Samuel L. Jackson’s NOLA King Makes a Bold, Stylish Debut

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Tulsa King season 3, episode 9.

Tulsa King season 3, episode 9, “Dead Weight,” finally features the moment we’ve all been waiting for – the introduction of Samuel L. Jackson’s new character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., otherwise known as the NOLA King.

Jackson arrives in the nick of time after an explosive Tulsa King season 3, episode 8 ending, providing the first sign of life in this mostly sluggish and unfocused season since the premiere episode. After being contracted by Quiet Ray to take out Dwight, Russell visits Dwight to offer him a “professional courtesy,” which translates to the two old pals sharing some bourbon and reminiscing about their glory days behind bars.

The penultimate episode of Tulsa King season 3 greatly tightens up the story thanks to NOLA King’s arrival, which makes this particular installment feel much smoother and more immersive. While supporting characters like Bodhi and Grace still carry their signature charm, once Jackson’s character is introduced, his presence and onscreen dynamic with Stallone completely overhauls the series – for the better.

Meanwhile, the plight of the Dunmire family continues on a downward spiral as Dwight takes his bourbon business to the national market, thanks to his newly acquired federal permit from Agent Musso. Dwight has remained mostly on top throughout this overstuffed season, but even though the Tulsa and NOLA Kings instantly make a great TV duo, it may not be enough to correct the course of this bumpy season.

Samuel L. Jackson Steals The Spotlight In Tulsa King S3E9

Apart from a few scenes featuring Tulsa King side characters, including the return of Cleo and a cliffhanger ending that leaves Dwight’s sister in Dunmire’s hands, the penultimate episode is essentially a NOLA King prequel. Nearly all the main action is between Stallone and Jackson, which is exactly what most viewers want to see, and is the most worthwhile development the series could make at this point.

Russell explains his plans to Dwight about heading back to New Orleans, setting up the spinoff series (expected in 2026). Both he and Dwight face pressure from New York and Quiet Ray, making them natural allies. There won’t be too much suspense heading into the season 3 finale, though, since season 4 guarantees Dwight’s survival, and NOLA King will send Russell back to Louisiana. I suppose the only real question is – who’s still coming along for the ride?

While I do wish Dwight and Russell’s reunion dove a bit deeper into their shared backstory, rather than getting more of Dwight’s philosophical ramblings about life and family, the way that NOLA King was introduced was quite epic. A skilled hitman who carries the quiet swagger of Pulp Fiction‘s Jules with the cold-blooded methodology of Michael Fassbender’s assassin in David Fincher’s The Killer, Russell is immediately captivating, convincing, and so very cool.

Odds are Dwight and Russell will rally the troops to save Joanne and kill Dunmire in the season 3 finale. Dunmire’s death, or return to prison, may even come at the hands of Cole, whose redemption arc has been in full swing since he told Spencer about the bomb at Thresher’s campaign event last episode. Even if we can all see Tulsa King‘s finale coming a mile away due to real-world circumstances and Paramount+’s upcoming streaming lineup, watching Stallone and Jackson together would make up for the predictable plot.

Tulsa King May Want To Emulate Mayor Of Kingstown In Season 4

Brian Douglas / Paramount+

Those who watch Taylor Sheridan’s gripping crime series, Mayor of Kingstownknow that the season 3 finale was an absolute game-changer. It set the stage for a brand-new approach to season 4 that narrowed its focus to a few main characters rather than a rotating ensemble cast with dead-end storylines.

Through four episodes of Mayor of Kingstown season 4, that strategy has paid off handsomely. Tulsa King would be wise to follow a similar approach to reinvigorate itself in its already greenlit fourth season. Nobody wants to see a character’s death in any TV show, but that’s one of the most surefire formulas for creating heightened drama and gripping tension followed by devastation, tragedy, and emotional impact.

Dwight and his counterparts have essentially worn bulletproof vests throughout all three seasons of Tulsa Kingso it would really be effective if one or two of Dwight’s crew didn’t survive the inevitable showdown with Dunmire in next week’s finale. It would set Dwight on an unstoppable course of revenge and give this meandering mob series a second lease on streaming life. Especially since Tulsa King season 4 won’t have Samuel L. Jackson’s character to save it in clutch time like in season 3.

Release Date

November 13, 2022

NETWORKS

Paramount+

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

Pros & Cons

• Samuel L. Jackson’s NOLA King makes a big impact and a captivating introduction
• Stallone & Jackson take over the series for the better, creating a tighter story

• Tensions aren’t very high heading into a predictable season 3 finale
• Tulsa King has discarded many side characters and storylines, making it hard to tie everything up in the finale