Summary
Cobra Kairan for six seasons but began to falter by the end, often feeling ridiculous, which is something theKarate Kid: Legendsmovie must avoid. The series started from an earnest place, seeing original stars William Zabka and Ralph Macchio return to theirKarate Kidroles as Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso.Cobra Kaiwas also loved by critics, who praised its well-written characters and effective nostalgia, which helped the legacy sequel series appeal to fans of the original and those new to the franchise.
The show continued to revisit characters from theKarate Kidfilms, such as Martin Kove’s John Kreese and Thomas Ian Griffith’s Terry Silver, helping flesh out more than just Lawrence and LaRusso. However, the show also followed several new characters, many of whom were teenage students attending the Cobra Kai or Miyagi-Do classes. The series tackled numerous stories about adults feeling unfulfilled in life, and the younger leads coming to blows over misplaced loyalties and bullying. Still, by the timeCobra Kaireached its sixth season, many of the characters' actions became laughable in the context of the series, which saw mixed results for many stories. WithKarate Kid: Legendsdue to hit theaters soon, this causes some concern.
Cobra KaiForgot The Difference Between Drama and Melodrama
Throughout thefirst few seasons ofCobra Kai, it embraced well-told stories that thrived on character motivations. Seeing Johnny struggle with inadequacy, lashing out at his past, only to find a friend in LaRusso, works well for the show. While Johnny appeared to be an ineffective idiot at times, he was a complex character who sought connection and purpose in life. Still, Johnny lacked the emotional intelligence to communicate those needs effectively. When the show ended, he had a new wife and family, which helped him feel fulfilled and displayed his growth.
The younger stars even succeeded in plots that saw them struggling with often absentee parents, relationship drama, and devastating mistakes with real consequences, such as Robby causing Miguel’s coma and spinal injury at the end of season 2. Through their rivalries, the teens grew as people, and the adult characters reconciled their differences, with many unlikely friendships flourishing.
Cobra Kaiwas a mix of compelling dramaand occasional laughs, which realistically explored complex emotions. The show always required a suspension of disbelief to a certain degree, as the focus was on teenagers doing karate in the San Fernando Valley of LA, which often felt to have bigger implications than it should, leaving viewers to frequently wonder where the police were. However, by the end of the series, what started as drama began to lean into the exaggerated emotions and sensationalized plotlines that felt more like melodrama.
By The Last Season OfCobra Kai, Plotlines Became Utterly Laughable
AsCobra Kaiprogressed, some of the teen drama often felt misplaced, but aside from the number of karate bouts that broke out in public places, it still felt true to the confused nature of young adults trying to figure out who they are. When the show brought back Kreese, he carried an intensity that often felt out of place for teens doing karate, and with his Vietnam War story fleshed out, his character almost felt unnecessarily intense. Kreese’s story with the Kim Da-eun dojo also felt overly serious, placing life and death stakes on teen karate tournaments. What began as a show revisiting old characters became one that forgot what made it work, becoming too serious for its own good.
The introduction of Terry Silver pushed the show into unrealistic territory. He was a millionaire who was pulled into the drama ofCobra Kai, which would see him manipulating people, threatening people’s lives, and framing Kreese for attempted murder. He crossed every line to ensure he would come out on top and that the Sekai Taikai tournament would happen, but his motivations were always questionable. IntheCobra Kaifinale, Kreese attacks Silver on his yacht, eventually blowing the two up in a massive explosion. The yacht explosion already felt out of place, but when it all stemmed from teens doing karate, no matter the backstory they attempted to weave in, it was a laughable moment meant to be intense.
Cobra Kaieven attempted a plotline that framed Mr. Miyagi as a killer, which saw LaRusso wanting to clear his name, and the character reappeared with CGI. The use of Mr. Miyagi already felt questionable, but the killer storyline felt extraneous, really making LaRusso’s final season feel needlessly complicated. Now, withKarate Kid: Legendsset after the events ofCobra Kai, there is a concern that the movie may play into melodrama.
Karate Kid: Legendsis combiningthe world ofCobra Kaiwith the 2010Karate Kidreboot. While the two were initially thought to be separate, the new film will bring them together in a new story. Macchio returns as LaRusso, alongside Jackie Chan, who starred in the 2010 film. The movie sees Ben Wang’s Li Fong being trained by both, combining their styles of Kung Fu and karate into a unique style to help him win a tournament.Karate Kid: Legendsis said to take place three years after the events ofCobra Kai, but it is not meant to be a direct continuation of the series, only picking up with LaRusso and referencing the show.
The trailer also presents audiences with a movie that looks to carry a tone close to the 2010Karate Kid, differing from the show’s feel, which is the right move.Karate Kid: Legendswould benefit from sticking to what works best for the franchise, with well-built characters, effective emotional stakes, and sports drama. Pat Morita was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Mr. Miyagi, as drama is inherent in the story. Still,Cobra Kaigot lost in subpar plotting and outlandish characters, making it often feel cartoonish.Karate Kid: Legendsis dueto hit theaters on May 30, and it looks to avoid the more ridiculous elements that affected the final seasons ofCobra Kai, which could make for an exciting continuation of the franchise.
