room for its occasional humor.
Sylvester Stallone remains the biggest reason to keep watching. At this point in his career, Stallone has developed a natural ability to play characters who are physically intimidating but also weary, stubborn, and occasionally vulnerable. Dwight is not simply a traditional gangster stereotype. He is a man who has spent decades living according to an older set of rules and is now trying to find his place in a world that has changed while he was in prison.
Stallone handles the character’s dry humor particularly well. Dwight’s blunt observations, old-fashioned manners, and tendency to respond to problems with direct violence give Stallone plenty of opportunities to display his personality. At the same time, he brings a surprising amount of warmth to Dwight’s relationships with his crew. The character may be ruthless, but he has developed genuine connections with the people around him, and Stallone makes those relationships believable.
The supporting cast continues to provide a good balance to Stallone. Martin Starr remains entertaining as Bodhi, while Jay Will’s Tyson continues to develop as he attempts to establish his own identity and position within Dwight’s organization. The new conflict with the Dunmire family also gives the season a source of tension, even though some of the plot mechanics follow familiar gangster-drama formulas.
The series is entertaining, but it can sometimes feel too predictable. Dwight will usually find a way to outmaneuver his enemies, and certain conflicts seem designed primarily to move the story toward another confrontation. The show is at its best when it focuses on its characters, especially Dwight’s interactions with his crew, rather than when it leans too heavily on familiar crime-drama.
Even with those limitations, season three remains an enjoyable continuation. It delivers the violence, humor, colorful characters, and larger-than-life situations that viewers have come to expect. It may not reinvent the gangster genre, but it understands the appeal of watching Stallone play a character who can walk into a room, command attention, and make even a simple conversation feel like a potential threat.
Here’s an episode breakdown:
Episode 1: “Blood and Bourbon”
Episode 2: “The Fifty”
Episode 3: “The G and the OG”
Episode 4: “Staring Down the Barrel”
Episode 5: “On the Rocks”
Episode 6: “Bubbles”
Episode 7: “Art of War”
Episode 8: “Nothing Is Over”
Episode 9: “Dead Weight”
Episode 10: “Jesus Lizard”
Video
The Blu-ray presents all ten episodes in 1080p high definition with a widescreen 2.00:1 aspect ratio. The image quality is consistently strong, with good detail, clean colors, and solid black levels. The presentation handles both the brighter outdoor locations and the darker interior scenes well, while the action sequences remain clear and easy to follow.
This is a good-looking high-definition transfer that should satisfy fans of the series. There is no 4K presentation included, but the Blu-ray image is sharp and well balanced throughout.
Audio
The release includes an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. The audio provides a good amount of activity across the surround channels, particularly during gunfire, action sequences, music, and vehicle effects. Dialogue remains clear, which is important for a series that relies heavily on conversations and character interactions.
Special Features
Unfortunately, this Blu-ray release does not include any bonus material.
Tulsa King continues to be an entertaining showcase for Sylvester Stallone. The third season gives Dwight a new business opportunity and another dangerous enemy, while maintaining the mixture of crime, humor, action, and character drama that has defined the series from the beginning.
The story can be predictable at times, and the show occasionally relies too much on familiar gangster conventions. However, Stallone remains charismatic in the lead role, and the supporting cast continues to make Dwight’s expanding criminal world enjoyable to spend time in. This one is out now.
