Cobra Kai-Karate Kid Sequel Series Starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka

Some of the comments above made me double take. We are still talking about the karate kid and cobra kai not citizen kane here. It’s nostalgic fun to appeal to fans of the first films and youngsters now. Many of my friends are watching this with their kids and they are loving it. In the current climate some fun is appreciated. I don’t see how posters have sat through 2 series and are now complaining about the 3rd?

George I would say the whole premise is pure fan service! Don’t worry about the lack of police intervention. Don’t worry about the WWE style characters switching back and forth. It’s a story of redemption and you just need to jump on and enjoy the ride.

For those that didn’t get joy from the last two minutes of the series don’t put yourself through series 4 because I want more of the same and I think that’s what I’ll get. I want more guest appearances, I want more John Kreese. It’s cheese but good quality cheese.

 

No.

 

I'm three episodes in to the third season and so far so good. I really liked the first two.
I don't know why some people expect super greatness here. Enjoy it for what it is, Daniel-san.

 

Loved all 3 seasons so far, I love the direction they went with Chozen loved it the best outside of the season finale, I have to say Hawk surprised me but I am glad with how they left him. Wouldnt be surprised if Terry Silver returned in Season 4 which is the impression it left. I hope they do decide to bring Aishia back I liked her. Stingray can stay gone though

 

Has this show been anything more than total fan service from the very beginning? Not saying that's a bad thing in this case. We can all use a little 1984 in the God-awful 2020s.

 

Had to go on radio silence while I watched season 3 without reading any spoilers. It was said elsewhere that its a great combination of cheese and nostalgia and just a bit of drama. We know what we're getting (and frankly, want) when we watch the show; there's no pretense of high art here.

The big battle royale in episode 10 of this season was miles better than S2E10. Great returns of some of the old characters this season too. I have to say it again, Johnny is just great in those moments that it's obvious he's an '80s kid unfamiliar with today's world. Like when he leans in to talk to Daniel's phone in the car.

My only gripes (minor spoilers):
- It is really turning into a soap opera with people changing sides. Hawk's return to Miyagi-do was way too easy.
- Daniel travels back to Okinawa, asks the taxi to take him to Tomi Village and gets out at...The World Of Coca-Cola in downtown Atlanta?? Why would they have that so prominent? I haven't been to Atlanta in 20 years I instantly recognized it. At least The Underground was a bit less obvious as the shopping center (and emphasized how corporate it'd become). But talk about taking you out of the moment!

 

This series is easy-to-digest escapism, with clearly painted black and white borders.

It's the perfect tonic for all the grey anti-hero shows of the recent past, and it's quite engaging and well done for what it tries to be.

If you hated the original Karate Kid, you will hate this.
If you hate mainstream appeal, you will hate this.
If you hate relatively simple (though changing) storylines and clear resolutions, you will hate this.

But it's quite sweet and well done.

My biggest question is: What will be the next family-friendly iconic film they'll try to do the same thing with? This has become a huge hit. That always begats duplication in Hollywood.

Or is there any? It can't be much older than Karate Kid, because you need the actors to still be able to act. And the leads need to be available for a TV show. And, presumably, the original featured some sort of conflict you could update or revisit.

 

They'll turn Ralph's Crossroads into a tv series... he's a blues guitarist playing in a covers band on a cruise ship!

 

That's one of the few things about this season that I found believable! Hawk and Demetri have been friends all their lives - it's more of a shock that he went as far as breaking his arm before it occurred to him that he really didn't want to maim his best friend. I could see him struggle ever since that moment to decide who the real bullies were. It was an interesting and subtle arc.

 

True, in the real world Tory, Hawk, and Kreese would be in jail right now and CK would be permanently closed, and yet we're supposed to believe that Kreese charms everyone instantly and that Daniel is the one whose livelihood is threatened by bad PR.

There was an interesting conundrum suggested in this season though - does the existence of a Karate tournament encourage violence, or would the cancelling of the tournament guarantee violence because there would be no more legitimate theater for competition? But no matter how one answers the question, realistically there would be no more tournament and no more Cobra Kai or Miyagi Do if the events of this series occurred in real life.

 

I'm sure in the real world all the parents of the children who were assaulted would happily live with the wager that is laid out at the end of season 3. Better than settling it like p***ies with the police and lawsuits and such, right? And amazing how the 74-year-old Kreese and his pot belly can hold his own against two karate instructors and former champions 20 years his junior. Escapism is fine, but it doesn't need to be sub mental. And the show initially hung it's hat (and rightly so, IMO) on the fact that the Daniel and Johnny characters were no longer "black and white" like they were in the first film. I don't think I'd have even tried the show out if I hadn't heard about that. Ralph Macchio brings this point up in the "after party" broadcast.

I found the handling and the resolution (for the moment, anyway) of the personal adult relationships in the last couple of episodes excellent. I found the youth karate storyline not worthy of my attention. And even with some back story, Kreese is still a boring one-note character, IMO.

 

I figured the "Tomi Village" scenes were not filmed in Japan (though they did go to Okinawa for some of the scenes) but I had no clue the series is mostly filmed in Atlanta until I read about it the other day. I've completely bought it as California. Though if you're from either Atlanta or the San Fernando Valley you might not find it so convincing (like when I watch all kinds of shows filmed in Vancouver that are supposedly set somewhere else).

 

There are definitely some exterior shots that are from the San Fernando Valley. Beyond that, it probably doesn't matter where it is actually filmed.

 

Yes, they have shot in California here and there, like when Daniel went to his old apartment building.

 

Very true. I was talking about this today with a co-worker who has a similar POV to mine: it's fairly ridiculous and contrived at this point, but still highly entertaining. Make no mistake that I will be all over S4 the week it hits Netflix.

Fair point.

 

Truth is zero of this story is very believable nor is it meant to be. It's escapism entertainment aimed at teens and 'olds' (guys and gals like us that watched the original movie and its sequels on their first run). You either like it or you don't. Tons of stuff doesn't make sense or have much realism to it in terms of plot logic. It's really not supposed to. Ever watch a soap opera? Ridiculous behavior, characters being 'the heavy' become 'the good guy' (and vice versa) at the drop of a hat, tons of on/off romances, the occasional fight, etc. This show is no different. Trying to dissect it seems pointless and, frankly, off the mark. That said, I did for the first couple of seasons until I 'got it'. Now, it's just sit back and take it in and enjoy as it is.

 

I've gotta say that I was pleased with the final episode. I wasn't sure where they were going to go with the old girlfriend angle but it was handled about as well as I could have hoped.

 

I’ll continue to disagree with this point of view. The show was lauded and was a sleeper hit in its first season BECAUSE it was smarter and had more depth and subtlety than the films. Since the finale of season 2 it has regressed in that regard.

 

They did pull that off pretty well. I expected that Ali would be more an integral part of the 3rd season but for what was essentially a cameo appearance, they did it very effectively. I'm guessing that we probably won't see her again though - she was just there to be the Good Fairy and sprinkle stardust on Daniel and Johnny and get them to work together.

 

(minor spoilers)

I definitely agree that they used Ali well, and in more understated way that I would have guessed. Johnny's "I needed this" as the end of their evening was a great line. The only thing that seemed a little off is that I thought Daniel would have a much bigger reaction to seeing her, out of the blue, for the first time in 30+ years. He didn't look that surprised. I also liked Kumiko's and Chozen's appearances, and Daniel did have great reactions to them! Having the little girl that rung the bell from Part II ending up working for Doyona was a bit much though. It's a good thing they showed the flashback with her because I certainly didn't remember her.

 

I like the Cobra Kai series....I just don't think the cursing or vulgar language is necessary. It adds nothing to the story.

 

I agree with @RayS, there was a sort of authenticity about the first season that was very different and appealing. 2nd season was a little on the edge, but this season has toppled off the cliff of credibility. Suspending disbelief is kind of a spectrum - one has to do it with almost any TV show or movie but it's better if one isn't conscious of having to do it.

 

I'm VERY glad that they didn't belabor Daniel's reaction to Ali - they could have had it be another full-blown territory battle between Daniel and Johnny which would have been super-inappropriate given that Daniel is happily married. I was actually a bit disappointed that they went for the "Ali's separated and divorcing, Johnny might have a chance" angle. They should have just left it with Ali happily married and a mother and from that position of strength, being able to counsel Daniel and Johnny to ease up on the rivalry.

"Bell-ringer girl saves the day with Doyona" was easily the dumbest deus ex machina of the season. If she is so highly placed and powerful, how come it even got to the point of Daniel being told to his face that Doyona was dropping him?

 

I've only seen the first two episodes, and this is so garbage! - yet good garbage like a greasy burger with three meat patties, bacon, and loads of cheese and BBQ sauce.

It's unbelievable on every level and I'm surprised that the not-so-surprising team-up came so soon. Daniel-San even calls it a "team-up" at one time.

They had to have been laughing when they wrote these scripts.

It's pretty good.

 

Maybe she so busy she doesn’t follow every dealership globally. Or maybe it was a mere story device to show good deeds come full circle. With so much happening I didn’t give this a second thought.

The whole Ali/Johnny angle was nicely done I thought. She came across as a strong character in control of her life. Nothing stronger than a single mum.