There’s nothing particularly riveting about Cobra Kai. The acting is (for the most part) terrible, the storylines ridiculous and filled with plot holes. Nonetheless, the little show that could went from being a quiet YouTube Red/YouTube Premium niche show to a national sensation once it moved to Netflix. That’s because all these negatives aside, there’s something nostalgic and downright fun about the martial arts comedy drama. You simply can’t not like it.
Serving as a sequel to the 1984 movie The Karate Kid (which celebrates its 40-year anniversary this year), Cobra Kai centres around the 30-plus-years-later return of Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as sworn enemies and martial arts rivals Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively.
But it flips the script: Daniel has become an uppity businessman who owns a successful car dealership, while Johnny is the underdog, a still rough-around-the-edges but lovable man still searching for meaning in his life. The clever story isn’t all about dredging up the past, though. It also weaves in a new generation of karate kids.
The show is an endearing, fun, binge-worthy guilty pleasure, and that continues through the latest sixth season. That’s a good thing.
Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 1 Review
I had the opportunity to watch the first five episodes of Cobra Kai’s sixth season, in advance, which were officially released today. The extended 15-episode season will continue with five more episodes on November 28, 2024 and the final five some time in 2025.
The story picks up shortly after season 5 ends. The good guys have won. Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) is serving time in jail (unless he’s somehow able to bail himself out), John Kreese (Martin Kove) was serving time but managed to fake his own death and escape in the season 5 finale. Daniel and Johnny are finally getting along and now that they have qualified for the Sekai Taikai tournament, they’ll be joining forces to train the team together through a new (or old?) dojo.
Meanwhile, the Tory (Peyton List) vs. Sam (Mary Mouser) and Robby (Tanner Buchanan) vs. Miguel (Xolo Mariduena) feuds have seemingly finally come to an end: both Tory and Robby have reconciled as have Sam and Miguel. All seems peaceful in the valley, but of course, this is likely to be short-lived.
In the first five episodes, there’s the same dynamic fans have come to know and love between Daniel and Johnny, albeit with a much tamer tone now that they’re “friends.” Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) hasn’t gone anywhere and has no plans to leave. Amanda (Courtney Henggeler) is still patiently waiting for this “karate thing” to end. Daniel promises it will be all over once the tournament happens.
The kids have their work cut out for them with a grueling training regimen to be ready to fight against the best of the best. But what enemies will they be facing? There are familiar and unfamiliar foes, some more lethal and dangerous than others. Winning the tournament, which will see them travel to a whole new country, won’t be easy. They’re all putting everything on the line, and what “everything” is means something different for each character.
You’ll get the expected epic fight scenes, some forced for entertainment value, others with important roles in the plot. There are favorite returning recurring characters and some exciting new ones. There’s also an interesting side story involving Mr. Miyagi and Daniel’s discovery that he might not have known everything about his sensei. Hopefully this storyline doesn’t sully the iconic character’s reputation.
As the saying goes, Cobra Kai never dies. The dojo lives on in mantra, attitude, and training styles. But with a baby on the way and a family to care for, Johnny is maturing more than we’ve ever seen. The season is setting him up for the ultimate redemption arc, and we’re all for it. As long as he stays the same endearingly clueless, reactionary Johnny he always has been, that is. “Hashbrown keeping it real.”
Expect an explosive episode five that will keep you on your toes and anxious for the next set of episodes to drop. There’s a pivotal turning point for one character and looming rivalries that bubble to the surface. Would we have it any other way?
Should You Watch Cobra Kai Season 6?
If you enjoyed the first five seasons of Cobra Kai, it’s a no-brainer to add season 6 to your watch list and close out the story. If you haven’t yet watched but grew up with The Karate Kid, you’ll have enough time to power through all five seasons in time for all of season 6. You may roll your eyes at the ridiculousness of it all, but you’re guaranteed to continue letting it play episode after episode until Netflix asks if you’re still watching.
As for this season, even though there are only five short episodes so far, you’ll still feel like a lot of ground has been covered. The story progresses enough to justify getting just five episodes at a time, and teases enough to keep you interested.
The show remains the same familiar campy, fun comedy-drama that elicits eyerolls, hearty laughs, and nostalgia for those who recall watching The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid II. The continuity and commitment from all these actors to return 30+ years later to reprise their roles is wonderfully satisfying (and likely can’t-pass-up opportunities for them).
As far as guilty pleasures go, Cobra Kai is high up on the list of qualifiers. While the kids’ stories fell to the background in season five, which centred around the resurrection of decades-old battles, giving the adults time to shine, season 6 (so far) gives fair attention to both groups. How it all ends remains to be seen. It probably won’t involve an allegedly illegal Crane Kick – that would be too corny, even for this show. But as Lawrence would say, whatever happens, it’ll be totally badass.