The second season of Paramount+’s Tulsa King has started off with a banger of a first episode, quickly resolving the cliffhanger ending of the previous season, introducing new characters, and setting up the stakes with swift pacing. Previously, setting up his own gang in Tulsa with a ragtag crew that included Dyson, Mitch, Bodhi, and Armand, Dwight defected from the Invernizzi crime family, and their former consigliere also ended up joining Dwight. With his crew, Dwight put an end to Caolan Waltrip, the maniacal leader of the biker gang Black Macadams. Manfredi had managed to make amends with his daughter, Christina as well, who had arrived in Tulsa by the end of the first season to keep her family from harm’s way and close to her father. However, ATF Agent Stacy, with whom Dwight had started an on-and-off relationship, turned Dwight in to the feds in exchange for getting reinstated to her job, resulting in Dwight getting detained at the end of the first season.
Dwight Gets Bail And Latches Onto A New Scheme
It was quite obvious that Dwight will get released pretty soon anyway; it was merely a question of how. While waiting for his trial, Dwight is seen making a new acquaintance in the jail cell with a certain Harlan Thibodeaux, as he gets inspired by his act of swindling the government on clean energy subsidies. In exchange, Dwight teaches Harlan a thing or two about surviving in prison by making an example out of a wannabe tough guy.
During trial, adhering to Dwight’s plea, the judge agrees to grant bail for three million dollars, and despite Dwight lacking such an amount on short notice, Christina is quick to put her unmortgaged property on the line to help her father at once. She had to live through a major part of life without him, and she is not willing to repeat the same pattern when she has the chance to overcome the odds. Dwight shares his clean energy subsidy embezzlement plan with his crew, mentioning that he is looking to legitimize their entire operation, and this could be a way to do it. Dyson takes Dwight to Bodhi’s much upgraded marijuana store—a complete overhaul compared to season one’s version—and Bodhi reveals that the facelift charges a hefty amount through insurance. Dwight proposes the clean energy scheme to Bodhi and Jimmy, which can provide him a legit source of funding for their marijuana business.
Mitch has taken the liberty of inviting his cousin, Michael, aka Bigfoot, to be the crew’s muscle, and after meeting the mild-mannered hulking fellow, Dwight approves of his joining. Later, Dwight finds himself being tailed by the feds, and as he decides to confront them, it is revealed that with Dwight getting bail, there is a suspicion that he might try to exact revenge on Stacy. Dwight pays Stacy a visit, expressing his disappointment in the fact that he is considered to be someone so repulsive by people he cares for. Dwight mentions that he had assumed that his and Stacy’s professions would result in them clashing with each other at some point, and Dwight knew full well that Stacy had no other option except to agree to the condition imposed upon her by her higher-ups. Dwight holds no grudge against Stacy; he isn’t that kind of petty, crooked criminal who acts solely upon instincts. However, he conveys his regrets that things didn’t work out between them, and leaves Stacy after wishing her well. A class act is the kind of what is expected from an honorable person.
Chickie Threatens Goodie
Meanwhile, with the absence of one of the stronger capos and also their consignee, the Invernizzi crime family has started facing trouble as sources of funds start drying up and rival families start breathing down their necks as well. Jerry, one of Goodie’s old associates, warns Chickie and co. about the present situation, and later on, Chickie brutalizes him to send him a message. Chickie calls Goodie to threaten him with consequences by killing Jerry while on the phone with him. Does this foreshadow another major betrayal arc in the future? We are not certain.
Who is Bill Bevilaqua?
With Stacy out of his life, Dwight starts seeing Margaret, the affluent horse farm owner, once again and tries to rekindle their romance. Margaret mentions she’s throwing a fundraiser, where a certain hotshot businessman, Cal Thresher, will be present, and Dwight considers this as a chance to expand his scope of business by proposing Thresher an investment opportunity in making windmills as a source of clean energy. Asking his crew to dress appropriately to attend the event, Dwight attends the fundraiser with the hopes of turning a new page in his life. Before meeting with Thresher, Dwight has an argument with a drunk Armand, whose marriage has ended thanks to his new lifestyle as Dwight’s associate. This doesn’t seem to be a good sign, as we suspect Armand might end up helping Chickie due to his growing distance with Dwight.
Dwight’s meeting with Thresher goes terribly, as Thresher is revealed to be an extremely territorial, cunning, and vindictive person who isn’t prepared to tolerate the presence of an outsider like Dwight. Thresher had total, undisputed control over Oklahoma’s marijuana supply, but now with Dwight setting up shop in Tulsa, he has to share his turf—and without beating around the bush, Thresher promptly conveys his dissatisfaction with Dwight. Revealing the fact that he knows everything about Dwight, Thresher asks him to back off when there is still a chance, and an infuriated Dwight responds in kind by trying to antagonize Thresher as well. The proposition of partnership has suddenly turned into a rivalry.
Thresher later calls a certain Bill Bevilaqua to inform him about Dwight’s growing influence in Tulsa, and the very public press coverage of Manfredi’s trial in a local newspaper reveals everything Thresher wanted to convey to him. Bevilaqua, revealed to be a member of a New York-based crime family as well, instantly recognizes Dwight and gets surprised to learn about his presence in Oklahoma. Promising Thresher to look into the matter, Bevilaqua hangs up—as the episode comes to an end. Manfredi’s troubles have increased with this revelation, as Bevilaqua’s background implies he can very well ally with Chickie Invernizzi as well if it comes down to a full-on conflict.