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?
How they brought back the original characters, even the small ones had been so fun to watch. I do think season 4 should end it, and I’m excited to see how that goes. Purposely not posting details as I don’t know if this is a spoiler free thread or not.
The karate scenes at the end of Season 2 in the school jump the shark as does the scene at Daniel's house.....but overall it is an interesting look at what became from what was.
I look forward to season 4
I agree with this 100%. I’ve found myself cracking up way more than I thought I would. Johnny’s innocent ignorance is hysterical. And anyone that tunes in to see realistic fight scenes is probably watching for the wrong reasons. I never expected anything remotely realistic in that area after seeing the movies years ago. I enjoyed it immensely. Not because it was a masterpiece but moreso because it was a nice flashback to an incredibly popular movie from a time when things were much simpler for most of us
Yep. Exactly
it's such a great show, especially for people who watched the original movies, the story of redemption is really amazingly pulled off.
Not a fan of some of the casting choices for the kids but probably consciously type-cast for anyone who's go young(er) kids and saw them repeatedly. Peyton List going from Emma Ross to broken badass just didn't work (probably not the best timing getting bolt-ons between season 2 and 3 considering where the story line was as well). Tanner Buchanan is also seared in my mind as Chad Brad Bradley Dance Team Captain from Fuller House too - not badass.
I think my favorite underrated part - to avoid spoilers - is a certain characters ongoing problems being technologically illiterate. The overseas part too.
I think the storylines of Daniel still trying to learn lessons from Mr. Miyagi and seeking his guidance to help his family and save his business...as well as the storyline in overcoming the friction with Johnny and helping Robbie and Miguel, those storylines are highpoints of the show. But the storylines involving the students' feuds with each other, anything involving Daniel's daughter, and the ridiculous fight scenes...they are the low point.
I think the storylines of Daniel still trying to learn lessons from Mr. Miyagi and seeking his guidance to help his family and save his business...as well as the storyline in overcoming the friction with Johnny and helping Robbie and Miguel, those storylines are highpoints of the show. But the storylines involving the students' feuds with each other, anything involving Daniel's daughter, and the ridiculous fight scenes...they are the low point.
Overall, it's basically a Disney channel teen show....except the teens are actively trying to maim each other. Mix in some 80s nostalgia and you have a show that many adults and kids are watching.
This explains it! Haha. I’m not even sure at what point is was (likely the minute season 3 started if this is true) but I remember watching an episode at some point and thinking “damn, she’s got some nice tits. How have I not noticed those before? Have they always been that big?”. The bolt ons between seasons makes sense now
I’m not yet into Season 3 but it’s on my to-do list. Looking forward to it.
True. But it doesn’t work without both together. I knew nothing about the series when I started and it was a really pleasant surprise to find myself naturally liking and rooting for Johnnie.
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Machio is hard to look at, he’s so goofy. But still an incredibly entertaining and nostalgic show.
True. But it doesn’t work without both together. I knew nothing about the series when I started and it was a really pleasant surprise to find myself naturally liking and rooting for Johnnie.
The all out 20 person fight scenes, to me are too much. The show is campy and then you have these brutally violent and bloody, poorly choreographed all out fights. Nobody called the cops when 10 thugs break into your home and start a brutal fight, breaking shit up? But, the rest of the show is just really enjoyable.
They wanted to include both Dutch and Terry Silver, but Chad McQueen and Thomas Ian Griffith both declined.
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bringing Terry Silver in for season 4. Hopefully Mike Barnes is involved as well. That said, I'm still waiting for Dutch from the original.
They wanted to include both Dutch and Terry Silver, but Chad McQueen and Thomas Ian Griffith both declined.
Reading a chat with the creators they wouldn't comment on actors from the movies that haven't been on the series, but you have to figure with they way they ended season 3 Thomas Ian Griffith has to be in the mix for season 4 especially with the Kreese phone call. The reporter interviewing them did bring up Dutch and they were nebulous but did say they have gone through a lot of scenarios, him included. I guess all we're missing are Ally's bitchy obnoxious GF's from HS lol.
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.