Tulsa King – Season 1 (2022)
Tulsa King follows Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a seasoned New York Mafia capo who is released from prison after serving a 25-year sentence for refusing to betray his family. Expecting respect and a comfortable position upon release, Dwight is instead betrayed by his mob bosses and exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma—a place with no existing criminal empire and no clear opportunities.
Arriving in Tulsa with outdated instincts and old-school values, Dwight quickly realizes the city operates very differently from New York. Undeterred, he begins building his own criminal operation from scratch. He starts by shaking down a local marijuana dispensary run by Tyson Mitchell, a nervous but street-smart young man. Rather than simply exploiting Tyson, Dwight takes him under his wing, forming an unlikely mentorship that becomes the foundation of his new crew.
As Dwight expands his influence, he encounters resistance from local criminals, including biker gangs and business owners who refuse to fall in line. Using a mix of intimidation, negotiation, and unexpected charm, Dwight establishes control over bars, clubs, and illegal operations across the city. His methods are blunt but effective, earning both fear and reluctant respect.
Dwight’s activities soon attract the attention of law enforcement. ATF agent Stacy Beale begins investigating Dwight’s growing empire, developing a complicated personal relationship with him while secretly gathering evidence. Their connection adds emotional tension, as Dwight opens up about his past without realizing he is being used to build a case against him.
Meanwhile, Dwight’s old Mafia family in New York grows uneasy about his independence. His former boss, Pete Invernizzi, and his ambitious son Chick worry that Dwight is becoming too powerful—and too unpredictable. When Dwight refuses to send profits back to New York, the tension escalates into betrayal and violence.
The season builds toward multiple confrontations. Dwight clashes with a violent biker gang, eliminating its leadership in a decisive and brutal strike. At the same time, he learns that Stacy has been informing on him, leading to his arrest. Despite this setback, Dwight remains calm and calculating, understanding that jail is a familiar battlefield.
In the final moments, Dwight is unexpectedly released, hinting at larger forces at work. However, the New York mob retaliates by murdering one of Dwight’s closest allies, sending a clear message that his independence will not go unchallenged.
Season 1 of Tulsa King is a fish-out-of-water crime drama that blends dark humor with mob intrigue. At its core, it explores loyalty, reinvention, and what happens when an old-school gangster tries to build a new kingdom in a modern world—on his own terms.
