With so much stuff on Netflix, it can be a little overwhelming finding something to watch, especially when one scrolls through and half of what they see are foreign flicks and tv shows that they have absolutely no interest in. With that said, the purpose of these weekly posts is to share something that i watch on the service. Hopefully it will help someone find something new…or keep them from something they might have wasted their time with otherwise.
This week I’m going to cover…
Genre: Drama, martial arts
Duration: 2 seasons (20 episodes; ~22-36 min each)
Cast: William Zabka, Ralph Macchio, Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan, Courtney Henggeler, Jacob Bertrand, Martin Kove
The Karate Kid franchise was a huge part of 80s culture. Nearly 40 yrs later, it is still relevant. Cobra Kai takes place in modern day and follows the original film’s antagonist, Johnny and how he views the events that happened all those years ago, as well as watching his life today (in comparison to the Karate Kid himself, Daniel).
Obviously, nostalgia and curiosity play a big part of this series. It is good to see all the easter eggs and throwbacks to the films from the franchise (as far as I know, the one that shall not be mentioned is nowhere to be seen), as well as seeing how these guys grew up. It is a little disconcerting that Daniel still holds such contempt and hate for Johnny, though. Perhaps that is done for story reasons.
Believe it or not, Daniel and Johnny aren’t the main focus. Yes, they get alot of screen time, but the series focuses on the younger generation. Daniel’s daughter, Sam, Johnny’s son, Robby, Johnny’s protege and neighbor, Miguel, and the rest of the Cobra Kai students. Miguel and Sam have a sort of Romeo & Juliet romance going in the early episodes. Watching the events that happen in later episodes will throw the viewer for a loop, however.
This was originally made for the paid subscription Youtube service, but I guess they felt they weren’t making enough $$$ over there, didn’t have enough creative freedom, or some other reason and sold the rights to Netflix.
Let’s not beat around the bush. This isn’t the most expensive looking show in the world. I would image most of the budget went into getting the cars at Daniel’s car dealership or his house. That being said, unless you’re one to focus on that, it isn’t noticeable because, unlike so many other series out there today, this isn’t a series that relies on gimmicks and CG. What you see is what you get.
Daniel and Johnny, as well as Kreese, when he shows up later, are the best actors in the series. The rest of the cast are young actors looking for a big break or adults with bit parts to their name. I think the most notable is Daniel’s wife, who was Sheldon’s sister on The Big Bang Theory. No one is horrible in this, but there is a reason they were cast in something like this, as opposed to Hollywood, for instance.
I want to hit on the karate for a second. A lot of Johnny’s teaching is what Kreese taught him, but with heart behind it, rather than creating killing machines. When we see Miguel, and later the rest of students, put this to action, it shows that he is an effective teacher. Daniel, who is teaching Johnny’s son, uses Mr. Miyagi’s “wax on, wax off” technique to teach and, much like it did with Daniel, the muscle memory pays off in a big way. There have been a couple of scenes where the two “dojos” have faced off, but I look forward to really seeing the rivalry continue.
Speaking of rivalry, Daniel and Johnny hate each other, but through the series, it is shown that they at least have some sort of professional respect. Near the end of season 1, an event happens that causes them to nearly come to blows, but instead they end up at a bar hashing things out, talking about the past (including their one time mutual love interest, Ali), etc. It seemed like they were going to bury the hatchet until something, which I won’t spoil, tears all that down.
Cobra Kai is a show that is much better than it has any right to be. By all accounts, this should just be another cash grab to milk money out of the franchise, but it actually is well told story. Respect is paid to the films, partly because the stars are producers. There is some teen drama, comedy, martial arts, and more to be had with this. I look forward to finishing the last couple of episodes and (im)patiently await season 3.