Paramount Plus’ latest crime drama series, Tulsa King, is quite unique in its approach. Most gangster crime dramas focus on charismatic, young leaders and trace their rise to power. If not young, the protagonist is at least middle-aged. For instance, Walter White or Tommy Shelby.
Tulsa King breaks this stereotype. Sylvester Stallone plays Dwight Manfredi, a former New York mafia leader who is 75 years of age at the beginning of the series. Tulsa King also marks the debut of Stallone on television at the age of 76, so this role is kind of a new beginning for the actor, too.
Tulsa King begins when a former gangster, Dwight Manfredi, returns to the New York mafia life after spending 25 years in jail. But once he returns, his boss sends him to a completely unknown city called Tulsa in Oklahoma. Tulsa is a virgin mob territory, and Dwight must build his life in the city at 76 years of age.
The newly appointed leaders of the New York mafia gang simply wanted to get rid of an aging mobster like Dwight, which is why he was banished to Tulsa. But Dwight isn’t someone to give up. Instead of accepting such a fate, he decides to establish control in Tulsa.
Stallone has always talked about his desire to play a serious gangster on screen. But despite playing rough and tough characters in the Rocky and Rambo franchise, he never ended up signing such a role. Finally, at the age of 76, he is playing the role of an aging gangster, breaking quite a few stereotypes associated with this genre.
If Tulsa King is renewed for subsequent seasons, we might see Dwight Manfredi aging further, especially if the story spans several years. All of it depends on how the first season performs. But the show will most likely explore the struggles of age while being a part of the mafia world and how Dwight builds an empire at this stage of his life.
Since Dwight has been in jail for 25 years, a lot of the outer world has changed. The show could also focus on these huge changes and how Manfredi manages to cope with them. Back in Manfredi’s time, things worked quite differently. Now that young blood has come into the mafia world, Dwight will face quite a few challenges on his path to getting back on track.
Let’s see how our gangster grandpa deals with it!
About Tulsa King
Tulsa King is an American crime drama television series created by Taylor Sheridan with Terence Winter showrunning for Paramount+. The series stars Sylvester Stallone, marking his first leading role in a scripted television series.
Stallone plays a Mafia capo who just got out of prison and is sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he tries to set up a criminal organization. It premiered on November 13, 2022. In November 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.
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