Cobra Kai

[StarkRavingMad]

It is literally the only show still currently going on that I can still honestly say that I like these days. I'm just happy to know that they haven't fucked it up yet.

Totally agree. It's been a total blast to watch.

The thing that I think I love most about it, though, is how it's played out so earnestly. The show doesn't wink or deliver a snarky MCU-like comment when something may be perceived as "too cheesy" or too "over the top." The show has done a fantastic job at setups and payoff (and it isn't afraid to go there with the payoffs). The show and the people working on it come from a place of genuine love for what they are doing and love for the Karate Kid movies. Karate Kid fans have been feasting since 2018.

Cobra Kai has basically been my antidote for the cursed "self-aware" storytelling that has plagued media for the past 10 years. It's a breath of fresh air, and it's nice to be able to watch something where I can just sit back, get invested/immersed in the drama, and get excited about the action scenes without one of the characters lazily telling me how silly it is.

Also, this "nostalgic" show succeeds where other reboots of popular franchises have failed spectacularly: Creating a new generation of Karate Kid fans by creating new characters that everybody loves.

February can't come soon enough for these last batch of episodes.

 

[UnKillFill]

Spoiler

HOLY SHIT.

 

[Overly Serious]

Just watched the latest batch of episodes. On one level the writers are really having to reach to keep the interpersonal drama going and keep the plot working. There's a bunch of stuff in a less fun show that I might be tempted to pick holes in. But this IS a fun show and I'm enjoying it enough to not care.

I like Terminator dude from the Iron Dragons. The guy gives off some real Ivan Drago vibes. I also like Zara the selfie-bitch. She's cute, crazy and talented. And an awful person. Yes, the Iron Dragons are just great all round - very entertaining and great cast. Both the main characters from it can really pull off some good physical work as well.

EDIT: Looked them up. It seems Rayna Vallandingham (Zara) actually is a martial artist who's been doing martial arts since childhood and has a string of junior championships. Explains why she moves so fluidly in the fight scenes.

I'm not going to go into spoiler territory with this. I'm going to go back and read other people's thoughts now - I just wanted to get my overall impression down.

EDIT: Actually one small comment I have to make about Demetri which necessitates a mild spoiler:

Spoiler

Demetri is a shit. Not only has he been being a dick to Hawk over Hawk's decision about university (and went way overboard being a dick in earlier seasons to his friend as well). But he's already lucked out to be way above his weight-class with the girl he's dating. And I don't just mean her looks, she's genuinely supportive and pushes him to be better as a person. Despite having so much going for her in terms of looks, this girl is actively invested in making him successful and decent. And what does he fucking do? He goes fooling around with another girl. It doesn't go that far but you get the impression if it hadn't been for Hawk accidentally dropping him in it he would have cheated. And cherry on the top, he blames Hawk for it AND then accuses Hawk of doing it out of jealousy when Hawk was the one the girl first approaches.

Sorry, if there's something that doesn't work for me, it's Demetri's "redemption arc". He was an unpleasant person in Season 1 who actively tried to hold back his friend from improving
his self-esteem because he feared his friend would no longer be his friend. And he's been a shit most of the rest of the time as well.

 

[UnKillFill]

I'm probably gonna have to rewatch the entire season so far from the beginning, but I will have a lot to say. Wow, what a cliffhanger.

@Overly Serious can't direct reply to the above post.
I definitely agree with everything you said about demetri. He was a little shit as a kid too.

(Obviously same actor, but it's my own personal headcanon that he's playing a younger version of Demetri.)

 

[Overly Serious]

I definitely agree with everything you said about demetri. He was a little shit as a kid too.

I'd have honestly been happy enough if he never got the condonement of the show and suffered his just rewards.

Oh, quick check for anyone - the mental and disqualified team are meant to be Russians, right? Their captain is called Ivanov and one of the team is called Oksana, I think. And she calls someone a bitch in Russian at one point. Oksana was a very small supporting role but the actress really sold it and looked like she was having a blast in the fight scenes. Looking it up she's apparently a female wrestler so that tracks.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

Couldn't stand Demetri throughout Season 1, started to develop sympathy for him in Season 2, liked him in Seasons 3-5, and now I'm back to hating him like I did in the first season. He's always had a problem with Eli becoming his own person, which helped create the crazy Hawk that we saw in Seasons 2 & 3.

"If you don't like facing consequences, then maybe don't do shitty things!" Preach it, Hawk! Demetri has been incredibly shitty this season up until the very end of episode 10.

 

[JimiHendrix]

only thing that really surprised me in this season was

Spoiler: show spoiler

the return of Terry Silver.

honestly didn't think they'd do that. thought they'd prefer to let it rest and focus on the core characters for the ending.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

only thing that really surprised me in this season was

Spoiler: show spoiler

the return of Terry Silver.

honestly didn't think they'd do that. thought they'd prefer to let it rest and focus on the core characters for the ending.

Spoiler

I was expecting for Silver to come back, just not in the way that they actually did it, so when he was revealed at the end of episode 8, my jaw hit the floor.

And with the way this batch of episodes ended, I have no idea what will happen next.

 

[Human Waiter]

I thought the season had only been split into two parts and this was the last batch of episodes, and Jesus, did that made the ending seem like a bold way to end the whole fucking thing. It was only after I went to see how others on thread were reacting did I see that there is a third part still.

My favorite joke from this part was when the Mom took Anthony too apologize to Kenny, and they started fighting, she just whispers to herself "Fucking karate!"

 

[StarkRavingMad]

I thought the season had only been split into two parts and this was the last batch of episodes, and Jesus, did that made the ending seem like a bold way to end the whole fucking thing. It was only after I went to see how others on thread were reacting did I see that there is a third part still.

My dad is also a big fan of the show, and he initially thought the same thing.

Here's how my conversation with him went after he told me he saw the new episodes:

"I didn't like the ending. Ended everything on a weird note."

"Really?! Why? You don't want to see what happens next?"

"That was the last episode though. Right?"

"No, there's five more coming in February, and those will be the final episodes!"

"Oh. Well, then ... I like the ending now."

Haha.

 

[LORD IMPERATOR]

Wolf was a total asshole to Axel, but at least all that training paid off. Those two are my new favorite fighters. Zara comes at a close third.

It just makes me ask how the world would react to these martial arts contests. I mean, a kid just shanked himself on live television. The world was paying attention to that. Is the UN gonna start banning dojos or something? Kind of like what happened after Season 2, except on a global level?

My dad is also a big fan of the show, and he initially thought the same thing.

Here's how my conversation with him went after he told me he saw the new episodes:

"I didn't like the ending. Ended everything on a weird note."

"Really?! Why? You don't want to see what happens next?"

"That was the last episode though. Right?"

"No, there's five more coming in February, and those will be the final episodes!"

"Oh. Well, then ... I like the ending now."

Haha.

There's also the movie that has both Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan coming, as a finale after Season 6.

 

[LORD IMPERATOR]

It's actually kind of funny that this show is one of the few pieces of entertainment that gets away with ethnic stereotypes.

The Spanish are sex machines who want the combatants to look sexy for a photo-op, and they approve of Chozen and Kim Dae-Eun kissing in a bar. You also have the Spanish dojo girl flirting with Demetri, during a free-for-all brawl.

The Russians are a bunch of violent thugs who, per Rocky 4 tradition, are breaking the rules and doping.

The Germans and Russians still fucking hate each other. The German dude bans the Russian team because of their aforementioned doping, the Russian sensei knocks out the German dude, and the German dude returns the favor.

The Irish are a bunch of ruffians who are ready to throw down at a moment's notice. Hawk notes that they were picking fights with locals on the beach, and the team captain yells "LET'S FUCKIN' GO!" when the brawl started, even though they had nothing practical to gain from it.

The Hong Kong/Chinese sensei looks down upon the blonde American sensei, calling him a privileged idiot.

The South Korean dojo is run by over-achievers who drive their kids literally over the edge, to the point where one of them dies.

I'm surprised there wasn't a Japanese dojo full of weebs with body pillows who eat Ramen and watch anime in their downtime.

I wonder how long they can get away with this in today's hyper-sensitive climate.

 

[UnKillFill]

Still collecting my thoughts on part 2.

Spoiler

From the beginning, this show has always wholly embraced with the trope of "Jesus Christ, why the fuck hasn't somebody called the police yet?" But that last fight, holy shit... And it was broadcast internationally on live TV. If nothing else, that feed should have been cut a LONG time before it finally was. I really can't wait to see what happens next though.

 

[Get the rope Macaulay!]

Love the show, its rather telling how the most popular tv shows on netflix very rarely are true "Netflix originals" like this one was a youtube exclusive, and honestly there's no way in hell a show like this would have even been offered a shot at being greenlit by netflix. its too masculine and too not woke. I think this is like the longest running live action netflix show of the last decade or something two (besides stranger things obviously)

It really tells you how retarded the people greenlighting shows must be that they don't use the massive success of shows on the site that aren't from themselves as proof they need to change their own greenlighting algo.

 

[LORD IMPERATOR]

The fact that Daniel LaRusso was so distraught over Mr. Miyagi killing someone is equal parts amusing and funny.

Like, doesn't he just figure that maybe Miyagi got a bit tired of killing people in war and in karate fights, and that led to the dude pursuing a more peaceful path to karate because he's tired of the stench of blood and death?

 

[Morethanabitfoolish]

The Russians are a bunch of violent thugs who, per Rocky 4 tradition, are breaking the rules and doping.

For a brief moment watching it I almost fell for "of course the Russians are the villains, Putin bad am I right? Something something Zlensky Avengers reference?"

Then I remembered the era the original came from and realised it fits the tone perfectly while also being a reference to Russia's actual scandals rather than just being a reflection of the current year.

As others have said it was a heck of a new batch of episodes. I can't imagine anyone still watching at this point is not on board with the tone but I also would struggle to try to explain that's my recent viewing to saner souls.

 

[LORD IMPERATOR]

For a brief moment watching it I almost fell for "of course the Russians are the villains, Putin bad am I right? Something something Zlensky Avengers reference?"

Then I remembered the era the original came from and realised it fits the tone perfectly while also being a reference to Russia's actual scandals rather than just being a reflection of the current year.

I thought it was mostly a Rocky 4 reference. Especially since they did allude to Rocky in one of the previous seasons.

As others have said it was a heck of a new batch of episodes. I can't imagine anyone still watching at this point is not on board with the tone but I also would struggle to try to explain that's my recent viewing to saner souls.

I'm thinking it will be a repeat of Season 3's opening where the world turns against karate because of what happened. But at least, back then, you had Miguel vouch for a karate tournament despite the fact that he was crippled; Kwon ain't getting back up after what happened to him. I wouldn't be surprised if the UN starts banning karate tournaments after what happened, and Daniel's going to have to convince the world that karate isn't to blame........again.

 

[Gravityqueen4life]

Just finished the last episode

Spoiler: Spoiler

HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT...

What more is there to say? I wanted the season to end in a bang and they delivered that and more. cant wait for the next batch!

 

[StarkRavingMad]

So it has been about two weeks since the recent batch of episodes dropped. I've watched through the episodes twice now, and I've been thinking about it ...

Spoiler: My theories/predictions for the finale-- don't read if you don't want to potentially get spoiled!

I think the tournament will obviously go on because it would be incredibly underwhelming if it didn't.

I think that Kreese is going to take the fall because it was his student that started the brawl and it was his weapon that lead to a fighter killing himself.

"There's no such thing as a bad student, only bad teachers." I think that Kreese is finally going to face the consequences of this quote, and possibly be even remorseful over it.

Cobra Kai will be forced to find a new sensei for the tournament to continue ... Enter Johnny Fucking Lawrence with Miguel as the new male team captain.

Tory beats Sam fair and square, and then moves on to defeat Zara. Robby loses against Axel, and then Axel loses to Miguel in a really intense fight.

Cobra Kai wins it all, and Cobra Kai Never Dies.

 

[UnKillFill]

I thought it was mostly a Rocky 4 reference. Especially since they did allude to Rocky in one of the previous seasons.


I'm thinking it will be a repeat of Season 3's opening where the world turns against karate because of what happened. But at least, back then, you had Miguel vouch for a karate tournament despite the fact that he was crippled; Kwon ain't getting back up after what happened to him. I wouldn't be surprised if the UN starts banning karate tournaments after what happened, and Daniel's going to have to convince them that karate isn't to blame.

At this point though, it kind of feels like karate is to fucking blame. How many times has this happened now?