Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama Cobra Kai, which brilliantly transforms childhood nostalgia into an emotionally complex story about rivalry, redemption, and passing wisdom to the next generation.
Premiering on May 2, 2018, Cobra Kai concluded on February 13, 2025, after six seasons consisting of 65 episodes, with each episode running approximately 30-35 minutes. Originally released on YouTube Red/YouTube Premium for its first two seasons, the series later moved to Netflix, where it found its true home and massive global audience. The show serves as a direct sequel to The Karate Kid franchise, picking up 30 years after the original 1984 film.
This masterful continuation takes the black-and-white morality of the original films and transforms it into a nuanced exploration of perspective, growth, and second chances. Cobra Kai proves that there are multiple sides to every story, turning former villains into complex protagonists while maintaining the heart and spirit that made the original films beloved by millions.
Daniel LaRusso’s Evolution: From Underdog to Mentor
Ralph Macchio reprises his role as Daniel LaRusso, delivering a performance that shows how success can sometimes make us lose sight of our original values. In Cobra Kai, Daniel has evolved from the scrappy underdog we remember into a successful businessman who must confront how his past victories have shaped his present perspective. His journey throughout the series reveals the weight of living up to a legacy and the challenge of teaching others when you’re still learning yourself.
Daniel’s character arc explores the complexity of middle age, fatherhood, and the responsibility that comes with being seen as a hero. His relationship with Mr. Miyagi’s teachings becomes both a source of strength and a burden as he tries to honor his sensei’s memory while adapting ancient wisdom to modern challenges. The series brilliantly shows how Daniel’s confidence in his righteousness sometimes blinds him to his own flaws.
Johnny Lawrence’s Redemption: The Heart of the Series
William Zabka reprises his role as Johnny Lawrence, transforming what was once a one-dimensional villain into the show’s most compelling character. Johnny’s journey from washed-up deadbeat to dedicated sensei forms the emotional backbone of Cobra Kai. His struggle to overcome his past mistakes, reconnect with his son, and prove that people can change drives much of the series’ most powerful moments.
Zabka’s performance brings depth and vulnerability to Johnny that was impossible in the original films. His character represents everyone who peaked in high school and spent decades wondering what went wrong. Johnny’s attempts to navigate the modern world while holding onto the lessons that shaped him create both comedy and genuine pathos, making him surprisingly relatable despite his checkered past.
The All Valley Tournament: Where Past Meets Future
The most electrifying moments in Cobra Kai occur during the tournament sequences, particularly the final season’s climactic battles that showcase the culmination of years of training and rivalry. These competitions serve as more than just martial arts showcases; they become crucibles where young fighters must prove they’ve learned not just physical techniques, but life lessons about honor, perseverance, and respect. The tournaments bring together storylines from multiple seasons, creating epic confrontations that satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers.
The series uses these high-stakes competitions to explore themes of legacy, mentorship, and the pressure young people face to live up to expectations. Each tournament becomes a test not just for the students, but for their senseis, forcing everyone to confront whether they’re truly teaching the right lessons or simply perpetuating old rivalries.
The Next Generation: Students Become Warriors
The series features an ensemble cast including Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, and Peyton List, who bring fresh energy and contemporary relevance to the dojo dynamics. Miguel Diaz, Robby Keene, Sam LaRusso, Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz, and Tory Nichols each represent different aspects of teenage struggle, from bullying and identity crisis to family dysfunction and economic hardship.
These young actors don’t just serve as vehicles for nostalgia; they create fully realized characters whose journeys parallel and sometimes surpass their mentors’ growth. Cobra Kai excels at showing how the sins and wisdom of one generation inevitably pass to the next, while allowing the younger characters to forge their own paths and make their own mistakes.
Success on Netflix
After moving from YouTube to Netflix, Cobra Kai found its perfect platform, becoming one of the streaming service’s most successful series and introducing the Karate Kid universe to a global audience. The show’s blend of 1980s nostalgia, contemporary storytelling, and universal themes about family and redemption resonated with viewers across multiple generations. Netflix’s larger platform allowed the writers to up the ante for both drama and action, featuring larger cast dynamics, shifting relationships, and bigger fight sequences that elevated the series beyond its YouTube origins.
A Masterclass in Nostalgia and Growth
If you love stories about second chances, multi-generational conflict, and the power of mentorship, Cobra Kai is the perfect series to binge on Netflix. This isn’t just a nostalgic cash grab; it’s a sophisticated drama that uses familiar characters to explore complex themes about perspective, forgiveness, and the responsibility we have to the next generation.
The Perfect Balance of Heart and Action
Cobra Kai succeeds because it respects both its source material and its audience, delivering authentic character growth while never forgetting that at its core, it’s about the timeless struggle between different philosophies of strength, honor, and what it truly means to be a warrior in the modern world.
Series Details
Number of Episodes: 65 (completed series)
Platform: Netflix (originally YouTube Red/Premium)
Release/End Year: 2018-2025
Current IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama, Martial Arts
Status: Completed series (all seasons available)
Protagonists: Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso), William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence)
Antagonist: Various (including Terry Silver, John Kreese, and generational conflicts)