Season 1 of Tulsa King, one of Taylor Sheridan’s projects outside the Yellowstone series, came as a surprise. When the show first aired, the tone of the gangster-in-a-small-town story was uncertain. The tagline could suggest a serious crime drama like Sons of Anarchy, or it could hint at a comedy-drama like Fargo or even a simple farce.
Season 1 introduced Dwight Manfredi, played by Sylvester Stallone, who had just finished a 25-year prison sentence for the Invernizzi crime family. After his release, he is sent to Tulsa to set up a mob presence. However, events lead him to cut ties with his old mob and build his own family from scratch.
The series stood out by focusing on the concept of a “chosen family” in Dwight’s growing criminal organization. This allowed for both serious antagonists and moments of lighter, less intense drama. Season 1 ended with Dwight opening a casino and being arrested by the ATF, setting up plenty of drama for Season 2.
What is ‘Tulsa King’ Season 2 About?
Season 2 of Tulsa King follows Dwight’s efforts to expand his business in Tulsa while trying to avoid charges from the ATF, deal with his old mob family, and face new enemies who challenge his growing ambitions.
Dwight’s plan to expand into the marijuana business clashes with local businessman Carl Thresher, played by Neil McDonough, and Kansas City mobster Bill Bevilaqua, played by Frank Grillo.
Bevilaqua strongly opposes Dwight’s presence on his turf. In the first three episodes of the season, Dwight battles legal troubles, plans his next steps for expanding his business, and deals with these new threats.
‘Tulsa King’ Season 2 Brings New Challenges But Struggles With Its Tone
Most of the characters from Season 1 return, and Sylvester Stallone remains entertaining as Dwight, the charming but determined mobster. One of the most interesting aspects of the show is the “chosen family” that Dwight builds.
His criminal organization includes a wide range of people, from marijuana expert “Bodhi” Geigerman, played by Martin Starr, to driver Tyson Mitchell, played by Jay Will, and bar owner Mitch Keller, played by Garrett Hedlund.
These characters are very different from traditional mobsters, which leads to unique and often charming interactions. This also gives Stallone’s character room to grow.
Season 2 keeps this charm, as the odd mix of characters work together to find new ways to make money. Their skills and backgrounds lead to some creative criminal ventures beyond the usual mob activities.
The new antagonists in Season 2 appear to be serious obstacles to Dwight’s goals. Neil McDonough is no stranger to playing villains, and his character, Carl Thresher, is both militant and dangerous. Frank Grillo’s Bill Bevilaqua is introduced only briefly in the first three episodes but seems to be taking a very aggressive approach.
This sets up an interesting contrast between Bevilaqua’s intense, unstoppable character and Dwight’s more relaxed but firm personality. It looks like these two characters will have some major confrontations as the season progresses.
The first three episodes of Season 2 focus on introducing these new conflicts and dealing with the ATF charges that ended Season 1. This has both positive and negative aspects. On one hand, it’s a good way to set up strong, memorable antagonists.
On the other hand, the ATF legal storyline isn’t the most exciting part of the show. Since Tulsa King isn’t a legal drama, there’s not much to keep the audience engaged when the focus shifts to the courtroom. It’s hard to believe the show would send Dwight back to jail after spending so much time there in Season 1.
Because of this, the start of Season 2 sometimes feels like it’s just waiting for the main story to begin. The show is at its best when it focuses on the new villains, Dwight’s next moves, and resolving old conflicts.
Episode 3 is the strongest so far and builds good momentum for the rest of the season. However, some moments feel out of place, or as though the show is trying too hard to make the audience smile.
For example, in Episode 2, a real-life Nashville rapper appears as a janitor who sings while cleaning. While the scene isn’t bad, it doesn’t seem to have any real purpose unless this character returns later. The scene feels like a staged music video, and the reactions of the characters are overly happy.
This kind of scene didn’t work when Ed Sheeran appeared in Game of Thrones, and it doesn’t work here either. While this is the most obvious example, other moments in the early episodes also feel too lighthearted. Tulsa King Season 2 shows promise but could face some challenges in keeping its tone consistent.
‘Tulsa King’ Season 2 Needs a Strong Storyline to Succeed
Season 1 of Tulsa King was a fresh take on mob dramas. It successfully balanced the threat of real danger with moments of humor and charm. Season 2 seems on the right track, with possibly even more dangerous villains.
However, the show has not yet found the same balance in its tone during the first half of the season. Stallone’s character, Dwight, remains engaging, and the people around him help to bring out the best in him by encouraging more creative criminal activities instead of just increasing the violence.
Some moments try too hard to be lighthearted, but the show works best when those moments come naturally from the characters.
It’s a solid start to a season with all the pieces for an excellent second half, though it may take some time to come together fully. There is plenty of room for drama as the season builds, and we hope the show will finish as strongly as it started.
Tulsa King Season 2 premieres on September 15 on Paramount+.
