Cobra Kai: The Complete Series Blu-ray Review: Cobra Kai Never Dies

Johnny Lawrence is stuck in the past. In the wake of his humiliating loss to newbie Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 All-Valley Karate Championship, he never recovered his mojo. Instead, he’s drifted aimlessly from one dead-end job to another, leaving behind a brief marriage and a distant son along the way. He’s a classic jock bully who peaked in high school, and remains so defiantly in that mode that he still drives a beat-up Pontiac Firebird, listens to his old rock music on cassette, and has no clue about modern political correctness or internet connectivity.

Having never left the Valley, he’s constantly annoyed by the success of his former opponent, as LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) has gone on to become an auto-dealer kingpin with billboards and TV ads announcing his boasts to “kick the competition.” LaRusso seems to have the perfect life, with a stable marriage, two kids, and very comfortable finances. And yet, something might be missing in his seemingly idyllic existence.

When the impulsive and generally drunk Lawrence (William Zabka) decides on a whim to open a karate dojo in a dilapidated strip mall, adopting his old dojo’s long-dormant moniker, he sets in motion a cascading string of events that will introduce new kids to martial arts, alert old foes to his presence, and permanently change the lives of many, many people. 

While the series seems designed to put the original stars of The Karate Kid in secondary roles as senseis to a new generation of kids, the actual execution is primarily a redemption arc for Lawrence, with equal or greater screentime devoted to the original film stars than the new TV youngsters. It’s obvious that the creators are obsessive fans of the original two films, as they manage to insert seemingly every bit player from those films into the new series as the seasons roll by. That includes the original Cobra Kai sensei, John Kreese (Martin Kove), who slithers back to the surface at the close of the first season, as well as his second in command, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who reemerges in season four. These are no mere cameos, as the old dudes are even more imposing than in the ‘80s and become integral villains woven into the fabric of the series.

It’s interesting to follow the plot from the perspective of Lawrence’s antihero, even as LaRusso is in play for nearly as much time. The show’s weight is firmly on the shoulders of Zabka though, and he delivers, making his washout character’s epic quest a delightful ride filled with his keen comedic line delivery, heartrendingly soulful moments, and still-believable action panache. He’s the show’s wildcard that develops into its beating heart, with Macchio simultaneously contributing exactly what we expect as the eternal virtuous hero. The boys get into plenty of odd couple hijinks along the way, especially due to their wildly different approaches to karate technique, but it’s comforting to see the two old warriors eventually reach an easygoing peace and ongoing friendship.

The writing is designed for shocking reveals, with alliances shifting so often it’s sometimes hard to keep track of who’s on which team at any given time. Even as Lawrence loses control of Cobra Kai and teams up with LaRusso at his newly reopened Miyagi-do dojo, Kreese also later loses control to Silver, and on and on until Cobra Kai is more a state of mind than a physical dojo. It’s odd to see these old-timers devoting so much effort to a suburban dojo that runs on the paltry dues of its teenage students, or no dues at all in certain plot-twist cases, but they’re all driven by a higher calling than financial gain. I believe that calling is plot advancement, because there’s certainly no financial logic to the never-ending brinksmanship, but it makes for involving, soapy fun.

The writers also pencil in plenty of action, with the kids training for the still-continuing All-Valley Championship in seasons one and four, as well as an international competition in the thrilling final season. Yes, while the writing lags just a bit in the pandemic-impacted middle seasons, the extended 15-episode last one is a senses-shattering jawdropper, especially the tenth episode that erupts into a massive, all-hands brawl at the Barcelona championship. And they don’t let the old-timers take it easy either, figuring out ways to get all of the old guys into the fray throughout the seasons, including a pivotal finale match for Lawrence.

As mentioned, the series is a love letter to the original movies, with so many callbacks that many episodes contain clips from those films to help us remember the characters and references. Even Oscar-nominee Elisabeth Shue reprises her role as the love interest from the first film, although just for one memorable episode. If you’re a fan of the second film, rest assured that Daniel-san conveniently ends up in Okinawa once again, reconnecting with Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita) as well as his final showdown enemy, Chozen (Yuji Okamoto), with the latter promptly following him to the U.S. for an extended multi-season arc as an assistant sensei and confidant. Mr. Miyagi’s spirit is also constantly felt, with LaRusso sharing his teachings with his students while also discovering some new revelations about his past. Seemingly all of the original movie Cobra Kai members pop up too, with one particularly emotional episode gathering the old gang for a final camping trip in celebration of one cancer-stricken member, with the actor actually succumbing later that season.

The new cast members are fine, but rarely rise above Disney Channel-level acting. Their typical high school trials and tribulations are fairly boring, with only their karate-action scenes generating any sizzle. Romances ebb and flow between the four principal kids: Lawrence’s actual son Robby, his spiritual son Miguel, LaRusso’s sweet daughter Amanda, and Cobra Kai bad girl Tory. Other kids pop in and out, shifting alliances and dojos as the seasons pass, but they’re all just pawns in the never-ending game of chess being played by the veteran senseis. They’re also a bit long in the tooth by the series conclusion, with their high-school characters having aged only a couple of years over the show’s eight-year broadcast run. While there’s enough teen content for new young fan arrivals to enjoy, this old guy was pleasantly surprised by the greater attention paid to the mythos and legacy of the original films and cast. 

The Blu-ray box set compiles all six seasons into one slipcase, with each season housed in an individual case instead of combined onto one master spindle. That adds a bit of volume to the footprint, but makes for an attractive display of the six combined cases. The series is formatted in the original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, with audio delivered in 5.1 DTS-HD MA, providing ample surround for the frequent bone-crunching action. The set is “loaded with bonus features,” although they seem to be entirely carried over from the original single-season releases. Those features include deleted scenes, blooper reels, interviews with the cast members, and select episode commentaries with the creators.