The YouTube red Cobra Kai series is kind of.... Genius?

I just finished the fourth episode. I have laughed. I have gotten chills. I am incredibly impressed with how they have taken the most creatively bankrupt idea ever and made an extremely competent, funny, heartfelt and genuine TV show.

Give it a shot. Watch the first episode. I don't want to give anything away, but imagine if larusso and that blonde jerk off kid from the karate kid had their own show but set in reality in 2018, and they are like 40.

@splodge: Could not agree more. Perhaps it was because I went in with zero hype or whatever, but I was just blown away by how not only funny it was, but how self aware and willing it was to address the struggles of addiction and mental illness. It's good stuff!

@sethmode: just finished the fifth episode and I am so psyched. Larusso was always a lame, dorky douche and they play into that so well.

Seriously, anyone who had a fondness for the Karate kid when they were younger should watch this. If you are too young, just watch the karate kid (it's a classic) and then give this a shot.

I don't even like the original Karate Kid movies all that much, and I agree, Cobra Kai is far better than it has any right to be. Although those guys are a lot closer to 60 than 40...

The thing I really like is that it takes the original movie's one-dimensional characterizations and adds context; not just to the events of 1984, but within the storyline of the 2018 teens as well. It does a great job showing how a good kid like Miguel can gradually become just like Johnny when he has the wrong kind of person teaching him, and how his sort of "No Mercy" mentality gets handed down from generation to generation.

All that said, Google needs to spend a little more money on Season 2. The production values look like trash, and the fight sequences look awkward even when they're not supposed to. Honestly it's a big problem, and this show could be genuinely great, but not as long as it looks like it was shot in an afternoon.

I thought it was excellent, perhaps because I had zero expectations (neither low or high). I wasn't planning on binge-watching it, but I was hooked after the first 2 episodes.

@splodge: I think it was How I Met Your Mother that kind of made me realize what a turd Daniel was. I had watched the movies so young I had really no concept of what was happening and I think that the show does a great job of really just digging into it ways you couldn't expect.

I went back and watched the first movie and YO, Daniel is a total DICK. I realize that it's being somewhat manipulated by this show but it's also kind of like, reevaluating all of these movies. Daniel comes from New Jersey, complains CONSTANTLY, steals his woman, beats him up, and (my favorite point) violates the rules in the tournament. It's a REALLY good show. Sorry, didn't mean to co-gush on your gushing thread haha.

It was an illegal kick bro.

An illegal kick.

Finished the series in one shot and holy cow it was way better than it has any right to be.

Highly recommend it! (And I never thought I'd say that about a karate kid spinoff)

I really want to watch this because The Karate Kid is probably one of my favourite movies, but I also don't want Youtube Red. Not sure what to do.

Well I stumbled across this thread a few hours ago and I gotta say thanks for recommending Cobra Kai. It's really great. When I first saw the promo for it I just rolled my eyes. As someone who loves the first Karate Kid I just that it was the nostalgia train coming for a paycheck. However, its way better than it has any right to be.

I finished it last night, I hope they have ordered a second season. Excellent final episode.

Johnny screaming "QUIET" is great every time.

I don’t want to read anything in this post because of any possible spoilers but the show does seem interesting. I just need to find time between life, games, and the nba playoffs.

I am on episode 6 and this just keeps getting better. It might not be for everyone but I fucking love it.

I don't get it. Generally, I like to save money and all, but here I am with a youtube red account for a show I have started and will end in one day. This show was set up for failure (youtube, trying to go back to a classic), but somehow is good. The characters are complex, the show is cheesy in all of the right ways, the clash between the two generations and how they try to adapt to each other is entertaining, the teenagers aren't entirely annoying, and the callbacks to the movie are enough to make me feel nostalgic for the movie without it being pushed too hard. I actually laughed a little when Johnny told Miguel to wash the windows however he wanted to and I felt a little sad when Larusso cleaned out his dojo and started practicing karate again but without Miyagi. What's going on here? Was this work taken to a parallel universe where youtube created shows are great and brought back here?

I've watched 7 episodes now (thank you Youtube Red free trial month).

It's pretty awesome. Like it's cheesy, but it's self aware enough of its cheesy-ness that it somehow makes it work.

Plus, I crack up everytime Johnny yells "Quiet". That may be my favourite thing in a tv or series for a long time.

@splodge: I never use youtube (have the music sub though) and hardly ever check these forums... hell I don't even care much about karate kid.

But now I'm 5 Episodes in and loving it, great recommendation, thanks!

@citan359: no problem!

Season 2 has been confirmed and will air early 2019!

Sweep the leg Johnny

I paid for Google play music and it includes YouTube red for free. Plus there's a trial month out there too.

In Canada here so I had to buy ever episode individually as Youtube Red is not available as a subscription service here (as far as I know), but it was worth it, really enjoyed the show and can't wait for season 2.

Spoilers coming, we just finished, so don't read if you haven't seen the whole thing:

Loved it. But boy, if there was one thing I didn't like it was how they basically turned Miguel into a MASSIVE shithead in the last like, 15 minutes of the show. That bummed me out and felt kind of like a betrayal to the character.