A fresh start quickly turns into a nightmare as Dwight tries to legitimize his criminal empire, while betrayal, dangerous business decisions, and a devastating plane-crash cliffhanger threaten everything he has built.
Series: Tulsa King
Season: 4
Episode: 1 — “W.W.D.D.”
Premiere Date: October 16, 2026
Network: Paramount+
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Martin Starr, Jay Will, Garrett Hedlund, Dana Delany, and Frank Grillo
Rating: 9/10
Spoiler Warning: This review discusses major developments and the ending of the episode.
A New Empire, But the Same Old Problems
Tulsa King returns for its fourth season with Dwight “The General” Manfredi once again attempting to prove that he can operate on his own terms. Following the explosive conclusion of Season 3, Dwight has an opportunity to transform his criminal operation into something more legitimate. Unfortunately, getting his crew to follow that vision might be harder than defeating his enemies.
Season 4 opens with Dwight establishing Friedman Enterprises, an ambitious business operation designed to bring his growing empire under one legitimate corporate umbrella. His message to the crew is straightforward: the days of unnecessary criminal activity need to come to an end.
Of course, this is Dwight Manfredi’s organization. Expecting everyone to suddenly become respectable businessmen is probably asking too much.
The premiere immediately establishes the tension between Dwight’s ambitions and the questionable decisions of the people working for him. That contrast provides some of the episode’s funniest moments while laying the groundwork for potentially devastating consequences.
Dwight’s Crew Continues Making Trouble
One of the episode’s strongest elements is its attention to the individual members of Dwight’s organization.
Mitch Keller finds a creative but questionable way to deal with the financial problems surrounding his car business. Meanwhile, Tyson continues making decisions that demonstrate just how far he still has to go before understanding the responsibilities that come with working for Dwight.
Despite Dwight’s instructions to stop dealing drugs, Tyson and Spencer continue their illegal operation. Their decision to steal drugs from a rival dealer quickly turns into a violent confrontation, leaving Tyson responsible for a shooting that could have serious consequences.
Goodie also finds himself caught up in the situation, and the encounter introduces another potentially dangerous enemy into the show’s expanding criminal landscape.
These developments reinforce an important theme: Dwight might be trying to build something legitimate, but his crew’s inability to leave its criminal instincts behind could destroy everything.
The Return of Dangerous Business Relationships
The premiere also brings attention to Dwight’s expanding business interests and his complicated relationship with Quiet Ray.
With Dwight looking to expand his liquor operation, negotiations become increasingly important. However, neither side appears particularly interested in offering complete trust.
Bill Bevilaqua remains another interesting question mark. His willingness to maintain relationships with competing interests makes him an unpredictable presence, and his true loyalties remain difficult to determine.
The series continues to demonstrate that Dwight’s biggest challenges aren’t necessarily going to come from people openly declaring war against him. Sometimes the most dangerous individuals are the ones smiling across the negotiating table.
A Suspicious Restaurant Visit Sets Up Something Bigger
Another intriguing storyline involves Leonardo Timpone, the owner of an Italian restaurant who becomes acquainted with Dwight and Margaret.
During their dinner, Timpone makes a strong impression by presenting himself as a businessman with access to expensive wine. However, Bodhi quickly becomes suspicious when the wine arrives and questions its authenticity.
This seemingly minor storyline becomes considerably more important as the episode progresses.
The wine delivery raises questions about whether someone is attempting to manipulate Dwight’s organization through a seemingly innocent business transaction. Bodhi’s suspicions also establish him as one of the few people willing to question something that doesn’t quite add up.
It’s an effective piece of storytelling because the audience is given just enough information to recognize that something isn’t right without receiving all the answers.
The Ending Changes Everything
The biggest moment of the premiere arrives during its closing minutes.
Dwight’s relationship with Margaret Devereaux has become an important part of his personal life, offering him something beyond the criminal empire that has consumed so much of his existence.
But the episode takes a devastating turn when Joanne wakes Dwight with news that Margaret and Oklahoma Governor Cal Thresher were aboard a private aircraft that went down over the Pacific.
The earlier scenes involving the suspicious wine delivery suddenly take on a much darker meaning. The pilots appear to have been incapacitated, raising serious questions about whether the crash was an accident or something deliberately orchestrated.
The episode refuses to provide easy answers, leaving Dwight facing the possibility of losing someone important to him while simultaneously dealing with political and criminal threats.
It’s an effective cliffhanger because it gives the audience a personal reason to worry about Dwight rather than simply another business dispute to follow.
Sylvester Stallone Continues to Anchor the Series
Sylvester Stallone remains the show’s biggest asset.
His portrayal of Dwight balances intimidation, humor, stubbornness, and occasional vulnerability. He can dominate a criminal negotiation one minute and deliver an unexpectedly funny reaction the next.
Martin Starr also continues to provide excellent comic relief as Bodhi. His suspicious attitude toward the wine and his reactions to the increasingly ridiculous situations surrounding the crew make him one of the show’s most entertaining characters.
Jay Will’s Tyson remains an important source of conflict. His character’s repeated inability to follow instructions is becoming increasingly frustrating, but that frustration serves a purpose. His decisions have consequences, and the premiere makes it clear that those consequences are beginning to catch up with him.
Final Verdict: A Strong Season Premiere With Serious Consequences Ahead
“W.W.D.D.” delivers exactly what a season premiere should accomplish. It reconnects viewers with the central characters, establishes new conflicts, expands the criminal landscape, and ends with a shocking development that immediately raises the stakes.
The episode’s biggest strength is its ability to balance the show’s familiar humor with a more serious sense of danger. Dwight’s attempts to legitimize his empire provide an interesting direction for the season, but the people around him continue making decisions that threaten to pull him back into the violent world he claims to be leaving behind.
The plane-crash cliffhanger is particularly effective, transforming what initially appears to be another business-focused season opener into something much more personal.
There are still some familiar storytelling conveniences and questionable character decisions, but the entertainment value remains exceptionally strong.
If this premiere is any indication, Dwight Manfredi’s fourth season is going to be anything but peaceful.
Final Score: 9/10
“W.W.D.D.” is an entertaining, suspenseful, and occasionally brutal return for Tulsa King. Dwight may be ready to become a legitimate businessman, but his enemies and even his own crew have other plans.
