I'm a little late to the game here. I just finished season 3 after binging the entire series over the last month and curious to see what others think.
From a nostalgia perspective, it's fun, especially interweaving the 80s soundtrack. For me, Johnny makes the show and the scens with him and Daniel are good. For the rest, I find it meh. The all out karate brawls with all the students seem ridiculous. And nobody ever calls the cops?
It's been fun to see some of the original cast brought back here and there. I must say, Elizabeth Shue looks amazing. She was a crush in the 80s and still has it.
Martin Cove looks weird to me. He's clearly had some work done and it doesn't really fit the character. But he's good at playing a dick.
Overall, I find it entertaining ing, but could also do without it. I'll at least see where season 4 goes.
Was this born out of an old video or article about Daniel Larusso being a dick?
Agree 100% with most of this. Didn't love the end of season 2 and the first few of season 3 but the Okinawa episode was my favorite of the whole series. An interview I saw with the creators they mentioned something that really made me think. They put a ton of thought and work into the Miagi letters to Kumoiko's aunt. They really wanted it to sound like Miagi and they nailed it especially with the "I heard that in a car commercial " joke at the end. That was so Miagi. I agree I wasn't into the Ally/Johnnie date at first but it really worked and the points you brought out were spot on about their relationship. I also thought it was a great touch clarifying the Daniel/Ally UCLA guy breakup story from Ally's side instead of the quick Daniel re-cap we got at the beginning of Karate Kid 2.
It was Silver. The frail scared guy captured with him in his platoon was Silver from karate kid 3. He says to him as they were rescued that he owed Kreese for the rest of his life.
It WAS the Ally Daniel date, but with Johnny "the loser" instead of Daniel the loser.
It helped show the script flipped.
Even later, showing Johnny with the mini van was sort of reminiscent of Mrs. Larussa and the beat up station wagon and seeing Johnny embarrassed about it lines up too.
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it is not a good show in any traditional sense in terms of plot and acting and writing, but it is a fun show and that counts. I thought the third season started off slowly and really was a bad season until Daniel got back from Japan and the last four or five episodes really got back to the winning formula that the first two seasons had. It really was a clever idea to do the show (especially the first season) through Johnny's eyes and when the show gets back to that, it really is good. For instance, at first I thought the date between Johnny and Alli was stupid. From the Karate Kid, he abused her and was such an ass, but then again they were each others first loves and we see it from the fallout, we never see it from what it was before they broke up. In other words, there was a true bond and the show tapped into it. I thought maybe the execution of them repeating Daniel and Alli's date at that golfing place was a little clumsy, but overall I though the scene worked because maybe Alli and Johnny had this special bond that when you look it through Johnny's eyes, Daniel was the bad guy. Anyway, besides the first half of season three, it is just a ton of fun and can't wait for more seasons.
Agree 100% with most of this. Didn't love the end of season 2 and the first few of season 3 but the Okinawa episode was my favorite of the whole series. An interview I saw with the creators they mentioned something that really made me think. They put a ton of thought and work into the Miagi letters to Kumoiko's aunt. They really wanted it to sound like Miagi and they nailed it especially with the "I heard that in a car commercial " joke at the end. That was so Miagi. I agree I wasn't into the Ally/Johnnie date at first but it really worked and the points you brought out were spot on about their relationship. I also thought it was a great touch clarifying the Daniel/Ally UCLA guy breakup story from Ally's side instead of the quick Daniel re-cap we got at the beginning of Karate Kid 2.
I also thought the story that Alli said made sense because it was so "Daniel"; a hot head who overreacts. Remember his reaction to the Country Club scene and how he would not talk to Alli again until her friend filled her in on what had really happened. So, it was true to the original and Daniel's personality.
It WAS the Ally Daniel date, but with Johnny "the loser" instead of Daniel the loser.
It helped show the script flipped.
Even later, showing Johnny with the mini van was sort of reminiscent of Mrs. Larussa and the beat up station wagon and seeing Johnny embarrassed about it lines up too.
I can only speak to myself, but the fact that the did a Lightbox sketch at first seemed really like stepping on sacred ground of the original. You could get the same point across without totally desecrating the source material. However, in the end, I thought it worked because it stayed true to the Johnny POV that Cobra Kai gets at.
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was to the buddy from Viet Nam who owed him. It might be a known actor, but it won't be someone from the original movies most likely.
It was Silver. The frail scared guy captured with him in his platoon was Silver from karate kid 3. He says to him as they were rescued that he owed Kreese for the rest of his life.
Ohhhhhh, I didn't realize that was silver. It will be the original actor (if he changes his mind) or a recast.
I also thought the story that Alli said made sense because it was so "Daniel"; a hot head who overreacts. Remember his reaction to the Country Club scene and how he would not talk to Alli again until her friend filled her in on what had really happened. So, it was true to the original and Daniel's personality.
Yep the country club scene was perfect right up to Johnny coming in dressed in white and right at the second Danirl and Ally were hugging and him almost getting run over by the pasta guy. Perfect reverse of KK1
One thing I haven't seen mentioned on here-- the actress who plays Kumiko aged incredibly well. She is gorgeous.
I always thought that was his last name. He doesn't have a first/last name, it's just Dutch.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned on here-- the actress who plays Kumiko aged incredibly well. She is gorgeous.
I was shocked. Spoilers for anyone that haven't watched:
When he goes to Japan I figured he'd run into someone from KK2, but honestly didn't think it would be an original actor. That was the turning point of the season and arguably the best episode of the series (along with the main Ali episode). Just so damn well done. And yes, I was shocked at how good Kumiko looked.
Love this show so much. so campy and so well done.
Love this show so much. so campy and so well done.
I also thought the guy who played the nemesis in Karate Kid 2 did a good job. It is a campy show. But, it shouldn't be discounted how all the actors really seemed to tap into their cahracters again after all these years. They all seem to have changed just enough with life, but have the essence of their characters also. Johnny and Alli seemed to do this the seamlessly, but they all did it.
in addition to Dutch, Terry Silver, and Mike Barnes, I'd like to see:
-Freddy Fernandez
-Mike Barnes' buddy snake
-the announcer from the tournament in Part I
Daniel the bully - ( New Window )
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go now with the surprise cameos? Hilary Swank? Jackie Chan? Jaden Smith?
in addition to Dutch, Terry Silver, and Mike Barnes, I'd like to see:
-Freddy Fernandez
-Mike Barnes' buddy snake
-the announcer from the tournament in Part I
What about Darryl Vidal? He was the badass guy Johnny beats in the semi-finals in #1. Kreese mentioned his name already in Cobra Kai.
He was also Pat Moriata's stunt double and a marshal arts consultant in the first movie. He apparently invented the Crane Kick.
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go now with the surprise cameos? Hilary Swank? Jackie Chan? Jaden Smith?
Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith have no place in this.
That was a joke.
Agreed, that whole episode was fantastic but that letter is something A. Miyagi would definitely do (it was believable) and B. was a very effective way of portraying his love for Daniel. So well done.
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the Karate Kid with Jaden Smith was pretty good.
Seriously?
oh Jesus. Is it that hard to believe people liked it? It made a ton of money and critics thought it was ok. Or do you just automatically hate everything?
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In comment 15129281 Enzo said:
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the Karate Kid with Jaden Smith was pretty good.
Seriously?
oh Jesus. Is it that hard to believe people liked it? It made a ton of money and critics thought it was ok. Or do you just automatically hate everything?
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Is how they kept Mr. Miyagi's presence alive without him being there. The letters scene was such compelling tv. Really brought out how he himself was kind of lost before he met Daniel. He was such a driving force behind the movie series, like Mick was in the Rocky movies. It's easy to bring back old clips or sayings but it's harder to bring back the actual presence the way they have.
Agreed, that whole episode was fantastic but that letter is something A. Miyagi would definitely do (it was believable) and B. was a very effective way of portraying his love for Daniel. So well done.
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go now with the surprise cameos? Hilary Swank? Jackie Chan? Jaden Smith?
Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith have no place in this.
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In comment 15129300 Matt M. said:
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In comment 15129281 Enzo said:
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the Karate Kid with Jaden Smith was pretty good.
Seriously?
oh Jesus. Is it that hard to believe people liked it? It made a ton of money and critics thought it was ok. Or do you just automatically hate everything?
To me, it is hard to believe. Chan was not bad. But, Kayden Smith is absoutely horrible and this movie overall was crap. I don't know any adults that actually enjoyed this version and I can tell you my kids were not all that interested in it.
I'd be curious to see the results of the poll you took of all the adults you know...lol. So much ridiculous to unpack here but whatever. Not liking the movie is one thing. Being unable to believe others might have liked is just narrow minded. It's not like it was a box office bomb that was savaged by the critics.
I would have believed most of them were even out of acting completely until this show. I admit I was a laggard - mostly because it was only on hulu plus initially, but easily best show I've seen in a long time.
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and is also too big of a star to fit, IMO. Part of what makes the show so great is that these are B/C list actors most of which haven't been popular since the 80's.
I would have believed most of them were even out of acting completely until this show. I admit I was a laggard - mostly because it was only on hulu plus initially, but easily best show I've seen in a long time.
I do think that is kinda of the allure of the show as well. These are actors that got typecast as 80s good guy/villain and really did not have much of a post karate kid (besides Elizabeth Shue who became like a B+ as opposed to C star like Ralph Machiao or William Zabka) and as a fan I am really happy they are cashing in (I am sure Netflix is paying a pretty penny for this show).
Not sure what others get paid.
but based on the popularity I would think that gets adjusted for season 4 if they don't have a contract yet for season 4.
Not sure what others get paid.
but based on the popularity I would think that gets adjusted for season 4 if they don't have a contract yet for season 4.
doesn't Zabka and Macchio produce the show, maybe that is an extra source of revenue and points when it was sold to Netflix. I would just find it awesome if they cashed in!
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gets paid 100k per episode, so 1M per season.
Not sure what others get paid.
but based on the popularity I would think that gets adjusted for season 4 if they don't have a contract yet for season 4.
doesn't Zabka and Macchio produce the show, maybe that is an extra source of revenue and points when it was sold to Netflix. I would just find it awesome if they cashed in!