Paramount's 29-Episode Gangster Series Is Pretty Much Taylor Sheridan's The Godfather Sequel

Published Sep 5, 2026, 11:02 PM EDT Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns. Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies. After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back. Sign in to your ScreenRant account One of the best gangster series on Paramount comes off as Taylor Sheridan's sequel to The Godfather. The show in question has three seasons so far and is easily one of the best crime drama outings on TV right now. It boasts an incredible cast and even has an impressive Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 87% after 29 episodes. With Sylvester Stallone as one of its leads and Taylor Sheridan as its creator, Tulsa King premiered in November 2022 and instantly shattered streaming records on Paramount. Unlike Taylor Sheridan's other shows, Tulsa King has some flaws that have become more evident in its recent seasons. However, the show has still managed to etch a solid identity for itself as a comedy crime drama. Owing to its performance on streaming, Tulsa King is also set to return on October 16, 2026, with season 4. As the Sylvester Stallone-led crime drama continues to grow from strength to strength with each season, it is hard not to see how it is reminiscent of some classic crime drama movies. It is a unique addition to the genre in more ways than one, but also comes off as Taylor Sheridan's spin on The Godfather. Tulsa King Is Basically Taylor Sheridan Meets The Godfather Credit: Catie Kuczynski/Paramount+ The old-school mob archetype is strong in Tulsa King. Sylvester Stallone's Dwight "The General" Manfredi operates on a strict Mafia code involving honor and loyalty. Even the mob dialog in the show has a sense of authenticity that reminds one of classic gangster movies like The Godfather. With Terence Winter, of The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire fame, as its showrunner, the show leans into old-world Cosa Nostra rules while featuring modern sensibilities. It almost comes off as a "fish-out-of-water" mob story disguised as a modern neo-Western. While it can get as brooding as The Godfather with its crime drama, it does not shy away from inclining towards dark comedy and pulp action. Tulsa King is often reminiscent of many Taylor Sheridan characters. It takes an old-school New York capo like Dwight and throws him into a very unfamiliar American setting where he must establish himself. In a quintessential Sheridan format, Dwight starts finding his place as he defies all odds, which threatens the established powers. The Godfather elements in the series emerge through Dwight's characterization. He is written as a typical Mafia man from classic crime dramas instead of being portrayed as a more modern criminal lead. In his world, family matters, favors create obligations, and betrayal ultimately demands consequences. Instead of being cold and increasingly calculating like Michael Corleone, though, Dwight seems cruder, funnier, and even more sentimental, which clearly shows how he is one of Taylor Sheridan's characters. Why Tulsa King Is One Of Sylvester Stallone's Best Roles Brian Douglas / ©Paramount+/Viacom Intl. / Courtesy Everett Collection Sylvester Stallone's on-screen presence is still held synonymous to Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. Even though both franchises will soon get new installments with new young leads, their legacy will always be associated with Stallone. However, in recent years, Tulsa King has done an incredible job of giving Stallone another iconic character to add to his legacy. Instead of merely being portrayed as a physical force, Dwight is portrayed as a quick-witted, sharp, and charming lead. Even his moral complexity gives Stallone more room to put his acting chops on full display. Rocky will always hold the iconic cultural crown for Stallone. However, as a pure showcase for his full acting range and abilities, Dwight Manfredi is arguably the most complete character he has ever played. While Dwight may not yet be as iconic as The Godfather's Michael Corleone, he is easily one of Taylor Sheridan's most memorable characters. Tulsa King 8/10 Release Date November 13, 2022 Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight "The General" Manfredi, who, after 25 years in prison, is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, by his boss. Faced with the possibility of betrayal, he assembles a crew of unlikely characters to establish a criminal empire in unfamiliar territory. Network Paramount+ Cast Sylvester Stallone, Martin Starr, Jay Will, Max Casella, Vincent Piazza, Domenick Lombardozzi, Garrett Hedlund, Dana Delany, A.C. Peterson, Andrea Savage, Juliette Jeffers, Nicole Shalhoub, Tatiana Zappardino, Annabella Sciorra, Neal McDonough, Frank Grillo, Kevin Pollak, Barry Corbin, Miles Mussenden, Steve Witting, Chris Caldovino, Jeff Panzarella, Dashiell Connery Showrunner Dave Erickson, Terence Winter Directors Allen Coulter, Benjamin Semanoff, David Semel, Guy Ferland, Joshua Marston, Kevin Dowling, Lodge Kerrigan, Jim McKay Writers Joseph Riccobene, David Flebotte, William Schmidt, Taylor Elmore, Tom Sierchio, Regina Corrado, Stephen Scaia, Terence Winter Main Genre Crime Creator(s) Taylor Sheridan Executive Producer(s) Bob Yari, David Glasser, David Hutkin, Ron Burkle, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Sheridan, Terence Winter, Braden Aftergood Seasons 4 Streaming Service(s) Paramount Plus