What happens to Mafia "Capos" when they get old? They are sent out to pasture in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But what if said Capo isn't ready to retire? He creates his empire and crew to become the "Tulsa King". The popular, limited series that airs on Paramount+ stars Sylvester Stallone (Rambo: Last Blood) as Dwight 'The General' Manfredi, the Capo who is dismissed by the head of the Invernizzi crime family in New York to live out his days in the Midwest. Originally premiering in 2022, Season Two began in September of 2024 and has now been released for purchase on Blu-ray.
As Season Two begins, Manfredi is working hard to expand his young empire. His crew now has a casino, car dealership, and wind farm businesses. Unfortunately, these expansions have caught the eye and encroached on the business ventures of a local businessman named Cal Thresher (Neal McDonough; Minority Report), the Kansas City Mob, and an Asian Triad. There is also drama between Manfredi's daughters while he begins dating local farm owner Margaret Devereaux (Dana Delany; Desperate Housewives). Manfredi is also getting pressure from Chickie (Domenick Lombardozzi; Cold Pursuit), who just wants him gone. By the end of the ten episodes in Season Two, everything seems to be fine until Manfredi is kidnapped and is told "You work for us", which of course sets the series up for Season Three (Stallone has supposedly signed on for Seasons Three and Four).
Stallone leads a terrific cast that is truly an ensemble. Returning from Season One are regulars Martin Starr (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Delany, Garett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy), Jay Will (Rob Peace), and McKenna Quigley Harrington (Dead Half). They are joined by McDonough and Frank Grillo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) in Season Two. The addition of members of the fictitious Indian Kinike Nation (portrayed by members of the Quapaw Nation) brings an interesting element to the show and offers a bit more diversity to the already multicultural cast.
The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high-definition resolution with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The video quality is excellent with plenty of small details being enhanced. Manfredi's suits are always sharp, and he rarely has a hair out of place. Similar to the Season One Blu-ray, there is minimal noise distorting the picture.
The Blu-ray release for Tulsa King's Season Two features a Dolby TrueHD audio track. The multitrack surround sound is crisp and sharp and highlights the ambient noise as bullets fly and the gritty sound of punches being thrown as they connect with flesh. The dialogue is clean as it sits comfortably in the front speaker.
The two-disc set houses all 10 episodes and the extras. The 40-plus minutes of special features include "The Boss Is Back", "Mob Rules: Writing A Season Of Crime", "Who Said It?", "Meet The Rivals", and "Best In Crew". While not terribly long, the extras are interesting and provide some additional insight into the talented cast and crew.
In Season One of Tulsa King, we watched as Dwight was uncomfortable and out of his element as he navigated the unfamiliar landscape of Oklahoma. However, by the end of the season, he had started to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and built his empire. In Season Two, he must face new rivals while fighting off Chickie, who wants to claim what Dwight has created for himself.
The best thing about Tulsa King is the balance created between drama, violence, and humor, the latter of which becomes more prevalent in this second season. It will be interesting to see what writer/showrunner Terence Winter (Boardwalk Empire) conjures up for Season 3.
Grade: B
