About a month or so ago, I wrote a quick article about a trailer for Tulsa King preparing everyone for the disappointment.
In typical TLO fashion, the article fired up the usual batch of local sunshine pumpers, community cheerleaders, and film advocates who frown at anything that’s remotely critical of Oklahoma and/or its up-and-coming film industry, even when something’s not remotely critical of Oklahoma or the local film industry.
Although the article reached about 75,000 people on social media – and brought 10,000 or so unique visitors to the site – I have to say that thanks to that outpouring of anger and resentment, I’ve learned my lesson and changed my tune! Let's print it big...
Tulsa King may be the best TV show ever made!
This was confirmed over the weekend when the latest trailer for the show dropped. Check this out:
Yep, it takes a big man to admit that I was wrong, and boy – was I wrong!
First of all, I totally forget that Sylvester Stallon has some serious A-list acting chops – a human protein shake containing equal parts Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Seriously, the way he mumbles out lines like an old beat mafia soldier is impressive and 100% believable. How many Best Actor Emmies will he take home from this thing? Three? Seven? Ten?
In addition to that, the show is written by Terrance Winter. He was the guy behind Boardwalk Empire. Despite lukewarm acting performances from Steve Buscemi, Kelly MacDonald, Michael Shannon, Michael Kenneth Williams, Gretchen Mol, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Shea Whigham – and a scrap-yard HBO prestige-series budget that led to shoddy costume design and set pieces – he somehow managed to make the show work based on his writing and plot development skills alone. I can’t wait to see what he does with a competent cast and even bigger budget!
And speaking of the plot, the one for Tulsa King seems pretty legit!
You have a hardened streetwise NY mobster dropped in a stereotypically sleepy town in podunk middle America with nothing to his name but his fists and a fancy suit.
He then gets to work, pounding people and the pavement, building a local criminal crew of oddball and quirky three-dimensional characters that defy stereotypes, including the local dispensary owner, airport cabbie, and a pretty older woman who owns horses. They then take on all all-comers – from the law to rival biker gangs to dopey local yokels to even his former mob allies back East. It will be fun and exciting to see what mischief and chaos ensues!
Anyway, if you can barely contain your excitement for the series, I have good news – You don’t have to wait much longer!
Tulsa King premiers on November 13th, just in time for the family holiday binge season. I’m sure we’ll provide more positive coverage to provide when it gets closer.
Until then, stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
