Cobra Kai

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).

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!!!

This 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.

Cobra Kai season 6 started off a bit silly, which is expected, but those final five episodes of the series really stuck the landing and showed why we loved this show so much. It had action, emotion, drama, and a lot of heart. We get to see near-perfect conclusions to these characters we've been following for the last 6 years and redemption for characters that have been a long time coming.

In the end, Cobra Kai season 6 sent this world off in a great way, with a near perfect way to end the series in the final 5 episodes that really gave us a satisfying and enjoyable conclusion.

The series overall was a fantastic return to many of our childhoods, giving us some corny, silly, fun with great heart behind it all.

Brad: 9 Josh: 9.5 Final: 9.

I 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!