I went into Tulsa King season 3, Episode 1, expecting a slow reset after last season’s explosive finale. Instead, it flipped the game entirely and then set it on fire. So, season 2 was Dwight staking his claim.
Tulsa King Season 3 kicks off with a harsh truth: power isn’t owned, it’s rented, and the landlord just showed up. Right away, the tone changes. No warm welcome. Dwight (Sylvester Stallone) has got the feds on his tail, old enemies turning vicious, and friends starting to feel like risks.
When Dwight walks out of federal custody, he doesn’t just look worn; he looks years older. The scruffy beard and wild hair suggest he’s been trapped longer than we thought, or maybe there’s a time jump. Either way, it sets a darker tone from the start. Let’s get into the meat of it.
Dwight vs. Musso: Devil You Don’t Choose in Tulsa King Season 3 Episode 1
Special Agent Musso walks in with the energy of a man who’s waited way too long to ruin your life. And Dwight? He’s not in the mood. But there’s a power imbalance here that you can’t ignore. Musso isn’t waving a gun; he’s holding everyone Dwight loves by the throat.
Musso’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of Manhattan, blaming Dwight for killing Ripple, his informant and ticket to dismantling the Invernizzi family. But it’s not just about justice. It’s about humiliation. Dwight outlived his setup, survived prison, built a business, and gathered a crew. That’s gotta sting.
Musso wants Dwight as his on-call fixer, with no clear instructions or rules, just an implicit threat: comply or watch your crew get crushed. Basically, he’s asking Dwight to play a dangerous game he can’t win.
And here’s what really irks me: Dwight doesn’t push back. Not yet. Maybe he’s playing the long game, maybe he’s tired, or maybe he’s just caught flat-footed. Either way, the lion looks leashed, and that’s not a look I like on him.
Margaret, Ray & New York’s Old Ghosts in Tulsa King Season 3 Episode 1
When Dwight finally leaves the FBI, he goes straight to Margaret’s (Dana Delany) farm. That scene hit harder than I thought. She has been his anchor, and telling her this life is too toxic for her felt like a gut punch. He’s pushing her away to protect her, but it’s also the kind of loneliness only gangsters and vets know.
Then comes Ray. If slime had a voice and wore a suit, it’d be him. He offers Dwight a slice of New York and a new crime family. Sounds generous, but there’s always a catch.
Ray doesn’t care about building something new; he wants a cut of Dwight’s success in Tulsa. And when he doesn’t get it? The mask slips. Threats about grandkids, passive-aggressive barbs, all the usual tactics. But Dwight holds firm. He doesn’t owe anyone a damn thing. And if there’s one hill I’ll die on, it’s this: Dwight earned the right to say no.
Mitch and Cleo Stir the Pot in Tulsa King Season 3
Now let’s talk about Mitch. Mitch, bless his heart, wants out of the car business. He’s after love, a distillery, and a fresh start with Cleo Montague, an old flame carrying more emotional baggage than a Southwest terminal. Cleo’s dad, Theo, is selling the family distillery, and the buyer? Jeremiah Dunmire (Robert Patrick), a new gangster in town, is more dangerous than any biker or bookie Dwight’s faced so far.
The setup here is pure dynamite. Theo’s being forced to sell. Cole, Jeremiah’s son, is already snooping around. Mitch pushes Dwight to go after the distillery, not just for business, but for love. You can see Dwight’s mind racing. This is about power, pride, and legacy.
But Jeremiah? He’s not going to play nice. You can feel that storm brewing.
Comic Books, Cash Drops & Bodhi’s Breaking Point in Tulsa King Season 3
Meanwhile, the crew over at Even Higher Plane is holding the line but barely. Bodhi, Tyson, and Grace are running the weed shop, but the power dynamics are fraying. Bodhi’s tired of being the errand boy, and his frustration boils over in the dumbest way possible: bringing the wrong bag to a money drop.
Instead of delivering cold, hard cash to Bill’s gang, he shows up with a tote full of comic books. Not funny in the moment, but oddly symbolic, Bodhi’s clinging to fantasies while the rest of the crew’s knee-deep in the real stuff.
Things go south fast. Hostages are taken, tempers flare, and Bodhi ends up decking one of the KC gang thugs. I probably shouldn’t have cheered, but I did. Jimmy’s death still lingers, and it’s obvious Bodhi hasn’t forgiven Dwight for partnering with Bill, the very man tied to Jimmy’s murder.
This is Bodhi’s character cracking in real time. Will he stick around? Or will he side with someone darker just to prove a point?
The Distillery Goes Up in Flames in Tulsa King Season 3 Episode 1
Back at the Montague estate, Dwight and Mitch are trying to make an honest pitch to Theo: let us buy the distillery, keep it in the family, protect your legacy. It’s a good deal, and Theo knows it. But fear is a hell of a drug, and Jeremiah’s threats are loud, even in silence.
Eventually, Theo chooses Dwight. And for that choice? He pays with his life. Jeremiah sends his men to burn down the Montague mansion and kill Theo in cold blood. Let that sink in: a man chooses decency over fear and gets turned to ash for it.
That moment hit me hard. Dwight isn’t just in a turf war now. This is personal. The way Stallone reacts in that final act, restrained, then simmering, then deadly, tells me we’re about to see Dwight go nuclear. The only problem? Musso’s still got him on a leash, and every move he makes now risks pulling the FBI into the mix.
And if Musso keeps playing games? I wouldn’t put it past Dwight to take him out, too.
Is Tulsa King Season 3 Episode 1 Worth a Watch?
Well, this episode is the kind of sharp, layered, pressure-cooker storytelling that made me fall in love with Tulsa King in the first place. It doesn’t pander. It doesn’t waste time. It respects your attention span and rewards it with grit, conflict, and characters who feel like they live and breathe outside the screen.
Dwight is back, but he’s not on top. He’s surrounded. And this time, it’s not just about power. It’s about freedom. And the people pulling his strings are a lot more dangerous than your average wiseguy
Drop your take. I’ll be here watching it all unfold, one crooked alliance at a time.
Tulsa King Season 3 Episode 1 is now streaming exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Sunday. All previous episodes from Seasons 1 and 2 are also available to binge.
