Tulsa King is a Boomer Gangster Comedy Show; Crime Drama? Not So Much
Sylvester Stallone is out of his element in the new TV series Tulsa King. The character (Dwight Manfredi) is not only going through an adjustment after being banished from New York but also struggles to adapt to the times.
Manfredi, who spent the last couple of decades behind bars, is once again a free man. However, he grapples with adjusting to rural Oklahoma compared to city life back in NYC. Moreover, society has changed to such an extent that Manfredi is clueless in regards to technology and the latest trends. Thus, when he arrives in Tulsa, it's no surprise that Manfredi has never heard of Uber.
While always humorous to explore a fish-out-of-water character, some audience members argue that the frequent jokes aimed at Baby Boomers take away from Tulsa King being a gritty, violent crime drama.
It's a valid complaint considering that we are only a few episodes into the new series yet creator Taylor Sheridan ( Yellowstone , 1883) has already demonstrated a reliance on gags directed toward an older crowd.
It's something Stallone agrees with when attracting a new audience for Tulsa King. "Am I pandering to a certain age group? Definitely," the Hollywood star confirmed in a recent interview.
However, Stallone fails to see Tulsa King pandering to the Baby Boomer generation as a flaw. If anything, the 76-year-old can certainly relate to the demographic. "It's wonderful," he added regarding poking fun at big tech and Millennials. Of course, it's fitting that Stallone – like Manfredi – has never used Uber: "I still have my wife drive me around. I'm not trusted behind a wheel," he joked.
Younger audience members may be disappointed that Tulsa King is deflecting more to an older crowd, especially in terms of the humor. However, fans agree that it seems like a tactical move for Sheridan. After all, the first few episodes of Tulsa King are designed to introduce audiences to the character, as well as dwell on how out of touch he is with the time period. Consequently, it promotes the fish-out-of-water element while building anticipation for the show to transition more into a crime drama in the near future.
Besides, it's always entertaining to have a laugh at the expense of someone that's been living under a rock for the past two decades. There is so much that has changed in the last 25 years it would most certainly be a cultural shock for Manfredi. Nevertheless, here's to hoping Tulsa King doesn't devolve into nothing more than a Boomer Gangster Comedy Show.