If you had asked me 6 months ago would I be writing about Cobra Kai, then the answer would of have been no. Don’t get me wrong, Cobra Kai isn’t a series I hated, but I just never thought it was as great as everyone said, but that was mainly my gripe with the martial arts choreography, which I’m more critical of due to my own background.
However, with that said. I believe Cobra Kai has a place as an enjoyable show, which is improving and really trying. So, what was the turnaround for me with Cobra Kai? Quite simple, Thomas Ian Griffin’s performance as Sensei Terry Silver. The introduction of Terry Silver from Karate Kid 3 took this show to another level. We were given a calculating and patient villain with a strong presence, a dangerous individual. Compared to John Kreese he is much more imposing. Kreese is direct and subtle as a brick, but Silver has a calmness propelling people to listen attentively. Whenever he was on screen he stole the show, so I hope there will be recognition for his performance.
The irony is Kreese is the one who brings back Silver into the fold, essentially waking him from his drifting slumber, which is all I can say without heading into heavy spoilers. It is an amusing moment and sets the events in motion for the series.
Story: The story progresses to a pivotal point, which is shown when we reach the finale. It just feels more connected and strewn together than the earlier seasons with the stakes being much higher. It's the first time whilst watching I felt there was a real threat coming to the cast, which of course was from Terry Silver. Not that the story was bad before season 4, but it really has stepped up a notch.
I read some criticisms suggesting the story was starting to get old. I would argue the above, especially with the connection of past, present, and new characters to weave future arcs and conclude past business.
Acting: The acting is fairly solid from the cast, so no real complaints. I think it’s one of the strengths keeping the show going. The humour takes a shot at both the woke brigade and folks stuck in their ways. It's nicely done and sets up some funny exchanges. Respect to creative for expressing themselves and presenting a balance.
Favourite improvements: Terry Silver, as already mentioned, a fantastic and worthy villain complementing Cobra Kai
Johnny: I like Johnny a lot, a good guy at heart trying to do the best he can for those around him, but making some stumbles along the way, which is very relatable for the viewers.
Least Favourite: Unfortunately, whenever the focus shifted to Miyagi Do it was less interesting compared to Cobra Kai and Eagle Fang. Ralph Macchio is excellent in the role as Daniel LaRusso, the tension between his and Jonny’s teaching styles helped alleviate this problem somewhat. Although, I do respect his emphasis on the spiritual side of martial arts, which is personally just as important anything as physical. The events that could possibly play out in season 5 may make Miyagi Do very appealing, especially considering how Daniel will address the problem presented in the S4 climax.
Pacing: The pacing is solid and doesn’t drag like most Netflix shows, and the balance between story and action is soundly melded together.
Fight scenes/Karate/Martial Arts: Ok, it’s time to address the elephant in the room. Cobra Kai remains a little of a double-edged sword, because as much as the choreography has improved, it’s the still the weakest part of the show. It stands out so much who has done a little training and has learned quicker than others, which is no bad in a real world sense. Everyone learns at different speeds, but during Cobra Kai there are some cringe moments with those that don’t look comfortable, nor should be doing any action scenes for a while. The standard can be outright awful at times, then it’s just not convincing, and pulls the show down.
The Karate emphasis is centred around the modern sport Karate point tournament rules. It is the easiest way I can describe it, but just think the Olympic striking disciplines for Karate and WT Tae Kwon Do (formerly World Tae Kwon Do Federation and the style used in the Olympics, not to be confused with ITF Tae Kwon Do). Points are awarded for a successfully landed strike, then the fighters go back to ready stance to start another round to score the next point. The training we witness in the dojos, despite differences in philosophy and strategy, culminates towards competing in the All Valley Karate Tournament. There are other parts to the training for balance, blocks, and so on, but to be honest they should be taken with a pinch of salt.
The problem is it can be like watching a rookie wrestler who is still a little green trying to find their way around the mats.
However, Cobra Kai is stepping in the right direction. The cast are obviously working very hard to improve the action scenes, but there is a long way to go. I don’t think it is ever going to be on a par with many of the martial arts movies I’ve watched, but that is to be expected when using seasoned martial artists, so bear that in mind folks. Apparently, William Zabka (Johnny) continued his training after the original Karate Kid movie in Tang Soo Do (it’s often nicknamed Korean Karate and would take another post to articulate the differences). He stands out from the entire cast in the show and looks like he knows how to throw a kick and a punch. Sadly, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) is noticeable for the exact opposite. Great in playing the character and role, and seems like a really genuinely nice guy in the interviews I’ve seen with him.
It's the only real gripe I hold with Cobra Kai, but it doesn’t stop me from enjoying the show thanks to the arrival of Thomas Ian Griffin. I guess it depends on your background, if you train, you maybe harsher on the choreography, and notice the problems much more than the average viewer.
Comparing with other Martial Arts shows: There is another martial arts series called Warrior, which has fallen under the radar. Whenever friends recommended Cobra Kai, I would always say ‘yup it's not bad, but please check out Warrior, one of the most underrated martial arts shows around.’
Maybe it is an unfair comparison. Warrior is set in 19th century San Francisco and aimed at a primarily adult audience. There are brutal street fights, gang warfare featuring weapons, and also appearances from professional fighters in the some of the episodes. So, the standard with the action scenes is much higher. I already mentioned Cobra Kai probably isn’t going to be on par with shows and movies like Warrior, but to repeat, I do believe they are striving to improve and focus on delivering an entertaining show with a strong story and set of characters, which is the main draw with Cobra Kai.
So, now I’ve watched season 4, and revisited series 1-3, I can be realistic with what to expect, and know what I will enjoy. Sure, I much prefer Warrior, but I don’t hate Cobra Kai and find it fun.
Cheese: Is Cobra Kai cheesy? Yeah, but you know what, it's entertaining, the story really does feel like Karate Kid 4, forgetting The Next Karate Kid, and the terrible reboot, which was actually Kung Fu. It’s a fun watch, I like how the team are connecting to anyone from the films. I saw an interview with Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, and they mentioned characters can turn up who knew Mr Miyagi. It keeps Cobra Kai expanding and progressing, adding interesting layers for the audience.
Season 5: Mike Barnes was referenced during the events of the season 4 finale, so it looks likely he is coming in season five. I think IDMB has him listed as part of the cast for season five, so it would be a great addition, if true. Apart from the story appeal, actor Sean Kanan is a martial artist, which would strengthen that side of Cobra Kai. It would be funny to see Mike saying ‘ya karate's a joke!' to Daniel or whoever.
What has Cobra Kai done for Karate and Martial Arts? People are certainly interested in Karate and martial arts, which can only be a positive. No matter the discipline, it helps keep you focused and balanced in life.
In closing: This was a tough one to write. I wanted to avoid going super martial arts nerdy, or it would be just lost on non-martial artists, but then I didn’t wish to totally neglect that community either. Hopefully, I provided a breakdown of the good and bad, and how the show is viewed from a martial arts perspective without becoming incredibly intricate.
The positives with Cobra Kai are the expansion of the Karate Kid movies and story. Time and details were taken in establishing where the original characters were at since the original films, establishing their motivations, and adding new characters in a believable manner.
The martial arts can be pretty bad, but considering the patience taken in sewing the past, present, and future, then it really pulls Cobra Kai together. It's the greatest strength of the show, providing the audience with something worthy to invest their time. If Cobra Kai maintains story progression, then successive seasons should easily be achievable.
Rating: Despite the few negatives concerning the action sequences, Cobra Kai is an entertaining show to watch. Enjoyable pad work with no poop stains on your GI pants.
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