It is time for the final post of my Passion blog! Throughout this blog I have showcased different shows and movies that have been recently popular. Each post delves into the storyline, characters, unique elements, and gives and overall review so each person can determine if they want to add it to their watch list.
The final choice is… Cobra Kai!
Based off of the 80’s classic movie series The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai shows how many of the main characters have ended up many years down the road. Following The Karate Kid’s antagonist, Johnny begins the series at a very low point in his life, but works to open his own karate dojo and teach students. He struggles along the way and does not always know how to make the right decision, but the layers of characterization are present and keep the audience rooting for him. The show includes many of the characters from the movies and includes flashbacks to tie together the show with events from the movies.
The creators of the show really used their creativity to create each characters life based on what was known about them from their high school selves. The audience sees Daniel LaRusso with a wife and children and even Johnny has a child, which provides interesting interactions as conflicts arise between both parents and children.
Many familiar elements were included to ensure fans of the movies had something to reminisce on, even with something as simple as Halloween costumes. Although there were repetitive elements throughout the show so far, the arrival of new characters and the dynamics of the characters as they face both internal and external conflicts keeps the show interesting.
The stark contrast between Johnny in The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai shows how a hot-headed rich teen turned into a cranky, yet humorous and out-of-touch with technology guy who is trying to get a fresh start and be the sensei that he never had.
As someone who grew up watching 80’s movies, The Karate Kid was a favorite of mine so I was very excited when this show aired. The series has done a good job of connecting to both audiences who grew up loving the movies, and those who are new to the series. I would recommend this series to people who enjoy either The Karate Kid or 80’s films in general since it maintained the same style, or to anyone who enjoys teen drama such as The Outsiders with the “us vs. them” style.