‘Tulsa King’: Season 1 Blu-Ray Review – Stallone Entertains In Fish-Out-Of-Water Crime Dramedy

Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi, (Stallone) as he’s released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a crew from a group of unlikely characters to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet.

For thoughts on Tulsa King: The Complete First Season, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

[youtube https://youtu.be/Ytx1z8cSy70?t=1038]

Video Quality

Tulsa King: The Complete First Season arrives on Blu-Ray courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment with a top notch AVC encoded 1080p transfer. This series sits somewhere between the dour and gritty aesthetic of Mayor of Kingstown and the visual splendor of Yellowstone. Tulsa is not a locale that is going to impress with its majesty, but this transfer brings it to life perfectly well with a precise handling of the frame. The show has a slightly warm color palette that captures the dusty landscapes and lingering vegetation. Skin tones appear natural with a slightly warm touch with subtle facial details on display.

Fine detail never fails to impress with all of the discrete aspects of the costumes and production design on display. Highlights do not fall victim to any blooming in this presentation. Black levels are nice and deep with formidable detail in shadows. The series does not provide any overwhelming noise in shadowy moments or instances of aliasing or compression artifacts. This presentation bests the streaming version of the show, which suffers slightly from being overly compressed. This Blu-Ray delivers exactly what you want. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an agreeable Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless track that represents this series well. Environmental sounds are one of the most important parts of the audio experience as it establishes the characteristics of the locale. Ambient sounds are placed with precision in the surround channels with some deliberate panning when applicable. Dialogue comes through clearly without being trounced on by the score or any sound effects.

The score establishes the tone of the story. Music is presented with flawless fidelity within the mix. While the show may be more character driven rather than an action showcase, a handful of active moments are given a notable power in the mix when it counts. There are a handful of moments that remind you that you are not only watching a comedy. You cannot ask for much more from the audio presentation. There are English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

• Behind the Story: Every episode is given an accompanying in-depth featurette which gives you a closer look at certain characters, an analysis of plot developments, highlights from the episodes and more. These are fun additions that are worthwhile for fans. 

• • Go West, Old Man (5:16)

• • Center Of The Universe (4:03)

• • Caprice (5:30)

• • Visitation Place (6:15)

• • Token Joe (6:21)

• • Stable (5:51)

• • Warr Acres (6:39)

• • Adobe Walls (5:37)

• • Happy Trails (7:19)

• Stranger In A Strange Land – Genesis: A nine-minute featurette that provides a look at the origins of the series, the narrative arc of the season, cast and character dynamics, the atmosphere on set, the creative voices behind the scenes, the look of the series and more.

• Carpe D.M. – Stallone: An eight-minute piece which takes a look at Stallone’s desire to get into the mafia genre, his transition to the small screen, the relationship he has with the cast members and more.

• Mercy and Malice – The Cast: A nearly 13-minute look at the themes of found family, the backgrounds of the various characters in Dwight’s orbit, the performers that play them and more. 

• Haberdashery – Costume Design: A ten-minute look at the different looks of the characters, the clash between cultures, how the clothes inform the characters and more. 

• Outthink Your Enemy – Stunts: An 11-minute look at the planning that goes into creating certain sequences, maintaining a safe environment and more. 

• The Here and Now – On Location In Tulsa: A nearly nine-minute look at the titular city, how it informs the narrative, the impact it has on the characters and cast members and more. 

Final Thoughts

Tulsa King elevates itself above the level of a curiosity thanks to the committed performance from Sylvester Stallone. The fish-out-of-water concept is a tale as old as time, but Stallone has a lot of fun with it as he is adapting from being out of prison and in an unfamiliar state. Stallone is capably supported by a talented ensemble which helps ground his big personality in something more immediate and personal. The show is still young so it is shaking off some of the growing pains, but it is proving to be quite a bit of fun thus far. Paramount Home Entertainment has delivered a Blu-Ray that offers a fantastic A/V presentation and some in-depth special features. If you are a fan of Stallone or crime shows, give this one a spin. Recommended 

Tulsa King: The Complete First Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray (SteelBook and Standard) and DVD. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.