If you look up the definition of “guilty pleasure" in the dictionary, I’m pretty sure you’ll find the series “Cobra Kai” in the list of examples.
The martial arts melodrama functions like any good television soap opera of yore. You never know where it’s going. The story can pivot on a dime, delivering emotional blows like a well-timed “tornado kick.”
In the years since the show left YouTube for greener pastures at Netflix, fans of the series have been able to ring in the new year with a new season of “Cobra Kai.”
The show — which has its roots in the decades-old rivalry between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) forged in 1985’s “Karate Kid” — is back for a fourth season, and this might be the best entry yet.
SPOILERS AHEAD...
The show picks up where Season 3 (read my review) left off. LaRusso’s Miyagi-Do and Lawrence’s Eagle Fang dojos have struck an uneasy alliance to take down the evil Cobra Kai, led by founder John Kreese (Martin Kove).
The events in Season 4 revolve around the upcoming All Valley Karate Tournament (the 51st annual). At the end of the third season, Kreese agreed to relinquish control of Cobra Kai if his team loses in the tournament — LaRusso and Lawrence agreed to do the same if their kids come up short.
It’s all part of the whole “mortal enemy karate dojo battle for the soul of the Valley” narrative structure that makes “Cobra Kai” so completely ridiculous, and so wonderfully watchable!
The last time a season of “Cobra Kai” focused on the All Valley Karate Tournament was during the first season. It was a good move for the show’s producers to return to that format. I really think the fourth season benefitted from having that guidepost to build a story around.
One stipulation of the uneasy deal between Kreese and LaRusso/Lawrence is that their respective students have to limit interactions with one another. Having that guardrail in place meant the writers were less tempted to veer off into the “life threatening” confrontations seen in other seasons (such as the high school brawl in the second season finale).
That doesn’t mean there aren’t conflicts between the rival dojos in Season 4.
We see a transformation take place in Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz (Jacob Bertrand) as a result of one such confrontation. The writers attempted to bring the character full circle this season, and I think they did a decent job with Eli’s evolution.
I also enjoyed the addition of “The Karate Kid Part III” antagonist Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) this season.
The one and only time I saw 1989’s “The Karate Kid Part III” was in the early 1990s on cable TV (Netflix doesn’t currently have the rights to the first three movies). The only thing I really remember about it is that it wasn't as good as the first two movies.
I’d like to revisit the movie. Griffith’s return as Silver is one of the strongest aspects of “Cobra Kai’s” fourth season. He creates an antagonist that has some subtlety and nuance (a nice contrast to the slithery Kreese). Overall, I think he is a terrific addition to the series.
I will say that I had mixed emotions about the LaRusso clan this season. In particular, the storyline involving son Anthony (Griffin Santopietro) and his bullying of a new middle school classmate named Kenny Payne (Dallas Dupree Young).
While the subplot illustrates the negative consequences of bullying, it was hard to see Daniel LaRusso’s son (who has had very little screen time during the previous seasons) lacking any sort of a moral compass.
I’m sure the plot point was introduced to illustrate the negative ramifications of Daniel’s obsession with Cobra Kai (which has taken time away from his family), but it was really uncomfortable to watch.
By the same token, Anthony’s sister Sam (Mary Mouser) seemed particularly jaded this season as she dealt with rival Tory Nichols (Peyton List).
Of course, this sort of teen (and pre-teen) angst is a key pillar of the series.
I want to commend “Cobra Kai’s’ writing team for bringing back bit players Raymond (Paul Walter Hauser) — who refers to himself as “Stingray” — and Aisha Robinson (Nichole Brown) for the fourth season. Both characters seemed to be casualties of the show’s move from YouTube to Netflix.
While Aisha’s appearance falls strictly into the cameo category, the writers came up with a pretty significant role for Stingray to play this season — and his actions create a scenario that has serious ramifications for Season 5.
Last year, I mentioned in my review of the third season how surprised I was not to see the character return.
It was nice to see series creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg integrate the character in such a significant way.
At the core of “Cobra Kai” is Johnny Lawrence. The series continues to be about the character’s overall redemption arc. He remains one of the most likable aspects of the show.
While Lawrence’s evolution progresses in inch-long increments — rather than miles at a time — we do see his relationship continue to grow with protégé Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) and Miguel’s mom Carmen (Vanessa Rubio).
I also enjoyed an exchange between Johnny and Miguel regarding 1980s music during Episode 4 (“Bicephaly”). Miguel — who is dating Samantha LaRusso — has been spending more time with the LaRusso family, and has been influenced by Daniel’s musical tastes (which features a heavy helping of adult contemporary acts like Chicago).
Miguel tells Johnny, “Peter Cetera’s badass.” To which Johnny replies, “Peter Cetera is the opposite of badass. What happened to Scorpions? Slaughter? Is that out the window?”
Not only does the exchange serve as a metaphor to contrast the styles of Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang, it also serves to differentiate Lawrence and LaRusso — and those differences boil over as the two men wrangle for influence.
(Note: Peter Cetera’s hit song “Glory of Love” is featured on “The Karate Kid Part II” soundtrack).
As we finished watching the season finale, I told Bridget that the series was nominated for six Emmys last year (including “Outstanding Comedy Series”). She didn’t realize the series had received such accolades — especially as a comedy. We consider it more of a “dramedy.”
While that might seem surprising for a show with the tone and feel of “Cobra Kai,” I think it is a well-deserved honor.
I’m looking forward to seeing where things go with “Cobra Kai” Season 5 (the fifth season has already been filmed, so I’m curious to see if we have to wait full year for it to debut).
The fourth season culminates with an exciting showdown at the All Valley Karate Tournament. Several things are in limbo after the conclusion of the event.
It looks like former LaRusso rival Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto) will be joining Daniel at Miyagi-Do next season. What that means is anyone’s guess. My guess is that they might break away from Miyagi’s doctrine and forge ahead along a different path.
How Lawrence fits into this partnership is also anyone’s guess. I also wonder if the writers will attempt to redeem Kreese (a pivot that seems impossible for the character at this point).
I really enjoyed the fourth season of “Cobra Kai.” There was a considerable amount going, but I thought the writers balanced things in a fairly effective manner. It’s impressive how they’ve managed to keep the show feeling this fresh across four seasons and 40 episodes.
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