Reviewer Rating: 4.25/5.0
4.25
The aptly titled King of Tulsa Season 2 premiere has Dwight “The General” Manfredi back in the saddle, well.
He’s fighting for his life, advising from behind bars, and growing his business while dealing with new enemies ready to move to disrupt or take over his successful Tulsa business.
Don’t get me wrong; I know he’s going to win. What’s the point of a show where Sly Stallone is in jail? But despite that, Dwight still has a lot of catching up to do.
Are the walls closing in on Dwight?
Due to Dwight’s arrest, this was the first time anyone noticed Dwight’s presence in Tulsa, making the situation even more difficult for the General.
Maybe that’s why he keeps toying with the idea of legalization. It must be difficult to thrive under this kind of pressure. Someone is always out to catch him. I can’t even stand the stress of a normal job, so it’s surprising to me to think that a real person like Dwight is running wild.
Is there merit to the federal indictment? We all know this is a scam. Now we need to see how Dwight plays his cards to get out of this jam.
There are many people around him. Mitch is taking care of him and adding some major muscle along with bodyguard Bigfoot. I loved Dwight asking him if he understood how dark it was. He doesn’t force anyone to work closely with him. He made an offer. Is this normal mob behavior?
Strong backs aren’t going to give Dwight the help he needs. The FBI was on his trail, and people were angry when they learned of his presence in Tulsa.
Another Tulsa King Shit Mixer
Neal McDonough is a passionate Christian family man with a heart of gold who plays the best shit-trouble on television. From Arrow to Yellowstone, he can irritate even the most laid-back people.
Cal Thresher was unimpressed with Dwight. Dwight has a problem with his daughter and is taking action against his Tulsa business.
As is often the case with Macdonald’s characters, instead of tackling the problem head-on, Carr ropes in another gangster with Western connections and goads him into providing information about Dwight.
Frank Grillo (looking ridiculously sexy as usual) is a spicy complement to Tulsa King as Bill Bevilaqua. He was aware of the operation in Invernitz but was surprised to discover that Dwight had set up shop just down the road.
Dwight’s powers of persuasion are not far off from Carr’s. He can manipulate outside forces into fighting each other to keep himself safe. Is this how the story between Bevilaqua and Chickie will play out?
Stacey seems to be a different character
Who is this Stacey? She seems completely different from the woman we met in The King of Tulsa Season 1 Episode 1.
Is it because she doesn’t drink anymore? Are her vices also her courage?
Of course, she’s afraid of what happened to Dwight. No matter how well I knew the man who betrayed me, I did not want to be responsible for a federal prosecution.
But doesn’t she know Dwight? The timid, scared woman begged for a transfer, could barely speak in a whisper, and acted like she didn’t even know him.
If this shocked me, it shocked Dwight even more. He is not an idiot and believes that what they share is true. She would have known this had she not been deceived by her co-workers.
The result is the epic Dwight. His kindness is the same as when he asked Bigfoot if he knew what joining a gang would bring.
Most importantly, Dwight believed in her more than she believed in him.
He respects her more than almost anyone he’s ever met, and knows that what happened wasn’t her fault. She was taken advantage of and no one knew this better than Dwight because he was in the same boat and spent decades in prison.
But what amazes me is that Tyson thought he might kill Stacey. It’s a light-hearted moment of banter between Tyson and Dwight, but it also shows how misunderstood Dwight is and reveals that Tyson doesn’t understand his boss as well as he thinks he does.
Dwight is not your typical gangster. What we don’t know is whether that was his time in prison or whether he’s always been like this. Hopefully this will be explored as the series continues. But let’s not do a prequel unless there’s a good reason!
Dwight asks questions like the rest of us, like “What happens to the people who take responsibility for their actions?” Amen, bro. Amen. Things like this make Tulsa King so relatable, even when that’s not the case.
Listen for the knock on the door
The opportunity has come!
Dwight is an opportunist. Others find his success annoying, but his personality and ability to sniff out new ventures are the keys to his success.
He even managed to turn a brief prison sentence into a money-making opportunity. In return for inspiring the idea, Dwight gives a cowardly prisoner good advice and makes him feel uncomfortable. Well worth the cost of admission!
Wind farm?
I thought Dwight was just trying to find a legitimate business to make more money, but Bodhi points out that you can save money by developing your own wind farm. Fraction!
This storyline makes me uncomfortable because I can easily see the fine line between honest and criminal enterprise in climate games. Anything with such a subsidy is ripe for scams.
Tina is Dwight’s daughter
Am I the only one surprised by how Tina handled Dwight’s latest legal run-in?
She posted bail, smiled for the camera, and generally performed well, all the while genuinely worrying that her father would end up behind bars again.
I was skeptical about what her move to Tulsa would bring, but she grounded Dwight. She seems happier away from her needy husband, and I’m already wondering what’s going to happen between her and Mitch.
She is a great addition to Tusla King.
Invernage crime family saga
If you’re worried that we’re going to lose track of the Invernitz crime family because something else is going on, then you need to do this.
The wall is also approaching Xiaoqi. People question what happened to Pete. Xiaoqi wants to squash these rumors (aka the truth), but he doesn’t have the panache like his father. He’s going to make a mess at home.
He has a thirst for blood, and quenching his thirst without much thought can get him into trouble. Errors will continue to appear.
Goody comes forward
Goody became Dwight’s second-in-command during his brief period in prison.
He said the right things and made sense, but he was still too connected to the people of Chickie and Invernizzi to be fully trusted.
Goody was knocked down
When Chicky kills Jerry in revenge for Goody, Goody is knocked down again just as he stands up.
When I spoke to Terence Winter, I wondered if we might soon have a rat willing to trade anything for his skin. Is Gudi the mouse?
Some guys play well on both sides, so we’ll find out where Goody stands soon.
Is Dwight’s shine fading?
Whether it’s Stacey’s completely wrong understanding of what she shared with Dwight, Tyson’s not-so-funny belief that Dwight would kill Stacey because of it, or imagining how Goody might attack Dwight , I had to wonder: Is his shine fading?
How easy is it to track someone who’s always in the headlights?
Armand also made me uncomfortable because he had debts to repay. Essentially, he has paid the price for himself. He’s for sale. Whether it’s money or loyalty remains to be seen.
We have to remember that he has been imagining the worst for Dwight for years. Joining forces with him is new. With so many people coming to Dwight from all directions, the next Stacey is waiting.
Who will betray Dwight next?
Final Thoughts on The King of Tulsa Season 2 Premiere
It was a very good premiere. It picks up right after the events of The King of Tulsa Season 1 Episode 8 and moves smoothly into the territory of the new season.
The pot shop gets a new look, the casino reopens, and new faces threaten Dwight’s life.
We’ve already watched more of Dana Delaney’s Margaret than we did in the entire first season. It’s time! She was too good to sit back and watch.
We even got a gender-bend on a familiar trope when the guys held a little fashion show in the locker room.
What do you think of Back in the Saddle? Two years is a long time to wait. Did it meet your expectations?
