As the saying goes, “Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.”… and watch Cobra Kai on Netflix. That’s right, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka have reprised their roles as the karate kid, Daniel Larusso, and his arch-nemesis, Johnny Lawrence.

So what is Cobra Kai and how does it fit into The Karate Kid franchise? The television series takes place thirty-four years after the first film, where Daniel LaRusso triumphed over Johnny Lawrence at the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. Featured in the show, LaRusso and Lawrence are all grown up but living totally different lives: LaRusso is a successful car salesman with a loving family while Lawrence is struggling to provide for himself as he loses his job as a handyman. With his current living situation, Johnny Lawrence decides to reopen the once infamous Cobra Kai Dojo ultimately reigniting the feud between him and Daniel LaRusso.

As expected, there is a lot of action throughout the series. Every episode is well equipped with fighting sequences that make everyone want to learn Karate right in their living room (Don’t try the Crane Kick at home!). Besides the totally awesome action, the series also includes very nostalgic moments that true The Karate Kid fans will catch onto. The show does not ignore the original films, and even features some scenes from them in order to further strengthen the plot of the episodes. But the show isn’t just for adults, the series also dives into daily teenage lives and the struggles that one faces during this modern age. With the combination of the iconic film franchise and modern-day problems, the series is pretty much targeted to all ages. Abigail Vancoevering, a Junior at West Morris, stated, “I watched the show with my mom and throughout the entire time we both had these different levels of excitement. My mom would always perk up at any reference to the original films while I sat there wondering what was going on. Besides some confusion, as I barely watched the original films, I thought the show was really cool.”

Cobra Kai has a brilliant cast ranging from the original actors from the film and fantastic newcomers that sometimes even steal the spotlight. The new actors include names such as Xolo Maridueña (Miguel Diaz), Tanner Buchanan (Robby Keene), Mary Mouser (Samantha LaRusso), and Jacob Bertland (Eli Moskowitz/Hawk). These new characters not only explore their own plot lines but all directly relate to the feud between Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso. Lawrence and LaRusso serve as mentors to these karate enthused teens. The show also features many guest appearances, but in order to not spoil the entire show those will not be stated directly.

The show was first released on Youtube Red but was moved to Netflix in June of 2020. Prior to being on Netflix, the show did not get much attention, but afterward, it became a hit. Overall, the show is a fun and easy watch that does not take long to watch as it only consists of two seasons with ten episodes that are each half an hour long. Cobra Kai fans won’t be disappointed though because season 3 is coming in January of 2021 and season 4 has already been announced!