by thesunsetkid56Cobra Kai, the internet’s best kept secret was unleashed on the world this summer through Netflix. YouTube Red had a hit on their hands but didn’t have the means to get it out to the masses. For Cobra Kai, it felt like Netflix was the home it deserved from the very start. Now that season 3 is premiering on Netflix the nostalgia factor is kicking (pun intended) into high gear without losing its charm and nostalgia. “The Karate Kid” mythos might be almost 40, but this show is creating a blueprint of how to freshen up a story without rebooting or killing the previous establish narrative. They do this by taking the original characters and showing how their lives are influencing the new fresh characters without being heavy handed. Ironically this icon of nostalgia is doing better than most of its show/movie counter-parts (reboots or nostalgia shows) in creating a truly compelling story.
Cobra Kai 3 brilliantly brings about the complete redemption of Johnny, (William Zabka) while fleshing out John Kreese’s (Martin Kove) background all while pushing the narrative forward and building on last season’s cliff-hanger. Granted the story at times is full of CW troupes (angsty teens, broken rules without true last consequences) it presents it in such a cheesy way that you don’t give a second thought.
I truly believe that this season is special shouldn’t be spoiled. For “Cobra Kai,” playing on a bigger platform will likely be their most watched season. However, its rather head scratching that Netflix didn’t acquire the streaming rights to the original movies to coincide with the season 3 premier date.
I give season 3 of “Cobra Kai” a 4/5 Karate Kicks for expanding on the story and calling back faithfully to its source.
“Cobra Kai’s” third season premieres January 1 on Netflix
