Karate Kid to Cobra Kai
Most teenagers in the 80’s and enjoyed watching the Karate Kid films and cartoon. Now over 30 years later, in this revival they have got the perfect combination of writers, directors & actors. The level of quality of this series is astounding. It successfully brings back the old “feel” of the films, while adding a new and complex storyline. It really embodies the legacy of the rivalry, and yet explores the spirit of the films to a degree that is just unprecedented.
This series takes you back to how much you loved the movies and characters growing up. It’s surprising how well the characters are up dated and now involve the younger generation. There’s still a lot to be taught, and learned.
Cobra Kai
As said the series is set thirty years after their final confrontation at the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, Johnny Lawrence is at rock-bottom as an unemployed handyman haunted by his wasted life. However, when Johnny rescues a bullied kid, Miguel, from bullies, he is inspired to restart the notorious Cobra Kai dojo. However, this revitalization of his life and related misunderstandings find Johnny restarting his old rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, a successful businessman who may be happily married, but is missing an essential balance in life since the death of his mentor, Mr. Miyagi.
Meanwhile, even as this antipathy festers, it finds itself reflected in their protégées as Miguel and his comrades are gradually poisoned by Cobra Kai’s thuggish philosophy. Meanwhile, while Daniel’s daughter, Samantha, finds herself in the middle of this conflict amidst false friends, Johnny’s estranged miscreant son, Robby, finds himself inadvertently coming under Daniel’s wing and flourishes in ways worthy of Mr. Miyagi.
This fantastic series produced by YouTube, like the original films, are more than martial arts, it’s about relationships and redemption. The show takes on a bit of a role reversal as we now see mainly through the eyes of Karate Kid bad boy Johnny Lawrence(William Zabka), who seeks redemption by taking in a student in the form of Miguel Diaz, which in turns inspires him to re-open the Cobra Kai dojo. As for Daniel LaRusso, it is clear that while he is a successful businessman, he is practically consumed with arrogance and does whatever he can to ensure Johnny doesn’t succeed.
What do we think?
The production values are great; the casting is great, the plot, the writing, the tone, pacing, and soundtrack. It’s all great start to finish and it has what Mr. Miyagi taught us, balance. It seems to hit so many right notes without pushing anything too far, the comedy is just right, the emotional moments, just right, the cheese, the action, just right. It also does a great job of leaving the viewer to decide who the real heroes and villains are because unlike the movies nothing here is black and white. Cobra Kai is, hands down, the best series ever made. Perfectly crafted, inch by inch, to bring back the essence of the original films.
Cobra Kai Season 1&2 is out on DVD on 4 May.
Cobra Kai Returns… Season 3 is out soon. Stream them all. The Karate Kid returns again.
Original series is available on Youtube.
Written by Andrew Staton
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