“Cobra Kai”: A review of Netflix’s nostalgic new addition

I hate to admit it, but up until my freshman year I thought the original “Karate Kid” was Jaden Smith in the 2010 remake. I’m a sucker for “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Sixteen Candles,” but John Hughes rom-coms are where my knowledge of 80’s filmography ends. “Cobra Kai” is a series following the same characters from the original “Karate Kid” (played by the same actors) 34 years later as they create karate dojos of their own — and it’s been hard to keep it off my radar. 

The show originally aired on Youtube Red in 2018, before it was purchased by Netflix in August and began popping up on everyone’s recommended page.

My mom was the first in my family to watch it, and it soon became her go-to conversation starter for every family dinner, shopping trip and car ride. After the rest of my family showed no interest, I decided to watch the first episode to hopefully chip in to the constant discussion every once and a while. I managed to complete the first season in less than 24 hours — a proud accomplishment considering I was working around the Netflix blockage on my computer from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What made the show hard to look away from was the addition of the new characters to the series. Johnny Lawrence, the antagonist from the originals, is now the main character. He’s hit a brick wall in life after being fired from his contracting job, but becomes inspired to reopen his childhood dojo, Cobra Kai, to help a new kid in his apartment complex fend off bullies. It sounds cheesy, I know, but the humor that comes from a former jock teaching nerds is one of my favorite parts of the series. While Johnny is still stuck in the 80’s using old slang and refusing to buy a computer, Daniel LaRusso has acclimated to the current decade as a successful car dealership entrepreneur. 

Although “Cobra Kai” is a 30-year-later follow up of the “Karate Kid” movies, it brings more than the 80’s nostalgia. There are countless references to the original film, but between my parents’ explanations and the countless flashbacks to the original, I had no problem following along. At some points the flashbacks go a little overboard — replaying a full scene from two episodes ago isn’t exactly necessary when I’m finishing both seasons in a few days — but they’re nice refreshers that catch the viewer up to where the plot is headed. 

The addition of teenagers is what makes “Cobra Kai” work for all ages. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka weren’t the only casting decisions that offer viewers a throwback — the season two additions of Peyton List from “Jessie” and Aedin Mincks from “A.N.T Farm” made me nostalgic for my Disney Channel days. The contrast between the two main characters and the teenagers in their dojos offers current teenagers a glimpse into their parents’ high school years and vice versa. Johnny’s lack of a filter about all things modern paired with his students’ lack of knowledge of the 80’s keeps viewers of all ages entertained. 

“Cobra Kai” is an entertaining combination of fight scenes and a modern redemption arc, filled with nostalgia for adults and a new story for teenagers. I’m close to writing an email begging the creators to release season three before its current 2021 release date. Until then, I think I’m about one “Cobra Kai” reference away from being shunned from the dinner table.