I can't believe how much I enjoy Cobra Kai. I originally thought this was going to be some corny kid show. It's not, any fan of the original trilogy will love this. It takes place 34 years after the events of the first movie and the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It follows a down on his luck Johnny Lawrence (William Zavala) as he tries to get his life straightened out and opens up the famous Cobra Kai dojo. This reignites his rivalry with the successful Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). I can't say enough about how good Zabka is here. He's absolutely the breakout star here! It's a shame he hasn't become a bigger star over the years because he shows he can carry a show here. Again, if you're a fan of the original trilogy then watch this. I promise you'll love it! Looking forward to more seasons in the future.
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Rob133128 September 2022
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Problem is he was typecast and never given a chance to shine. In, Cobra Kai it's his show and he shows a side of Johnny that is a true human experience.
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This series brought me back to my childhood and how much I loved the movies and characters growing up. It surprised how well the characters are brought up to date and now involve the younger generation. There's still a lot to be taught, and learned.
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When I first saw a Cobra Kai trailer I thought, that's kind of neat but I bet it sucks. Boy was I wrong, it's is incredible. Johnny Lawernce (William Zabka) may have just become my favorite anti-hero EVER. He is so good at playing a down on his luck dirt bag looking for redemption. The episodes don't do anything to shock you to think "man that was silly" if anything they tell a great story. It takes the Karate Kid movie and spins it. I don't laugh at a lot of show, even shows I really like, but Johnny had me laughing out loud a few times with his dry mean humor. If your a Karate Kid fan this is a must watch. If your not a Karate Kid fan this is a must watch. It's such a good show, I can't believe it's done by youtube.
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I was a teen in the 80's and enjoyed watching this film - as most guys my age did. I was a little skeptical when I saw that they were making a new series that takes place 30 years after the movie ended. But once I saw the trailers - I felt like they might be on to something. After watching several episodes - I can tell you that they nailed it. This is the best show out there - anywhere. It's not over acted (or under acted). It's not corny or stupid either. It's the perfect match up of seriousness with a few goofs or references from the 80's thrown in here & there. This revival could have been a disaster but it looks like they got the perfect combo of writers, directors & actors. It's funny, because as a kid - I wanted to punch Johnny in the throat as hard as I could. But as a 40-something year old - I'm kinda rooting for him. Great job to the people responsible for making this happen - and of course it couldn't have happened without Ralph & William. Thank you!
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lukepollack3 May 2018I remember watching the Karate Kid films as a kid, and I cannot express enough how impressed and surprised at the level of quality of this series. 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 rebores the spirt of the films to a degree that is just unprecedented. I can't wait to see what they do in Season 2. Amazing job YouTube!
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AGood3 May 2018I have just this moment finished episode 10. I am literally on a massive high right now. This is probably the best TV series I have seen since I first watched Game of Thrones. This is TV at its most epic best.
The thing that makes this TV show is William Zabka. Why he has only been in Karate Kid and nothing much more is a mystery as this guy can act and has amazing screen presence and comedy timing.
This TV show was so good it literally makes me want to go out tomorrow and sign up for karate classes and learn Cobra Kai style.
I strongly recommend everyone watches this as this is way better than that stupid remake with Will Smiths son, better than all the sequels and to be honest better than the first Karate Kid movie too.
William Zabka needs to be cast in other TV roles too. He is up there with the best for TV/movie Anti-hero's; Snake Plissken, Tyler Durdan and now after this Johnny Lawrence. -
As a typical 80's kid who grew up watching Karate Kid hundreds of times, I can truly say that this show does justice to my childhood memories. It's not perfect and can be a little cheesy at times, but all of that is easily forgiven with the magic instilled in this show.
The creators did a wonderful job in tying in moments from the original and making them fit with the new. The soundtrack is definitely up to par with the movies, but also adds a little bit of a modern twist to it.
Last night I finished episode 7 and all I could think was, "I wish Disney had paid this much respect to the new Star Wars movies as these guys did with Cobra Kai".
It's a great show and I'm trying my best to savor the last few episodes... -
felipemc4 May 2018The answer has finally come to the age old question of "How can you introduce nuance into a cut-and-dry good-vs-evil 80's classic" and it comes in the form of COBRA KAI. While there are many a homage to the film(s) that spawned it, Cobra Kai makes its own name for itself by (gasp) being very well written, and introducing depth to the degree that neither Johnny nor Daniel-San is really "the good guy" or "the bad guy". They both make poor decisions, both are dealing with the traumas of their youth (which, in Danny's case, comes down to Johnny himself in many ways), and they both pass on the positive and negative experiences to their children and/or students in various ways. Danny is often motivated by petty revenge and unable to see any good in Johnny and his Cobras (and not entirely for no reason), and Johnny may be saving himself from....himself and his past and giving his students confidence, but also seems to be making them somewhat into monsters. The show is able to balance all this thematically and do so with poignancy and humor. Unlike, say, an hour-and-a-half long movie, the show is able to burn much more slowly and spend time with its characters and their pasts to provide a tremendous amount of depth. This might even be the thing that makes Youtube Red worth paying for. I'm legitimately hyped for season 2, what the hell. (While I won't spoil the last-minute sting in the final episode, needless to say it's a biggie).
Really watch it, you'll be suprised. Hawk is indeed ourguy -
deepc-188-2062044 May 2018There are many things to like about this series. Probably the best thing for me is its rejection of political correctness and victimhood culture. Actually, rejection is a strong word and this isn't a protest piece by any means but there is definitely a theme of taking responsibility for one's own fate and confronting adversity with resilience and even some agression. (The show is intelligent enough to portray overt agression or anger as counterproductive). There is one great scene during a karate tournament where a competitor starts pretentiously virtue signalling to the crowd. The reaction of Johnny Lawrence is priceless. Hopefully Hollywood takes note that virtue signalling is not a prerequisite for great entertainment. It's great to see a show that is intelligent with messages to tell but doesn't take itself too seriously.
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dm-921943 January 2022Season 1 of CobraKai is by far the best. Season 4 is teens making childish decisions and adults making childish decisions. If you love the films you'll appreciate the TV show. William Zabka's Johnny Lawrence is excellent as always and Daniel LaRusso will always be the moral heart of the show. Season 4 was a letdown. It's just teens and the adults all making ridiculous decisions.
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The skepticism of the announcement of this sequel to the Karate Kid saga is truly gone. It is clear there is a bit of a role reversal as we now see mainly through the eyes of Karate Kid bad boy Johnny Lawrence, 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 i 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.
It is interesting to see the major changes in students Miguel from bullied to the arrogant fighter with Robby going from juvenile delinquent to a fighter with honor. Their backstories truly come into play in the series as well as finally learning more Johnny and his upbringing.
Like the original film, it is more than martial arts...it's about relationships and redemption. If you liked the Karate Kid saga, then no doubt, you must see this series ASAP! -
Season 1 was really good, 9/10. But now in season 2 somehow it changed. The series became a love quadrangle.
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OldMovieRob4 November 2023I was hooked with the first season. Strong acting, excellent story and believable characters, and a fun amount of "fish out of water" as the character Johnny, who almost seems to have time-warped directly from the 1980's, adapts to the modern age and gets back on his feet again with reopening Cobra Kai. But here's where the problem seems to come in for me: the drive of the show seems to be that of Johnny not only reopening Cobra Kai, but becoming successful with that. And he clearly does that as we are firmly into season 2. But then beyond that, as we get more into the episodes of season 3, you start to wonder: where is this going? He met his goal, he has a tenuous friendship with old rival Daniel, so... now what? Or more so, who cares? What, we just keep on the ride and wait for more nostalgia of old characters returning? To me this felt like X-files in the later seasons: the formula just got tired and you're left wondering where is the series going? The teen soapy elements also get progressively more annoying into the third season so I had to bow out of this one. Much like Stranger Things, stick with the first season and leave it at that.
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Kroshaw3 May 2018It's corny, predictable, steeped in 1980's nostalgia, full of nods to the original... and those are just some of the reasons to LOVE it! Credit to everyone involved in the making of this series. If you are a fan of the original films then this is going to be exactly what you are looking for. John Avildsen and Pat Morita are definitely here in spirit. Perfect for binge-watching and for transporting yourself back 30 years! :)
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Cobra Kai is so much better than I thought it would be. I grew up a Karate Kid fan but wasn't sure what to expect from this and thought it would be some cheap kiddy money grab. I'm glad I was wrong. It's so much better than it has any business being, especially William Zabka! He absolutely is the star of this show as Johnny Lawrence. You root for him on this more than Daniel (Ralph Macchio).
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Calicodreamin20 January 2021This show is the perfect mix of nostalgia, great 80s music, and badass karate. William Zabka makes this show as Johnny Lawrence, he is everything. Storylines are interesting, action scenes are well coordinated, and everyone and their brother comes back from the movies. It's lovely.
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I was a big KK fan back in the day and this ticks all the nostalgia boxes while managing to be awesome in it's own right. The acting is great, the story is great and it takes the plot in directions I never expected while making you feel for the characters.
Great work, bring on the next season :D -
shinbibelldandy3 May 2018**Epic spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk!**
First off, if you haven't already, I highly suggest watching the original Karate Kid movie first. The sequels (so far) don't have anything to do with the series but they are great to watch! :) The first movie will give you everything you need to watch Cobra Kai because it contains a lot of flashbacks.
I haven't reviewed on IMDB in years but I had to to give Cobra Kai its due! I told people from the jump not to judge the characters from the trailer & I'm glad I was right! The acting is amazing but how they pay homage to the original movie & especially Pat Morita is what got me the most. I always knew Johnny Lawrence wasn't a bad person, just misguided. Cobra Kai is not exactly a Karate Kid sequel. The Karate Kid is about Daniel LaRusso, Cobra Kai is about Johnny Lawrence. Think of it as a continuation but from the antagonist point of view. He's still misjudged & wants to prove himself. I REALLY hope this gets a second season because there are SOOO many loose ends to wrap up & the twist ending had my jaw on the desk!!!
If you don't have YouTube Red, you can watch the first two episodes free to get a taste but I truly believe this is well worth paying for. I never had it until now but I will keep it after my free trial month. -
I didn't have many expectations going into this show, or at least, I didn't have high expectations. The ones I did have were that of a fun low budget romp down memory lane. But this is so much more than that. The production values are great, the casting is great, the plot, the writing, the tone, pacing, 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.
If you've seen the films, you will really enjoy this. If you haven't, you'll probably really enjoy it anyway. It stands on its own and feels modern, but as a continuity, 30 years later, it does this masterfully and very respectfully to its past and its source without heavily relying on it.
BANSAI!!! -
zohairkhan-4236116 September 2020So season 1 blew me away. Very funny lots of great jokes! It was quirky and fun and had a solid story. Season 2 becomes a stupid teen drama where everything is just inconvenient and dumb like river dale. The ending was such a silly teen drama move I miss season 1.. I hope it goes back to the way it was. 8/10 for now season 2 was a 5/10
Edit: SEASON 3 IS A TEEN DRAMA NONSENCE -
Cobra Kai is, hands down, the best series ever made. Perfectly crafted, inch by inch, to bring back the essence of the original film. This is how you do a sequel. I enjoyed every second of it.
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I was blown away by how much this TV show exceeded my expectations. Every experience I had with sequels of this kind were suggesting that this one would follow all the generic rehashing and exploitation of loved characters from the past. Instead we got amazing writing, great casting and performances and overall very good cinematography.
The creators chose to follow the aftermath of a legendary rivalry from our teenage years in a brilliant way. The dove in the essence of the characters and what made them the way the were, how the past affected them and they did it brilliantly.
One of the most successful and entertaining things I noticed was the use of political incorrectness. I chuckled every time Johny spat out a seemingly offensive remark to showcase the naivety of his character and how the world has changed around him but also it demonstrated the freshness of the script and how ethics can be promoted without the sterilisation and sanitation we experience in today's movies and shows.
And here comes the almost part. Suddenly the last two episodes malformed this amazing experience. The finale more so. The characters reverted for some reason to one dimensional caricatures, seemingly only to advance the plot. The teachings of Johny, for no apparent reason transformed his students from likeable, intelligent kids to obnoxious - no values thugs in mere minutes. The story woven so meticulously in all the episodes before them falling flat. I could go in detail but I prefer this review to be spoiler free.
Overall, thumbs up to all that worked in order for us to have this exceptional TV sequel. -
No80NoParty30 July 2023Seasons 1 and 2 were a perfect mi between "action anime" and "realism".
Then the story got lost in a lot of unnecessary complications, forced quarrels, unreal script choices, and a terrible use of the storytime: 28 episodes of almost nothing, and just 2 episodes for the 2nd All Valley , represented in a much more fleeting way than the last one version in season 1.
And can you believe that it'd passed only one year between the tournaments?
Anyway: once in a while there's been some intence and nice moment (also in season 5), but the last episode is really full of unnecessary sh-t... Kreese taken to the mortuary with no pulse, next thing we know it was just a staging with jell-o instead of blood (jell-o mistaken for blood... wtf are we talking about?!) Policeman perpetually listening to Daniel and Johnny dialogues... "Did you say Kreese? John Kreese?!" Scr-w you scriptwiters, with all the dumb peolpe who doesn't figure out how you are kidding them. -
cutahotha25 January 2021How this has an 8.7 rating is beyond me. The only halfway decent parts are the early episodes focusing on Johnny. Besides that it's a cheese-fest with terrible acting throughout.
The kids in the show are so laughable it's ridiculous and The Hawk character is one of the stupidest characters I've ever seen on a show. Only reason to watch is nostalgia but that runs thin pretty fast.