Tulsa King season 1

Taylor Sheridan is probably one of the busiest people working behind the camera in the entertainment industry between making a whole host of earthy/gritty films to varying degrees of success to the huge success that is Yellowstone on the smaller screen, along with all of its spinoffs. Yet he still has time for another show and managed to bring along Sylvester Stallone for his first leading role in a television series, Tulsa King. 

The show follows a New York mobster, Dwight "The General" Manfredi, who has been released from prison after 25 years for a crime committed to protect his boss. Unfortunately he doesn't quite receive the hero's welcome and is booted off to Tulsa, Oklahoma to start helping the gang setup new business outside of New York, which ruffles more than a few feathers.

It was surreal at first seeing Stallone's imposing figure now on a TV show but credit where credit is due, he delivers one of his best performances here as Manfredi across all nine episodes, which gives him free reign to mix his skills in drama and the occasional comedic moments together seamlessly. He is also backed by a talented supporting cast including Garrett Hedlund, Jay Will, Martin Starr, Andrea Savage and Dana Delany who all play their parts well in what is essentially the Sylvester Stallone show. 

But despite a really good opening few episodes that move along nicely, the show does lose its way more than a few times with a script that just isn't working whenever Stallone is not onscreen. There's a crooked Irish mobster subplot that feels like it came from a cartoon, meandering scenes with Savage and her character's psychologist that serve no purpose, a bizarre baseball bat fight sequence that again felt cartoony and some really off musical choices relegate this show down to a lower grade of quality. It becomes cliched and, with the exception of Jay Will's scenes with his father, I found myself quickly losing interest whenever Stallone wasn't there as it's his presence that carries this.

Tulsa King isn't a bad show but I'm not sure the writing is on par with the performance that Stallone is delivering. Without someone like him at the centre, this wouldn't be getting renewed for a second season and I hope this show can turn things around. It is still a fun time if you've exhausted Sheridan's catalogue of shows and in search of something a bit lighter, and any fan of Stallone will find a lot to enjoy here but others might share the same mixed feelings.