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This review pertains to all episodes ofCobraKaiSeason 6, Part 1.
I’ve been onboard withCobra Kaisince the very beginning. I remember subscribing to YouTube Red specifically so that I could watch the series when it initially released on that platform back in 2018. I kept that subscription through the second season before the sequel series eventually moved to its new home on Netflix where it garnered a much wider audience. As a child who’d grown up watching theKarate Kidfilms repeatedly on VHS, this was a series geared specifically towards me. I found myself instantaneously pulled back into the world of martial arts rivalries and the All Valley Karate Championship; however, as the series lunges into its sixth and final season, it feels like an appropriate time to close the doors on the Cobra Kai dojo once and for all.
Cobra KaiPlot
Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) have teamed up to combine their skills and different styles into a singular dojo. As many of the karate students are about to graduate high school and begin planning their futures, the realization that this could be their last chance to prove themselves on the mat is becoming clearer. However, in the world of karate nothing is ever as easy as it appears, and there is always a worthy opponent standing in their path to victory.
The Critique
Part of what makesCobra Kaiwork so well is its shift in perspective and narrative. While Johnny Lawrence is the undeniable villain of the original film, we see a different side of him inCobra Kai. He’s a simple man. His priorities are questionable, his social skills are subpar and his maturity level maxed out in high school. Yet, despite all of this, he maintains a lovability and kindness that makes him likable against our better judgement. Barney Stinson fromHow I Met Your Motheralways championed Johnny Lawrence as the hero and true “karate kid,” and this series allows all of us to understand that perspective better.
“I needed to have those moments”: Ralph Macchio Had 1 Demand from Cobra Kai to Honor His Karate Kid Legacy That Made the Series Infinitely Better
As the series has continued through an impressive six seasons, that perspective has slowly shifted. As the focus on Daniel and returning characters increased, Johnny has fallen further into the background and this may be to the series’ detriment. I have no complaints about Ralph Macchio, and I’ve loved seeing his return to the role that made him an80’ssensation. The buildup to Johnny and Daniel’s reignited rivalry and then to their eventual team-up was the primary driving force for the series’ tension. That element of the story seems to have concluded, leaving a void and some confusion about where to go from here.
I question who the audience forCobra Kai’ssixth season truly is. I’m within the target demographic, I would assume. I’m a thirty-eight-year-old male who grew up on theoriginal trilogy; however, the series continues to lean into a cheesy and childish delivery of its melodramatic plots while simultaneously deliveringf-bombsand flirting with more mature themes. It’s a confusing blend that shouldn’t work, yet meets the nostalgic desires of the over-the-top originals while adding a sprinkle of spice to the updated story.
“Did anyone else spot Mike Barnes?”: Cobra Kai Season 6 Trailer Brings Back Another Original Star from The Karate Kid Movies as All Out War Breaks Out
In Conclusion
Despite its flaws,Cobra Kairemains an unequivocal crowd-pleaser and one ofNetflix’smost enjoyable series. It has re-ignited an excitement for a franchise that had been considered outdated and forgotten by younger audiences. Despite the series coming to an end, theKarate Kiduniverse will continue to expand with a new film expected to release next year. It’s been an enjoyable six years, and I cannot wait to see what the second part of the season kicks up.
Part one of the sixth and final season ofCobra Kaiis now streaming on Netflix.
Joshua Ryan
Lead Film & TV Critics Editor
Articles Published :322
Born and raised in Central Florida, Joshua Ryan has harbored a love for cinema since the earliest years of his childhood. Through endless hours of watching Turner Classic Movies, especially the works of Alfred Hitchcock, his passion for film and film criticism grew. As an adult, he channeled that passion into a career as the editor and lead critic of FandomWire’s film and television department.
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