Taylor Sheridan is well-known for making quality TV shows, but Tulsa King is better than almost all of his other shows in one massive aspect.
Taylor Sheridan has an impressive catalog of Western shows, but Tulsa King stands above almost every other series in a very important area. Tulsa King is a somewhat unusual show for Sheridan, as it stars Sylvester Stallone as Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a member of the New York mafia. Sheridan’s other shows are generally more traditional Westerns, despite their often modern settings, such as Yellowstone’s multiple spinoff shows. That difference makes Tulsa King stand out, and gives it an advantage over several of Sheridan’s TV projects in one key aspect.
As Sheridan’s upcoming shows continue to be developed, the standard of what he and his shows will be expected to achieve will continue to rise. Tulsa King is largely to thank for that, as it helped show that Sheridan is extremely talented even outside of the Western stories he’s known for. Tulsa King also serves as a benchmark for Sheridan’s other shows because it’s nearly at the top in one important category. Given the high quality of Sheridan’s previous work, the fact that Tulsa King has dominated this category is an extremely impressive feat, and one that the writer will likely strive to top.
Tulsa King Has Better Rotten Tomatoes Audience Scores Than Most Taylor Sheridan Shows
Only Lawmen: Bass Reeves beat it, and only by 2%
Many of Sheridan’s shows have become incredibly popular, such as Yellowstone, which has spawned its own franchise. Not all of his shows have found the same level of success, though, and Tulsa King seems to have outperformed several of his other projects in terms of audience reception. With an audience score of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, Tulsa King is Sheridan’s second-highest rated show among viewers. The only show that beat Tulsa King was Lawmen: Bass Reeves with its 93% score.
There seems to be a trend with audiences’ reception to Sheridan’s shows. His three highest-rated projects, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Tulsa King, and Mayor of Kingstown are all separate from the Yellowstone franchise. Standalone shows could resonate more with audiences than Yellowstone and its spinoffs do because viewers don’t have to have watched anything, or be familiar with the Dutton family tree, to enjoy them. Of course, their higher ratings could also be due to the relatively low number of episodes they have in comparison to Yellowstone, as there is less time for viewers to lose interest in shows with one or two seasons.
How Tulsa King’s Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score Compares To Taylor Sheridan’s Shows
Despite being lower than other Sheridan shows, Tulsa King had an above average critical reception
Though Tulsa King’s performance with viewers is impressive, the show is less of a standout with critics. In comparison to Sheridan’s other shows, Tulsa King actually ranked near the bottom, earning only 79% with critics. A score of 79% is still respectable, though, and Tulsa King earned that solid score with its compelling characters and unique plot. The fact that Tulsa King is one of Sheridan’s worst reviewed shows also serves as a measure of how good Sheridan’s projects are.
There are a few reasons Tulsa King worked better for audiences than it did for critics. Many critics applauded Stallone’s acting abilities, but they also considered some of the show’s plot points to be clunky and cheesy. Much of that likely came from Tulsa King’s genre, as it was Sheridan’s first time tackling a mobster story, so there was bound to be some growing pains. He’s likely worked out many of the issues he had with the first season by now, so Tulsa King season 2 should benefit from Sheridan’s newfound experience in the crime genre.
Tulsa King Season 2 Can Take The Show To New Heights
Season 1 set up huge possibilities that could make the show even more exciting
Tulsa King season 1 worked on its own, which helped make it one of Sheridan’s best shows, but it also paved the way for season 2 to be even better. There were several questions that still need to be answered in Tulsa King season 2, such as how Dwight will get out of being imprisoned by the ATF at the end of Tulsa King season 1. There’s also ample opportunity for side characters like Stacy and Tyson to be further developed, along with new ventures Dwight’s criminal empire can branch out into in Tulsa King season 2.