Launched on December 31, the fourth season of “Cobra Kai” broke all audience records on Netflix. Whether or not you are a fan of the “Karate Kid” films, the series has now become an essential program on the platform!
Last December 31, the fourth season of Cobra Kai was launched on the platform; at the top of the ranking of the most viewed series on Netflix since, the program therefore confirms its status as a new television phenomenon. Because it’s obviously not too late to catch up with it, here are the few reasons that make Cobra-Kai the unmissable series of this beginning of the year 2022!
First of all, no need to have seen the movies Karate Kid to appreciate Cobra-Kai. Certainly, the series is the direct continuation of the saga (composed of three films and the spin-off Miss Karate Kid with Hilary Swank) and most of the feature films are available on Netflix. Nevertheless, the presence of many flashback scenes is enough to capture the essential elements of the series’ history.
Two different visions of karate
Cobra-Kai follows the story of two characters who are opposites in every way: Daniel LaRusso, owner of a car dealership and father, and Johnny Lawrence, subscriber to difficult ends of the month and alcoholic. In the past, these two karate adepts faced each other in a tournament that saw the underdog (Daniel) triumph over the defending champion (Johnny).
In addition to completely different trajectories, the two main characters of the series also have antagonistic visions of karate: like his late master Miyagi, Daniel practices a martial art focused on spirituality, while Johnny follows a path focused on life. attack and destruction of the adversary.
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Unlike movies, Cobra-Kai decided not to place any of the characters above the other: although opposed, these two visions of karate are above all complementary, as evidenced by the trajectories taken by several of the young protagonists of the series, in particular Samantha LaRusso (the Daniel’s daughter) or Robby Keene (Johnny’s son).
If they occupy a central role in the plot, Johnny and Daniel have surrounded themselves with a whole new generation of fighters, responsible for promoting these two visions of karate and fighting new fights through different means as rivalries arise. between their two dojos.
Cobra-Kai is not a series pitting the good side against the bad side; thus, spectators will be able to choose their favorite dojo in the same way that Harry Potter fans have fun designating their favorite house among the four sections represented at Hogwarts. Between Gryffindor / Miyagi-do and Slytherin / Cobra Kai, take your pick!
Several generations of “Karate Kids”
The very format of the series lends itself perfectly to quick consumption: four seasons of just ten episodes of 30 minutes each, which is ideal for catching up on the series as quickly as possible! Especially since the writing of the program, which plunges us from the first episode closer to its characters, and the breathless rhythm of its plot make us instantly fall head over heels for Cobra-Kai !
The actors of the series are also very good. In addition to Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, imperial in the roles of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, the program benefits from a cast of talented young actors: Mary Mouse (Samantha LaRusso), Jacob Bertrand (“Hawk”), Tanner Buchanan (Robby) or even Xolo Maridueña (Miguel) to name only the main ones!
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movie fans Karate Kid will also be delighted to meet former characters in roles of greater or lesser importance: John Kreese (Martin Kove), Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita). Absent from the series (his interpreter Pat Morita having died), Master Miyagi appears, meanwhile, at the bend of flashback scenes taken from the films.
With a fifth season already filmed, and several more planned by its creators, Cobra-Kai looks set to establish itself as one of the most popular series of the coming years. So what are you waiting for to join the movement, and discover one of the biggest hits ever recorded on Netflix?