Is Tulsa King woke?
Tulsa King (2022)
TV Show
Released: January 1, 2022
Wokeness Score
2/10
Not woke
No political or woke messaging whatsoever. Focuses entirely on story, characters, fun, or escapism.
Key Summary Points
- Traditional mobster story with emphasis on loyalty, power, and family bonds over social issues.
- Fish-out-of-water humor highlights protagonist's clash with modern culture without ideological preaching.
- Diverse cast elements integrated naturally into crime plot without forced representation messaging.
Wokeness Analysis
Tulsa King centers on a traditional crime drama narrative featuring Sylvester Stallone as an old-school New York mobster exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he builds a new criminal enterprise. The story emphasizes themes of loyalty, family, power, and adaptation to a changing world through fish-out-of-water humor and action. Reviews from conservative-leaning sources highlight the absence of intrusive progressive messaging, with some noting entertaining anti-woke moments such as the protagonist's bewilderment at modern cultural shifts like pronoun discussions. While the cast includes diverse supporting characters like a Black driver and a female ATF agent love interest, these elements appear organic to the plot rather than serving as vehicles for social commentary. Creator Taylor Sheridan's style often leans into conservative values, and viewer feedback praises the show's focus on entertainment over ideology. Minor contemporary references, such as casual encounters with modern sensibilities, serve comedic purposes tied to the character's 25-year prison absence without dominating the narrative or pushing agendas. Overall, the series prioritizes story, character-driven crime elements, and escapism, aligning closely with pre-woke media traditions.
Plot
Tulsa King follows New York Mafia capo Dwight 'The General' Manfredi, played by Sylvester Stallone, who is released from prison after 25 years and exiled by his boss to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to establish new criminal operations. Upon arrival, Dwight recruits a local crew including a taxi driver, a dispensary owner, and a bar owner while navigating conflicts with an outlaw biker gang and tensions with his New York syndicate. The series blends crime drama with dark comedy as Dwight adapts to the American Midwest, builds his empire, and deals with personal and family complications, including a romantic interest with an ATF agent. Created by Taylor Sheridan, it explores themes of reinvention and loyalty in a fish-out-of-water setting.