It's pretty amazing that we now live in a time when a show like this is possible. Resurrecting an old classic story, bringing back original actors and playing on nostalgia to continue a plot that we last saw over 30 years ago is something that we could never have imagined happening only a short while ago. Fans of various films and shows have fantasised about exactly this sort of thing for as long as I can remember, and we've finally reached a place where the powers that be are willing to listen (Twin Peaks, Star Wars, The X-Files, Veronica Mars, Ghostbusters, Creed, Deadwood).
It's no surprise that if it's done right, the audience are going to love it. Cobra Kai does it right. Bringing back Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, we finally get an official continuation of The Karate Kid saga showing how their lives went. Unfortunately, the wonderful Pat Morita is no longer with us so Mr. Miyagi can't return too, but his presence is felt throughout.
The show chooses to use nostalgia to the full, and it's to its credit that the format works well. It heavily references moments from the original films, uses the original soundtrack and brilliantly makes use of small clips as flashbacks. It also gives us a new dynamic by introducing the next generation of karate kids and gets us invested in their struggles all while entwining them with the bad blood between Daniel and Johnny.
It also takes the very interesting tactic of making Johnny a protagonist and showing us things from his perspective. This makes it very easy to become invested in the drama on screen, because we are rooting for everyone. Johnny himself can be his own worst enemy, but he recognises the mistakes he's made and wants to improve himself (even if his own dated viewpoint gets in the way). Daniel is a successful family man, but his hotheaded temper hasn't entirely gone away and he needs to struggle to find his balance again.
And then there are the kids, who are all great. Miguel becomes Johnny's first student, and goes from a kindhearted geek getting bullied to something of a monster thanks to taking Johnny's teachings a little too much to heart after he realises how good it makes him feel. It's a fascinating transformation that isn't easy to watch, because it becomes harder and harder to root for him. On the other side we have Johnny's estranged son Robby who begins learning from Daniel and is set on a path to redemption from his life of petty crime. All the different paths and goals crossing here make for an often cheesy but never dull mix.
While the show does often fall back on formulaic nonsense (bullies, geeks, family arguments) that play out in unrealistic ways, the pure entertainment makes it all work. My biggest criticism is that the karate itself feels very glossed over; I found it hard to believe that all of these kids were ready for the All Valley Tournament by the end of the season and I don't think the show establishes the passing of time all that well (this must have taken place over the course of a year or so, surely?). I also think that a few of side characters (Amanda, Hawk) are barely fleshed out enough to justify their screen time.
Cobra Kai is a highly entertaining and often very funny show that knows how to use nostalgia to its full and succeeded in making me really care about where all of these characters are going.
Review by LeftHandedGuitaristBlockedParent2019-04-29T10:27:32Z
It's pretty amazing that we now live in a time when a show like this is possible. Resurrecting an old classic story, bringing back original actors and playing on nostalgia to continue a plot that we last saw over 30 years ago is something that we could never have imagined happening only a short while ago. Fans of various films and shows have fantasised about exactly this sort of thing for as long as I can remember, and we've finally reached a place where the powers that be are willing to listen (Twin Peaks, Star Wars, The X-Files, Veronica Mars, Ghostbusters, Creed, Deadwood).
It's no surprise that if it's done right, the audience are going to love it. Cobra Kai does it right. Bringing back Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, we finally get an official continuation of The Karate Kid saga showing how their lives went. Unfortunately, the wonderful Pat Morita is no longer with us so Mr. Miyagi can't return too, but his presence is felt throughout.
The show chooses to use nostalgia to the full, and it's to its credit that the format works well. It heavily references moments from the original films, uses the original soundtrack and brilliantly makes use of small clips as flashbacks. It also gives us a new dynamic by introducing the next generation of karate kids and gets us invested in their struggles all while entwining them with the bad blood between Daniel and Johnny.
It also takes the very interesting tactic of making Johnny a protagonist and showing us things from his perspective. This makes it very easy to become invested in the drama on screen, because we are rooting for everyone. Johnny himself can be his own worst enemy, but he recognises the mistakes he's made and wants to improve himself (even if his own dated viewpoint gets in the way). Daniel is a successful family man, but his hotheaded temper hasn't entirely gone away and he needs to struggle to find his balance again.
And then there are the kids, who are all great. Miguel becomes Johnny's first student, and goes from a kindhearted geek getting bullied to something of a monster thanks to taking Johnny's teachings a little too much to heart after he realises how good it makes him feel. It's a fascinating transformation that isn't easy to watch, because it becomes harder and harder to root for him. On the other side we have Johnny's estranged son Robby who begins learning from Daniel and is set on a path to redemption from his life of petty crime. All the different paths and goals crossing here make for an often cheesy but never dull mix.
While the show does often fall back on formulaic nonsense (bullies, geeks, family arguments) that play out in unrealistic ways, the pure entertainment makes it all work. My biggest criticism is that the karate itself feels very glossed over; I found it hard to believe that all of these kids were ready for the All Valley Tournament by the end of the season and I don't think the show establishes the passing of time all that well (this must have taken place over the course of a year or so, surely?). I also think that a few of side characters (Amanda, Hawk) are barely fleshed out enough to justify their screen time.
Cobra Kai is a highly entertaining and often very funny show that knows how to use nostalgia to its full and succeeded in making me really care about where all of these characters are going.