15 TV Shows Like Tulsa King

It took a long time for Sylvester Stallone to star in a TV show, but Taylor Sheridan found a way. Stallone's Dwight Manfredi on "Tulsa King" is an old-school Invernizzi Family mobster with his own brand of honor and family values. Offloaded from New York City to Tulsa when he's released from a lengthy stint in prison and with little in the way of respect and resources, he starts rebuilding his criminal credibility and gathers a new, motley crew to call his own.

Stallone's Oklahoma escapades are joined by the likes of Martin Starr, Andrea Savage, and Jay Will, and the show knows how to mash its components together for maximum drama and entertainment. As "Tulsa King" winds down its current third season — the finale airs Sunday, Nov. 23, on Paramount+ — here are 15 shows for those looking for similar gangster thrills to fill the gap.

Apart from the fact that both shows have "King" in their names, "Tulsa King" and "Mayor of Kingstown" share many similarities. Both are Taylor Sheridan shows, and both revolve around a charismatic character in a snazzy suit whose hands are deeply dirty, but who's not without his redeeming features. 

On "Mayor of Kingstown," the overall mood is slightly darker than on "Tulsa King." So is the setting: Instead of the very real Tulsa, the show takes place in fictional Kingstown — a Michigan town that revolves around the prison industry. Here, Mike McClusky (Jeremey Renner) inherits the informal "mayor" position, and is tasked with balancing the scales between various shady factions operating in the area by whatever means necessary.

Though the show's critical reception was initially lukewarm, audience reception seems to have remained high and steady throughout. "Mayor of Kingstown" might cover some pretty unpleasant subject matter on occasion, but its familiar Sheridan style and characteristically stacked cast make it a natural addition to a "Tulsa King" fan's watch list. 

Vince Gilligan's "Breaking Bad" might not immediately seem like a spiritual sibling of the Stallone show, but the two series share many thematic similarities. Like Dwight Manfredi, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is an older — well, middle-aged, but close enough — guy trying to make a name for himself in a comparatively small city that's underrepresented in fiction. Both acquire young sidekicks (Jay Will's Tyson Mitchell for Dwight, Aaron Paul's Jesse Pinkman for Walt) and slowly make their presence known in their area of operations. Both shows even have their fair share of comedic moments, although "Breaking Bad" tends to lean a bit darker in later seasons.

Dwight Manfredi is a big city guy who finds himself overseeing an operation in unfamiliar Tulsa. Netflix's "Ozark" stars Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde, a man in a similar predicament. After ending up in hot water with a cartel, Marty's family has to relocate from Chicago to Missouri in order to run a money laundering setup on Osage Beach. 

Like Dwight, Marty and his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) almost immediately start running into federal agents and local crooks of increasing prominence. They also have legitimately terrifying cartel members watching their every step, adding to the tension that comes from the ticking clock of their operation's hard time limit. 

Thanks to its Lake Ozark setting, the Netflix show has a slightly different aesthetic from "Tulsa King." Still, the main characters' predicaments and the peculiar figures swarming around them are definitely similar enough to file the shows in the same category. 

If "Tulsa King" feels otherwise perfect but features too few reindeer and snowy landscapes, "Lilyhammer" is your jam. The Netflix show is perhaps the single most "Tulsa King"-like show on this entire list, from its overall premise to the way it mixes comedic moments into crime drama plots. Here, tough guy and capable New York City gangster Frank Tagliano (Steven Van Zandt) falls out with his crime family and ends up in witness protection. Frank relocates in distant Norway, where he starts a new life under the identity of Giovanni "Johnny" Henriksen.

Despite his new surroundings in the town of Lillehammer, Frank/Johnny is still a New York mobster through and through, and starts fusing his skill set with the cozy Norwegian lifestyle. "Tulsa King" fans will immediately recognize the juxtaposition of a seasoned mobster and a comparatively peaceful little town that nevertheless has a criminal underbelly for the main character to operate in. An excellent popcorn watch with plot twists to burn, "Lilyhammer" offers three seasons of fish-out-of-water gangster entertainment. 

At the end of the day, "Tulsa King" is about hustling, as Dwight Manfredi uses the means available to him to create the most positive available outcome. This makes it the spiritual sibling of Ann Biderman's "Ray Donovan," which also features a laundry list of interesting characters whose day-to-day activities get them into all sorts of trouble. 

As with Dwight, Ray Donovan (Liev Schreiber) is a slick, charismatic professional who can get extremely violent when the situation calls for it. The circles Ray moves in, on the other hand, are a far cry from Dwight's. As a Hollywood problem solver, Ray's clientele tends to skew toward the wealthy and the prominent. This makes the setting of "Ray Donovan" different enough from "Tulsa King" to seem fresh if you watch them back to back. 

On the other side of the equation, the assorted members of the sizable Donovan family keep pestering Ray with their own issues, problems, and demands in a way that's not unfamiliar with the various issues Dwight has to juggle on the Sheridan show. 

Ah, "The Sopranos" — the go-to recommendation for fans of any mafia-adjacent show that takes place in a sleepier location than Chicago or New York City. David Chase's saga of the New Jersey mafia family led by Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) is the quintessential mafia TV series and one of the best HBO shows of all time. For fans of "Tulsa King," it's also a veritable treasure trove of hard-looking criminal family members sitting around in cars, restaurants, and assorted establishments while having moody conversations, deciding the fates of others, and taking drastic measures when the situation calls for it. 

Sure, there's a noticeable atmosphere and quality gap between the two shows — "Tulsa King" is good, but no mafia series can truly hope to touch "The Sopranos." Even so, the shows share enough DNA that it's easy enough to recommend "The Sopranos" to a "Tulsa King" fan. Besides, honestly, it's hard to see anyone putting "The Sopranos" on and being disappointed. 

For those who enjoy the biker elements of "Tulsa King," the Black Macadams make for an easy transition toward the much more convoluted drama of "Sons of Anarchy." The Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original (aka SAMCRO) is a dangerous group to associate with, and its internal and external tensions often reach downright Shakespearean heights. Unlike "Tulsa King," much of the show unfolds through the viewpoint of its young central protagonist Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) instead of the group's older leader, Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman) — but that's just par for the course, seeing as the show focuses on a very different criminal organization from Dwight Manfredi's Tulsa family.  

Kurt Sutter's FX crime drama operates on roughly the same level of criminal activities as "Tulsa King," only from a different angle. It also adds a neo-Western element to the bikers' escapades in and near Charming, California, which is a pretty good fit for fans of Taylor Sheridan's work. Like "Tulsa King," "Sons of Anarchy" also benefits from a cavalcade of excellent characters played by great actors from Hunnam and Perlman to Katey Sagal and Ryan Hurst. Oh, and as an added bonus, Taylor Sheridan himself plays a notable role on the highly rewatchable "Sons of Anarchy" as the hard-nosed Charming Police Department Deputy Chief David Hale. 

At first glance, the "Breaking Bad" spin-off "Better Call Saul" might not seem like it's particularly related to "Tulsa King." After all, small-time con man Jimmy McGill's (Bob Odenkirk) six-season transition into morally corrupt Saul Goodman is a legal drama as much as it is a crime show, and both Jimmy and Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) are decidedly non-violent characters who prefer to solve their conflicts with intellect and hustle.

On the other hand, "Better Call Saul" revolves around the very familiar-sounding theme of a newcomer establishing himself in criminal circles, becoming increasingly powerful as time goes on but also attracting dangerous enemies on both sides of the law. The Vince Gilligan show also shares the strong propensity for comedic moments and snarky conversations that are among "Tulsa King" trademarks. 

Certain "Tulsa King" characters, like Bodhi Geigerman (Martin Starr), would easily fit in among the many outlandish figures Jimmy deals with. Even the violent side of the "Tulsa King" equation is very much there. After all, "Better Call Saul" devotes plenty of attention to various affiliates and representatives of the Mexican cartel from "Breaking Bad." 

Surely, you knew this was coming. As the most Taylor Sheridan show to ever Taylor Sheridan, the creator's flagship series is a natural port of call whenever his other shows are discussed. 

Both shows focus on a troubled central group — Dwight's syndicate on "Tulsa King, John Dutton's (Kevin Costner) family and ranch hands on "Yellowstone" — led by an elderly character played by an esteemed movie powerhouse. Both have a stacked cast and an eye-popping setting. Both central groups aren't above using incredibly illegal tactics to get what they want.

"Tulsa King" and "Yellowstone" are technically two unconnected works, but even though Sheridan isn't personally writing "Tulsa King," he still keeps careful tabs on how the show proceeds — as evidenced by the series of clashes he's had with primary showrunner Terence Winter. As such, the Sheridan stamp is still all over "Tulsa King," and the similarities between it and "Yellowstone" are noticeable enough.

A hardened, but fair and likeable criminal relocates to a new town after serving a lengthy prison sentence. There, our protagonist finds a way to start a new life, surrounds himself with eccentric acquaintances, and becomes one of the more prominent forces in the area. Unfortunately, his past isn't quite done with him, trouble with local criminals is brewing, and his own romantic past ends up causing plenty of issues. 

Does that sound like the premise of "Tulsa King?" It's actually "Banshee," Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler's Cinemax action drama about a mysterious jewel thief (Antony Starr) on the run from his old boss (Ben Cross). He gets the chance to assume the identity of dead sheriff Lucas Hood and starts upholding an approximation of law in the titular Pennsylvania town while committing a fair few crimes of his own. A singular show that features Starr in his most brilliant pre-"The Boys" role, "Banshee" is a must-watch for all fans of small-town crime drama, and its premise ticks a good few "Tulsa King" boxes. 

Viewers who enjoy Dwight Manfredi's old-school ways on "Tulsa King" and the show's depiction of Tulsa (which is actually one of the 50 largest cities in the U.S.) as a tiny backwater town will want to check out Taylor Sheridan's "Landman." Though the subject matter of the oil business show is radically different from the mob antics of "Tulsa King," the way Tommy Morris (Billy Bob Thornton) conducts his business is not too far removed from Dwight's work ethic. 

A driven and capable Texas oil man who works as a landman — a negotiator and problem solver who represents the interests of an oil company –  Tommy's day-to-day often leads him in conflict with various characters from both sides of the law. A self-professed redneck, he represents a similar throwback archetype as Dwight does, and while the characters differ from each other, they share a propensity for extreme pragmatism and have their own code. As such, "Landman" provides plenty of gripping surface for any "Tulsa King" fan.

A largely rural setting. Eccentric locals. A protagonist who arrives in the area after an incident, starts associating and clashing with the local criminal element, and follows his own code. Sure, apart from their fondness of the old ways, Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) and Dwight Manfredi share little common ground, but dang it — the exact same description fits both "Justified" and "Tulsa King" surprisingly well. 

Largely set in Harlan County, Kentucky, "Justified" is a treasure trove of quirky Appalachian characters, many of whom live their lives largely unperturbed by regulatory institutions. In other words, it's the perfect stomping ground for Givens, whose old-school sheriff antics are effective, but often paint a target on his back and make him thoroughly unsuitable for big city police work. 

"Justified" eventually becomes something of a two-man show, as Givens' friend-slash-nemesis Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) gains increasing prominence. With the likes of Stephen Root, Margo Martindale, Neal McDonough (who's also on "Tulsa King"), and Kaitlyn Dever providing skillful fire support, the show is a galvanizing watch throughout its six seasons. If that's not enough and the viewer remains curious on how Givens would fare in the big city after all those years in Kentucky, the 2023 sequel series "Justified: City Primeval" reassigns him to Detroit.

Every fan of shows that feature well-known movie stars building criminal empires in fascinating locations should put the MGM+ crime drama "Godfather of Harlem" at the top of their viewing list. A quick way to sell the series would be to mention that it's a prequel to Ridley Scott's excellent 2007 crime film "American Gangster," starring Denzel Washington as drug boss Frank Lucas. However, that's really just icing on the cake when you look at the cast list. 

Set in the '60s, "Godfather of Harlem" features Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker as real historic figure Bumpy Johnson, a Harlem crime lord who's freed from a lengthy prison sentence and sets out to reclaim his old kingdom from the Italian mafia. The impending turf war intertwines with the events of the civil rights movement, which the show absolutely doesn't shy away from — in fact, Malcolm X (Nigél Thatch) is a major character. 

Whitaker is far from the only major name on the call sheet, too. Among many, many others, the viewer can expect to see folks like Vincent D'Onofrio (who plays Bumpy's Genovese crime family equivalent Vincent Gigante) and Giancarlo Esposito (as Harlem congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr.). Granted, the real-life basis of "Godfather of Harlem" makes it a slightly different watch from "Tulsa King," but both shows share a surprising number of themes — from numerous mobster characters to the protagonist building a crime empire after a long stint in prison. 

Like "Tulsa King," FX's "The Old Man" is all about a septuagenarian who finds himself in the middle of a dangerous new situation. The main difference is that Jeff Bridges' Dan Chase is no mafioso. He's a retired CIA operative who went "missing" decades ago and is now living the twilight of his life and concerning himself largely with his possibly deteriorating health and mental faculties. When Chase suddenly finds out that he has a target on his back once more, his old CIA handler Harold Harper (John Lithgow) enters the mix and a deadly game begins. 

"The Old Man" concerns itself with spycraft and action quite a bit more than "Tulsa King," but both shows put their "old school professional's one last rodeo" element front and center. Despite their similarly advanced age, both Chase and Dwight Manfredi are also physically formidable men who get plenty of attention from the opposite sex. This action-hero quality alone puts the two protagonists and their shows in the same, incredibly specific genre of super-fit senior citizens dominating people half their age. 

If you like the brutal aspects and family-like crew dynamic of "Tulsa King" but are on the fence about going all in on a show with an older protagonist, Jonathan Lisco's "Animal Kingdom" provides a way to have your cake and eat it, too. Based on David Michôd's 2010 movie of the same name, the TNT show provides central characters from multiple generations. Here, orphaned teen Josh "J" Cody (Finn Cole) relocates to Oceanside, California, to live with his thoroughly criminal relatives who are ruled with an iron fist by his grandmother, Janine "Smurf" Cody (Ellen Barkin). 

While Josh's character offers a younger perspective and the themes of learning the ropes of a small-ish town's criminal underbelly, Smurf provides the older crime boss element. What's more, her story unfolds on multiple timelines from the mid-'60s onward, which gives the show a layer of period drama. A crime show through and through, "Animal Kingdom" provides heavy themes and cool moments in equal measures.