Cobra Kai

[Silver Nemesis]

I've retitled this thread since the show's no longer exclusive to YouTube.

I finished season 3 earlier today. A channel here in the UK has been repeating the original Karate Kid movie trilogy over Christmas (btw, merry Christmas and happy New Year everyone!), and after rewatching Parts II and III I was ready for more Cobra Kai. Overall, I enjoyed the new season a lot. I didn't think it was quite as fresh or funny as season 1, but it was still very good and was an improvement over season 2. My biggest gripe with season 2 was that it repeated too many plot beats from the first season and didn't break enough new ground. By contrast, season 3 forges ahead with scenarios that Daniel and Johnny have never encountered before (e.g. Robby's struggles in the juvenile detention centre, or Miguel undergoing surgery and having to learn to walk again). I was worried the show might become too formulaic after the repetition in the second season, but season 3 has given me hope for its longevity.

Robby's storyline started off interesting, but became a tad predictable once he got out of juvie. I knew he was going to walk in on Sam and Miguel when they were sparring in the garden, and I knew he was going to end up with Kreese. There also wasn't much closure to the storyline about that bully he kept fighting in juvie. Maybe they'll come back to that character in the next season and have him and his cronies join Robby at Cobra Kai, but as things currently stand that subplot didn't really go anywhere. It felt like it was just there to give Robby something to do while he was locked up.

I found myself losing a lot of sympathy for Robby this season. He screwed up big time in the second season finale, but spent the whole of season 3 blaming other people for what happened. Johnny and Daniel were right to take responsibility for their part in it, but Robby needed to face up to the consequences of his actions too and deal with them instead of constantly running away. I was also surprised to see how eager he was to fight Miguel again. The poor kid was barely out of his wheelchair, yet Robby was ready to attack him all over again. He didn't even apologise for crippling him during their previous encounter. I felt he should have shown more remorse and a reluctance to fight in that scene.

Miguel remains my favourite of the young characters. The speed of his recovery was a bit ridiculous, but it fit the over-the-top style of the show. I was happy to see him back on his feet, though a little disturbed by how often the Cobra Kai gang kept laying into him. He was recovering from serious surgery and lucky to be walking again, and yet the other kids kept pummelling him with kidney blows and never cut him any slack.

As colors says, there are a lot of connections between season 3 and Karate Kid Part II. They even used Moody Blues' 'Rock 'N' Roll Over You' during the football match.

Japan's my home away from home, so I was pleased to see Daniel return there (even though they clearly shot those scenes in the US). And it was great to see Tamlyn Tomita and Yuji Okumoto reprise their roles. It felt appropriate for Chozen to break the cycle of violence, since his own master, Sato, had previously done the same thing. While he may have once been a bully, Chozen is still ultimately a student of Miyagi-do karate and he clearly now has a deeper understanding of its defensive philosophy than he did in his youth. I'd like to see him return in a future season, perhaps travelling to America to help Daniel and Johnny battle Kreese, Silver and Barnes.

Speaking of Kreese, I enjoyed the flashbacks depicting his origin story. He's now evolved from simple bully to murdering sociopath. It can't be much longer now until Terry Silver and Mike Barnes make a return. Just as Daniel's trip to Japan revisited the origins of Miyagi-do, so the Vietnam flashbacks exposed the dark origin of Cobra Kai karate. For me, that was one of the most compelling aspects of this season.

Ali's appearance was ok, but somewhat anticlimactic after the build-up in seasons 1 and 2. Elisabeth Shue has aged well, but other than some nostalgic banter with Daniel and Johnny her return felt lightweight and didn't have any significant impact besides soothing the animosity between her two exes.

So those are my initial thoughts on the new episodes. Following the dip in quality in the second half of season 2, I viewed season 3 as a make or break moment for this series. Having now watched it, I'm happy to say that the show still has a lot of life and creativity in it. I'll definitely be back for season 4.

But who else will be back?

Will Hillary Swank put in an appearance as Miyagi's only other American student? Or will they not bother with her, since no one seems to care about that movie?

The pieces are obviously being arranged for Silver to appear next season. The show's makers have said they've a plan for six seasons altogether. Will they save Barnes for season 5 or 6?

[thecolorsblend]

Ali's appearance was ok, but somewhat anticlimactic after the build-up in seasons 1 and 2. Elisabeth Shue has aged well, but other than some nostalgic banter with Daniel and Johnny her return felt lightweight and didn't have any significant impact besides soothing the animosity between her two exes.

I interpreted her participation in season 03 as a way for Daniel to put his history with her in perspective and for Johnny to get closure before moving forward with Miguel's mom. There are other ways of achieving those ends but I rather enjoy how it was done on the show.

But who else will be back?

The list is running thin. Basically, the new characters from KK3 are all I can think of. Silver and Barnes are most obvious there.

Still, there's also Jessica Andrews. Not sure how that would work out tho since Jessica was never rly a love interest for Daniel and their assocation was strictly platonic. Still, there could be an angle there I'm overlooking.

In terms of old faces, there's not much to choose from that I can recall.

Will Hillary Swank put in an appearance as Miyagi's only other American student? Or will they not bother with her, since no one seems to care about that movie?

It is strange how that movie launched Swank's career while at the same time being so forgettable. A truly bizarre turn of events. But that's life, I guess.

After all these years, I get the idea that Swank's dignity doesn't suffer too much from that movie. And in fairness to all parties involved, I don't remember anything out and out horrible about the film. It seems the stink on the movie is it's not as good as the first KK film. Be that as it may, TNKK is aight. I am familiar with the idea of the "feel good" eighties comedy-drama that TNKK aspired to be stuck out like a sore thumb in the overall more cynical nineties. Whether or not that's a fair critique of the film, the fact remains that my memory of TNKK is that it's basically a more feminine version of the first film. I don't love it (as might be obvious from the fact that I've only seen it the once) but I don't consider it to be too much of a black mark on the franchise's history.

The pieces are obviously being arranged for Silver to appear next season. The show's makers have said they've a plan for six seasons altogether. Will they save Barnes for season 5 or 6?

My guess is season 06. Honestly, the showrunners got two seasons of material just out of the first KK movie, which I'd never thought was possible. I think it makes sense to spread Silver and Barnes out to get as much out of this thing as possible.

Silver's loyalty is obviously to Kreese. But now, he has beef of his own with Daniel. It's not an entirely altruistic thing for Silver anymore, I conjecture. And being as there's another tournament coming up, I think it makes sense that Silver has an interest in evening the score with Daniel, if he can. A vicarious victory for Cobra Kai at the tournament might be very appealing to Silver.

As far as Mike Barnes is concerned, Chozen sets (or continues) the precedent that a former baddie can turn over a new leaf. Barnes was never anything more than a hired gun in the first place so it would be easy to put the character on a different path if he's brought back. He never had a personal vendetta against Daniel; he was just in it for the money. For me, bringing Barnes back (as a villain or redeemed) is a final season type of move. But the showrunners consistently surprise me so I'm open to whatever they want.

[thecolorsblend]

Season 03 was so good that I figured it was about time for a rewatch. Originally, I only watched the episodes the once using newly created gmail accounts.

Rewatching season 01 was a pleasure. It rly held up the second time around.

Getting into season 02 and there's a moment I think I overlooked from Back In Black, episode 02. The bit where Daniel and Amanda team up to sell ten cars in one day after Cole poached their best salesmen. A lot of times in TV shows, marriage is boring and, in short order, imperiled. Because that creates drama. But mostly, Daniel and Amanda have a pretty smooth marriage. There's just not much there to talk about.

Back In Black shows them working effectively as a team, achieving more than either of them could individually. It goes a long way toward making you believe they could stick together all these years. Because they really are good together, both as a couple and as business partners.

You can extrapolate a lot from that. Daniel is the guy who's in it for love of the game. He loves cars and he loves sales. I've met guys who are born salesman. No matter what other job they may have, they'll always be salesmen. But while Amanda has a talent for sales, her gift is big picture thinking. It wouldn't come as a surprise if Daniel owned his own car lot, did well and it was Amanda who saw possibilities for expansion, acquiring other lots and building the company into a more refined and upscale "franchise".

[Silver Nemesis]

Here's an interesting retrospective on the Karate Kid franchise.

[Silver Nemesis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIxKKv8q5W0&feature=emb_logo

[thecolorsblend]

Man, this series is riding a gravy train with biscuit wheels. It might be that it's benefiting from comparisons to other franchises which are getting run off into a ditch. But these days, Karate Kid/Cobra Kai is the only franchise I can think of that's being handled with care and trying to give the fans what they want.

[BatmanFurst]

Man, this series riding a gravy train with biscuit wheels. It might be that it's benefiting from comparisons to other franchises which are getting run off into a ditch. But these days, Karate Kid/Cobra Kai is the only franchise I can think of that's being handled with care and trying to give the fans what they want.

If you went back in time and told me that a Karate Kid sequel would've been handled with more care than a new Star Wars trilogy I wouldn't have believed you.

[Silver Nemesis]

He's back.

Now we just need Mike Barnes and the villain roster will be complete.

[Silver Nemesis]

Cobra Kai/Ninja Turtles crossover action figure packs are now available to buy.

[Silver Nemesis]