Television Review: Cobra Kai

Directed by John Hurwitz 

5 Stars 

Cobra Kai is a TV series that is a sequel to the famous Karate Kid franchise. It follows Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), karate’s bad boy, and his life ever since the infamous kick by Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) that lost him the under-18 All-Valley tournament. Johnny is lost in a rough patch in his life and does not know what he should do next. Then, a new kid named Miguel (Xolo Mariduena) moves in next door to him and begs Johnny to teach him karate. Eventually, Johnny agrees, and he reopens the Cobra Kai dojo to teach a new generation of kids hard-core karate.   

I love the Karate Kid kids movies, but I have an unpopular opinion that the Cobra Kai series is even better. The characters are complex and compelling, and the plot is exciting and interesting. Also, the character development in this show is insane. I also really liked how the show shows us all the layers and the backstory of Johnny Lawrence. He was not just a relentless bully but a kid who was dealt a hard hand in life. He also had a horrible sensei, John Kreese, and it shows that even though he taught him everything he knows, Johnny is trying his best not to pass down bad lessons to his new students. The storyline is unrealistic at times, and I often wonder why none of the characters call the police when acts of violence occur, but I can look past that. Cobra Kai is an entertaining, interesting, action-packed TV show that I would highly recommend. Overall 5/5 stars. 

Reviewed by Zahra 

View in Library Catalogue: DVD