Darlings, the entertainment world is practically vibrating with anticipation — Tulsa King’s latest season is shaping up to be the most deliciously star-studded affair since last year’s Oscar debacle. (And we all remember how that turned out, don’t we?)
The trailer just dropped, and sweet heavens, Paramount+ isn’t just flexing — they’re showing off like a peacock at a penguin convention. Samuel L. Jackson’s arrival as Russell Lee Washington Jr. might just be the most electrifying casting coup since Meryl decided to grace us with her presence in that little streaming sensation last fall.
“A lot of ghosts? Well, I bet ain’t nobody seen that coming.” Jackson delivers this line with enough gravitas to make even the most jaded Hollywood veteran sit up straight. And honestly? After the streaming wars of 2024, this kind of powerhouse performance is exactly what we’ve been craving.
Sylvester Stallone’s Dwight “The General” Manfredi remains our favorite fish-out-of-water mobster, though these days the water’s getting decidedly more shark-infested. Robert Patrick (fresh off that fascinating stint in theater, mind you) steps in as Jeremiah Dunmire, bringing the kind of menacing charm that’s been sorely missing from prestige television lately.
Let’s talk numbers for a hot second — 21.1 million global streaming viewers for the previous premiere. In today’s fractured streaming landscape, those numbers are about as rare as a genuine smile in a botox clinic.
The expanded cast? Honey, it reads like the guest list for the Governor’s Ball — minus the usual suspects who’ve been making headlines for all the wrong reasons this spring. Kevin Pollak’s Special Agent Musso practically oozes menace with “I own you, General.” Then there’s Beau Knapp, Bella Heathcoate, and James Russo… honestly, the combined star power could probably power half of Los Angeles during another rolling blackout.
This season’s storyline? Think Succession meets The Sopranos, but with a dash of that distinctly Tulsa flavor we’ve come to crave. The Dunmires make the Roy family look like they’re running a lemonade stand — old money has never looked quite so deliciously dangerous.
Dave Erickson and Taylor Sheridan (still riding high after that unprecedented streaming deal) have managed to maintain the show’s premium sheen while delivering street-level drama that would make Scorsese reach for his notepad. And speaking of expanding empires — Jackson’s character is set to headline NOLA King, which, given the current state of spin-offs, might actually be worth getting excited about.
The returning cast ensures the show keeps its soul — Martin Starr, Jay Will, and Annabella Sciorra are back, thank heavens. Though after that mid-season shocker last time (no spoilers, sweeties), who knows what’s really in store?
Mark those calendars for September 21st. In a year that’s already given us three royal scandals and that bizarre AI-generated blockbuster flop, Tulsa King promises to be the kind of television that reminds us why we fell in love with the medium in the first place.
Now, if you’ll excuse me — there’s a screening calling my name, and these Louboutins won’t walk themselves.