At this point, it's my guilty pleasure show. The first season felt so toned down and slightly, and I mean super slightly, like a slice of life series. The story to me always seemed like it was dedicated to Johnny Lawrence and Miguel Diaz, similar to the original film being about Mr. Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso. That being said, S3 is an overdose of the final episode of S2, where we get more of the High School all out karate fight. It's bonkers and you know what it becomes tolerable when you get the best bits of Lawrence helping Miguel get out of his wheelchair. The Karate Kid was an underdog story, one where two misfits find meaning through one another. Cobra Kai is Degrasse+ Kung Fu (the TV series) and it's not in anyway in the same spirit as the original movie or its terrific freshman season.
That being said, considering the series is now a hit on Netflix, I do hope the Emmy's recognize William Zabka for his amazing performance on this show. The guy embodies every middle aged man who didn't understand high school ends. He also balances a terrific form of tragedy and humor (a talent not every actor can balance but Zabka does in a series that could've been an SNL bit). Anyways, I'm going to buy an Eagle Fang Karate T-Shirt. This is my guilty pleasure TV show.
