Tulsa King
Season 3 – Episode 9
Episode title: Dead Weight
Original air date: November 16, 2025
Plot: The tension builds as the antagonist “The Watchmaker” returns, proposing an alliance with Dunmire against Dwight Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone). Guest star Samuel L. Jackson appears as Russell Lee Washington, sent to eliminate Dwight after a business refusal. A political dinner hosted by Margaret for Cal Thresher’s campaign is targeted when the Watchmaker places a bomb in the hotel kitchen. Dwight and Agent Musso, who has personal motives, must put aside their differences to evacuate the fundraiser. The bomb eventually detonates, causing massive devastation and sending Mitch to the hospital. While Dunmire believes he has escaped, his son Cole’s potential betrayal looms. The episode ends with Dwight and his crew preparing for the final showdown, amidst complications from Tyson’s risky side hustle.
* * *
Tulsa King – S03E09 – Dead Weight | Transcript
It’s been a long time since someone tried to whack me.
[clamoring]
Accidentally.
No matter how you word it, it still leads to death.
What’d he say?
He’s gonna whack me.
Great day for a bust, ain’t it?
When this is over, we’re done.
If this deal holds, then we’re done.
[gun cocks]
[Mitch] On the table. Slow.
Get him up.
Didn’t expect to be on the wrong end of the double cross.
I want everything you know.
Every client, every cell, everything.
My father said something about a hotel, and hurting a lot of people.
[Dwight] Did you put a bomb at the Grand Hotel?
Yes.
You fucking hear that?
Now get over there!
♪ Exciting music ♪
Bomb! Bomb! Move!
[clamoring] Move, move, move, move!
Are you all right?
Yeah, yeah, I’m… I’m good.
[traffic sounds]
♪ Intriguing, percussive music ♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[keys jingling]
[soft piano music playing over speakers] Hey.
They, uh, sent me over to check out the fire alarm.
Who’s they?
Sterling Property Management.
Apparently, y’all are setting off silents down at the station.
Was it Carlos?
I don’t know, man.
They just told me to come over here and run a diagnostic.
Uh… no one told me.
You know…
Ain’t no thing, partner.
I can come back.
But you know them fines, they keep piling up.
[clerk]
Hold up.
♪ Percussive music ♪
♪♪♪
[rapid chirping]
[beeps]
[elevator dings]
[dings]
♪ Suspenseful music ♪
♪♪♪
[indistinct chatter over TV]
[TV chatter grows louder]
[keypad chirps] These crafty cephalopods have learned several methods of attack.
Despite their different evolutionary path from humans, octopi are one of the smartest animals on Earth.
Wait. Come on, man. Wait.
I’ll get you the money.
[silenced gunshot]
[TV narrator]
To the untrained eye, the swirling mass of tentacles surrounding its prey may seem chaotic.
But it’s actually a highly calculated hit.
[water whooshing over TV]
For another delicacy… shrimp… octopi tend to apply a more stealthy approach.
♪ “Wheel of Fire” by Etta James ♪
♪♪♪
♪ There’s a wheel of fire… ♪
[whistling]
♪ Wheel of fire ♪
♪ Burning inside of me ♪
♪ There’s a wheel of fire ♪
♪ Turning ♪
♪ They set it burning ♪
♪ Burning inside of me ♪
♪ The wheel… ♪
[bottle cap clatters]
♪ Wheel of fire ♪
♪ Said it’s burning ♪
♪ And it’s turning ♪
♪ The wheel of fire ♪
♪ Inside of me… ♪
[buzzer sounds]
Shit.
[loud knocking]
What this motherfucker want?
[buzzer sounding]
You ain’t meant to come here, son.
I was sent.
The deed is done. I left word.
He wants a word… in person.
[quietly]
Fuck.
[Quiet Ray]
So, I hear all’s good with the situation in Newark.
Yeah, I don’t think you’re gonna see no more problems out of them.
Good, good.
I only took this ’cause of you, Ray.
Well, you know, it’s nice to feel special.
Mm. That, um…
Is that what I’m owed?
No, that’s, uh, that’s twice what you’re owed.
Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, hold up now.
I’m done with this, man.
Been done with it, you heard?
You got one more, then you’re done.
[grunts]
You know Tulsa?
Yeah, what about it?
And you know Dwight Manfredi?
You know I do.
Yeah.
That’s why it’s got to be you.
[sighs softly]
I want him gone.
Why for, Ray?
Manfredi is a man who doesn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself.
He has no loyalty.
And in my world, that’s a bacio della morte.
Look at me when I’m talking to you.
Can’t do it, Ray.
What?
Ain’t no fucking way.
♪ Dark music ♪
♪♪♪
You’re acting here like you have a choice or something… when we both know that you don’t.
♪ Percussive, upbeat music ♪
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[birds singing]
[Musso]
Where the fuck is Deacon?
You said it was low priority.
You said that yourself.
Yeah. Where is he?
Doesn’t matter.
Don’t ask me that again, ’cause he ain’t coming back.
He’s gone forever.
But before he checked out, I got everything… everything he’s ever done, what he was gonna do, his associates, everything.
But before I give you all this info, I want something.
What? Money?
I want a federal liquor license.
A fed…? Are you serious?
I’m fucking dead serious.
This is gonna make you a hero.
[Joanne] Let’s go.
I got to go.
Who’s your friend?
John Musso, liquor salesman.
Making deals. Nice.
♪ “Subterranean Homesick Blues”
by Bob Dylan ♪
♪ Johnny’s in the basement,
mixin’ up the medicine ♪
♪ I’m on the pavement,
thinkin’ about the government ♪
♪ The man in a trench coat,
badge out, laid off ♪
♪ Says he’s got a bad cough,
wants to get it paid off ♪
♪ Look out, kid,
it’s somethin’ you did ♪
♪ God knows when ♪
♪ But you’re doin’ it again,
you better duck down ♪
♪ The alleyway,
looking for a new friend ♪
♪ The man in the coonskin cap
in a big pen ♪
♪ Wants eleven dollar bills,
you only got ten… ♪
[engine revving]
[mechanical beeping]
[Cole]
Hey! Hey!
What the hell’s going on?
I don’t know, man.
These are returns.
Returns?
But how’s that possible?
I guess Premium Distro dropped us.
♪ Percussive music ♪
♪♪♪
[exhales]
Hey. How you doing?
Hey. Beer.
Any kind, and a flat water, no bubbles.
All right. You got it.
♪♪♪
[bottle cap pops]
How you doing?
♪ Ominous music ♪
How’s everybody doing?
Good, I hope.
Spencer, how about the bourbon, vodka and a bottle of beer?
[sighs]
So I meant to hit you with this one, boss.
Look at this.
You’re now starting to kick up?
No, I had to get my own thing going.
Mmhmm.
[Tyson] Spencer had the college connection, so we locked in, teamed up, threw us a rave.
A bunch of people came, turned out nice. Yeah.
[Dwight] This thing you’re doing with Spencer, it’s not dangerous?
No, boss, it’s just college kids.
You know, they get caught up in the music.
It’s just nothing, you know?
Tulsa, Tulsa getting lame as hell, so we had to turn the city up a little.
I’m proud of you.
Nice suit, too.
Oh, yeah, you like it?
I designed it myself.
No, you didn’t.
Oh, you want one, I got you.
[indistinct chatter]
Mmm.
[waitress]
Hey, we got a winner!
[Lee]
Hey.
I believe you still owe me from that last round of gin rummy.
[scoffs]
[laughs] My God, is that a ghost?
No. [laughs] Good to see you.
Oh. Look like The General done took Tulsa.
Boy, bet ain’t nobody seen that coming. [chuckles] Hey, you want to taste something good?
‘Cause I remember the last time we had a drink, it was in the joint, and we were drinking that swill, which…
Mm.
Life-threatening. Here you go.
Give this a shot.
It’s really good.
Tell me, what do you think?
What you really think.
Tasty.
Tasty? That’s the best you can come up with?
Tasty.
The fuck you want, a written testimonial?
[both laughing]
Oh. This your shit?
Yeah. That is my shit.
Yes, it is.
I bought the distillery.
It’s, like, all this gold in bottles here, all hidden away.
[chuckles]
Yeah.
You came straight here with a whole lot of nothing.
Mmhmm.
Props, brother.
Are you gonna make me ask you?
Ask what?
Why you’re in Tulsa.
[scoffs]
Oh, I’m thinking of going back to NOLA.
New Orleans?
New Orleans.
Ah.
Where they don’t say hello.
They say, “Hey, baby.”
[chuckles]
I got to tell you something.
You got a really fucked-up road map.
How’s that?
It’s like this.
There are no direct routes from New York that goes to New Orleans through Tulsa.
Yeah, well, I did take a little detour.
Might want to call it a professional courtesy.
Courtesy?
Did Quiet Ray take a contract out on me?
He did.
And did he hire the best?
He did.
I thought we were friends.
We is.
And you’re still gonna do the hit?
No, no. Don’t you know if I would’ve took that hit, wouldn’t be no conversation.
You’d be sporting a toe tag on them two-toned gators of yours.
If I put my gun on the table, you want to do the same?
[Lee sighs]
Now I can breathe a little easier.
[Lee chuckles]
You know, saying no to a guy like Ray can have consequences.
Yeah, don’t I know it.
Young pros lined up, trying to make a nice name.
Listen, why don’t you come to my house for dinner?
Oh, I would love to.
Mm?
But, you know, my good sense telling me, it’s time for me to start thinking about my own self-preservation.
Well, my friend, thanks for the break.
Mmm. [chuckles] Tasty, right?
Tasty.
Was that Russell Lee Washington?
That’s right.
The best there ever was.
He just did me a solid.
He’s letting us know there’s a contract out on me.
Quiet Ray?
Yeah, Quiet Ray.
I mean, that’s a long fucking drive for a warning.
You think he’s playing you?
No.
He’s a fucking man of honor.
He’s giving us a break.
Why the break?
Because I saved his life in the joint about… I don’t know…
20 years ago.
I’ll beef up security.
We need eyes and ears.
I’ll reach out to the local network.
I’ll call the bars, hotels.
Any tourists floating around, we got to know right away.
Right. Do that.
All right. I’m on it.
Fuck.
Gracie.
Yes.
We got, uh, Bodhi in the house?
Is he expecting you?
[laughs]
I need an invitation?
That’s cute.
Ready or not, here I come.
[laughs]
[knocking]
[Tyson clears throat]
No shit?
This is just my take from that one night?
Seem like your “hear no, see no, speak no evil” working out for you, brother.
Okay.
You didn’t even break anything.
You got to learn how to trust me, Bodhi.
Have a seat, please.
I would love it if you stayed for a while.
So, look, the ecstasy game is showing a lot of potential, all right?
I’m talking money-growing-on-trees type of potential.
Or beginner’s luck.
It’s kind of, you know, TBD.
If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it.
Or salesmanship plays a role, too.
I mean, you got to know how to talk that talk, right?
[Bodhi]
Yeah.
I mean, I-I-I’m running the business this time, Bodhi.
Yeah. Big business.
Which means you’re probably very busy, no time to dillydally with your friends and bond.
I get it if you got to leave.
All right.
I got a little issue here.
I’m running low on some product, and all these fucking frat kids, I think they got spooked out.
They’re catching on to me as a fake cop now.
It’s impressive that they ever believed you were a cop, or a massive indictment of our education system.
All right, man, let’s cut to the chase.
I know you got a fucking ecstasy plug somewhere, man.
Not anymore.
Come on.
You-you Bodhi, man.
You got everything.
I don’t fuck with that anymore.
Look, you don’t need a supplier.
It’s just like baking, except the ingredients are chemicals.
I don’t know how to fucking bake, bro.
Come on, man. I’m not trying to fuck nobody up with a bad cut.
Bodhi, please help me out, man.
This is the first time since Dwight ever been to Tulsa that I’m earning my keep.
I’m in my bag right now, bro.
I’m-I’m-I’m feeling confident about myself.
You’re always confident, Tyson.
Maybe a little too much so sometimes.
Ah, that’s just a mask, all right?
Ah, fuck.
Okay. I’ll bake for you.
But you do not deal on premises.
Not here, not Bred2Buck.
Do not crosspollinate.
No crosspollination, bro.
I do not need Dwight blowing a fucking gasket.
You and me both.
I owe you one, man.
You do. Yeah.
Appreciate you, brother.
Oh, yeah, keep the gummies.
[phone buzzing]
[phone clicks]
Yeah.
I can hear you dragging your ass from here.
Just got to town.
I’m acclimating.
Acclimat…? Listen to me.
We’re running out of time.
This is very important for both me…
Look, this bullshit’s important.
It’s personal to you, not me.
What are you telling me?
You care about the hit.
I don’t, not no more.
You better get your head on straight here.
Ray, I’m out.
I left your money in my shop.
Hey, don’t fuck with me!
No, motherfucker, it’s just the opposite.
Listen to me, you cocksucker.
You don’t ever go against me.
I will find you, and I will throw your worthless fucking body out in the street.
♪ Tense, dramatic music ♪
[line beeps]
[Joanne]
You know what? First off, it’s Manfredi, like Helen Reddy, not “Manfreedi,” like, “You’re so goddamn greedy.”
And I would never spend $20 per square foot for commercial real estate.
[sighs]
What’s up?
You seem busy.
Mm, swamped.
Listen, I want to help.
I want to take on more responsibility here to help grow the business, but, also, to learn from you.
Fortune favors the bold.
What will Bodhi think about it?
Eh.
I think he just wants what’s best for me.
Aw, okay.
I’ll teach you how to read a spreadsheet, and then you can help me embezzle money for our cruise on the Queen Mary.
Deal.
[both laugh]
[Cole]
There’s a situation.
We lost six distributors, including Premium Spirits.
That’s not goddamn possible.
The Montague also just signed a deal with Premium for a national launch.
Dad?
♪ Tense music ♪
[insects chirring]
You give your life!
Your goddamn blood!
Your family died here!
Your mother died here!
My son’s buried here!
[grunts]
[panting]
♪♪♪
[axe drops on ground]
[distant train horn blowing]
♪ Bluesy music ♪
Got some intel for you.
Bring… it on.
Spoke to a pal of mine who bartends over at The Starlight.
Said a guy from New York came in, thick accent, the whole nine.
Bought cigarettes and booze.
New York, New York kind of guy?
He ID’d him. Yeah.
Staying at the Masters Inn, off Route 44.
All right. Oh.
From out of nowhere. [laughs] [laughs] How are you, darling?
Sorry.
I got to bail on dinner tonight.
Yeah, Thresher’s holding a town hall with the Fraternal Order of Police.
Well, that’s better.
Really? That’s a new attitude.
I know, but let’s think about it, you know?
The things going around, the explosion at the hotel.
You got a lot of guys with badges, guns, protection.
Plus, it’s pretty common knowledge that I’m at war with Dunmire.
And he did try to blow up my girlfriend.
Your… [chuckles softly] your girlfriend?
What?
[laughs]
I just never…
What’d you think you were?
Oh, I just never heard you say that word before.
Okay. Miracles can happen.
[laughing]
You’re not kidding.
[laughs] See you tonight.
Yeah, and bring home a dessert.
[Margaret laughs]
[sighs softly]
You want me to stay?
No, no, I got this.
Just leave your phone on.
Always.
Okay.
♪ Wicked teeth, secrets keep ♪
♪ Matches soaked in kerosene ♪
♪ Darkest place, soul to take ♪
♪ Shoulders hold up
every weight ♪
♪ Bloodshot eyes,
dark and light ♪
♪ Comes a time
to choose a side ♪
♪ Things grow cold,
look out below ♪
♪ Up to no good ♪
♪ Up to no good ♪
♪ Up to no good ♪
♪ Up to no good ♪
♪ Empty words, cold as dirt ♪
♪ Haunting
like you never heard ♪
♪ Fun and games till you play ♪
♪ World won’t ever be the same ♪
[doorbell ringing]
Hey.
[sighs]
That dinner invitation, still good?
Yeah, I can warm something up.
I love leftovers.
Goddamn, Lee.
I don’t want this life no more.
Know that for a fact.
Maybe you’re not ready to move on yet.
[chuckles]
Man, when you get pulled back into a place where you’re somebody?
Mmhmm.
You’re a star?
Yeah.
[chuckles] Oh, hard to let go of that shit, my man.
‘Cause you doubt yourself?
Is that it?
Uh, yeah, I act one way, but probably ’cause I ain’t got the guts to act the other.
No. Come on.
Listen, when I came to Tulsa, I was really afraid.
Bullshit.
I’m telling you. I was full of fucking fear, for real.
Maybe, well, you know, what worked for you ain’t gonna work for me.
Maybe, but what I saw you do tonight took a strong man, my man.
How’s that?
Because you came here to take a life… second time in one day… and instead, you gave me my life back.
And I appreciate that.
And that shows a man who wants to change.
So, you know, fuck this Quiet Ray.
I’m so sick of this fucking guy and all his type, and all this lone wolf bullshit.
Just keep heading for home, huh?
Be reliant on your family and have them reliant on you.
[chuckles]
My man.
My man.
[laughs] Thanks.
Oh, by the way, Quiet Ray… he sent a New York hitter out to whack you.
How you know that?
I got very reliable sources.
Just me, or me and you?
Both of us, yeah.
[laughs]
Well, where he at?
Let’s go have a little meet and greet.
That’s the Lee I know.
[“Me Pasé” by Twin Palms and Jenn Morel plays in Spanish]
♪♪♪
[cheering]
[Spencer]
Oh, look at you.
[Tyson] Oh, shit.
Enjoy.
Yo. What’s happening?
What’s happening?
Go do your thing, all right?
[Spencer]
Enjoy.
Hey, cowgirl.
[“Me Pasé” continues playing]
♪♪♪
[cheering]
[speaking indistinctly]
[Spencer and Tyson laughing]
[Spencer]
That’s a first.
You can’t do that here.
Do what? What did we do?
Time to go.
[Tyson] Yo, look, man, we just cool and having a good time like everybody else.
Man, come on, chill out.
Up. Now!
Yo, yo, back the fuck up!
Okay.
You, too, shithead. Let’s go.
Let’s all calm down.
I’m gonna calm down when he get his fucking hand off you.
What the fuck is going on?
No harm, no foul. I’m sure we can work something out.
How about we cut you in?
Cut who on what?
Yo, chill out.
[whispering] Five percent?
Don’t think you understand.
You ain’t doing that here.
Yo, man, this can’t be the first time somebody worked this type of operation in your establishment, right?
It’s not.
All right.
But you can’t. Let’s go.
[Spencer] Okay.
[Lee]
So, you know this is where I’m staying, right?
I do now, yeah.
Now?
You didn’t know before we came?
I didn’t think about it at the moment.
We’re too exposed.
Uh, why don’t you pull over by the bar?
[Dwight]
Why?
We got a direct line from here.
Yeah, but so does that motherfucker.
You’re out of practice, man.
No, I’m not a psycho assassin like you.
[laughs]
I… am fine.
[Dwight chuckles]
Check it out. Blue car.
[Dwight] Oh, yeah.
[Lee] New York plates.
Definitely our guy.
For sure.
Wonder which room he’s in.
Why don’t I just go down to the front desk and ask ’em?
Yeah, why don’t we just leave a dead body, they ID you, and you catch a case?
Right.
This is not your thing, is it?
No, it’s not.
But you do know about the weight factor, right?
You lost me.
See?
You’re never in the trenches, so you don’t know.
Oh, where is this going?
And when you drop a guy…
Yeah?
that weighs about 220…
Right.
between the time you shoot him, and he hits the ground, he gains 2,000 pounds.
[scoffs]
Dead weight.
That’s why, in the movies, when you see guys walking around with two, three bodies under their arms, dragging ’em, that’s some bullshit.
That ain’t how that shit goes.
And you fuck your back up pulling around dead weight like that.
[laughs]
Wow.
What room are you in?
210.
All right, so, I figure this guy’s got to be in either 209 or 211.
I say 209.
If it was me, I’d pick 11.
It’s closer to the back stairs and the car.
[Dwight]
All right, you’re on.
[exhales sharply]
209.
♪ Intriguing music ♪
[laughs] Oh, shit.
There it is.
Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Don’t be a sore loser.
Okay, you’re right. 209.
Congratulations.
Mmhmm.
[Lee chuckles]
[Dwight]
Oh, wait a fucking minute.
You got two guys that want to kill you?
I’m a bad motherfucker.
It takes two.
[Lee chuckles]
[Lee]
Ain’t this a bitch.
Had me surrounded.
They did.
You were sandwiched, my friend.
♪ Slow, dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
They ain’t worried about shit.
Yeah.
Okay. Meet and greet time.
Let’s check it out.
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[silenced gunshots]
I heard two shots.
Yeah, ballbuster, I missed.
You cap buster.
Yeah, cap buster.
[Lee laughs]
[Dwight] Am I ever gonna hear the end of this?
[Lee]
No, you are not. [laughs]
[vehicle door closes]
[footsteps approaching]
[knocking]
[door creaks]
Here she is.
Heard you had a runin with some C4.
Had to make sure you were still pretty.
Makes you look tougher.
Ladies will love it.
Just not you?
Grace called after the bombing, and I…
I couldn’t get back here fast enough.
Lucky the cops didn’t chase me down.
Yeah, they tend to have a thing for you.
I thought if I left, I couldn’t lose you.
But it turns out, you can lose people just fine from a distance.
Who knew?
[crying softly]
[sirens wailing]
[indistinct radio chatter]
What the fuck?
[door opens]
♪ Tense, dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
Dwight?
Bigfoot?
Drop it.
Mr. Dunmire would like to speak to you.
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
