Decades after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament final between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence are now middle aged and through students they find that they are rivals again, although this time more personal issues are thrown in.
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If you don't love The Karate Kid then I truly feel sorry for you, because one it is an amazing film and two it means that you will not appreciate and love every single little thing about Cobra Kai. So many tie ins and nods to the original film as Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso are about to cross paths once again.
The set up of everything was just perfect and after a couple of episodes I was truly loving and feeling sorry for Johnny. Then also thinking wow what a dick Daniel son had become. Although something amazing happens as more episodes pass by when you feel for both of them in very different ways. How at first it feels like they have swapped roles. Johnny has a son Robby who he has not really had anything to do with over the years, and even though he attempts a relationship now especially after finding out his mother just leaves him constantly. It was too late and something that Robby could not forgive him for.
Daniel is a very successful businessman with his own car company, a wife and two children living in a very big house and nice area. Johnny is down on his luck, no money and a son who is not interested in him at all. We can quickly see their children will pass at some point. Especially when Robby gets a job working at one of the car lots, this was something that leads him to karate but albeit not with his father.
Miguel is seen as a geek at school and wants nothing more than to make a stand. Joining the reformed Cobra Kai with Johnny being sensei Lawrence. This gave the less popular students from the same school a chance to have more confidence and this was something that Johnny did not deal with in a very good manner to begin with. Being just as a bad as a bully and calling them for physical features, although this is what sparks Eli to become Hawk. Miguel is attempting to do all he can for the attention of Sam LaRusso and his confidence being built by karate certainly is a factor in helping him even talk to her.
It deals with the contemporary issues we now face with social media and the internet. Displaying not only how it can be used for good things, like promotion but also how it can be very bad for rumours to be spread around. Something that happens a few times and whenever I watch a show like this I am always thankful we did not have smartphones when I was still at secondary school!
The links back to the original film are put in such a fantastic manner and we get plenty of amazing 80s songs and throwbacks to go along with it. This really is one of the best if not the best tv series I have seen that has linked back to a much loved film. Seriously I cannot even find enough words to describe how much I truly loved and enjoyed everything about this series. I don't even care that it has so many cheesy moments either as they make it even better!
The performances are impressive with Ralph Maccio and William Zabka both reprising the roles of Daniel and Johnny. We have Xolo Mariduena as Miguel who is certainly likeable enough and a pretty good hero. As I feel he will be very relatable for everyone watching. Tanner Buchanan is also impressive as Robby and certainly grows as the episodes move on. Mary Mouser was good as well showing that her character will get some good growth going forward as well.