CNN
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Crossing the streams with its sequels, the fifth season of “Cobra Kai” features heavy dollops of the second and third “The Karate Kid” films while continuing to craft its own next-gen melodrama, all in an extraordinarily nimble fashion. While it’s not the best series on TV (OK, Netflix), there should be some kind of prize for the best revival from limited sources.
The inevitable battle of dueling dojos in Season 4, which seemingly saw every kid in LA’s San Fernando Valley take up karate, has left the area under the thumb of the oily Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who, like Martin Kove’s Kreese, found a dazzling encore in reprising that villainous role.
Yet, in order to fight the villain of “Karate Kid III”, Daniel (Ralph Macchio) has enlisted the heavyweight of “II”, Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), in an unlikely but utterly hysterical alliance. (A little fuzzy on his English, when Daniel suggests they should cut off the serpent’s head, the literal-minded Chozen pulls out a knife and is ready to go.)
Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that, with the often unlucky Johnny (William Zabka) trying to navigate his romance with Carmen (Vanessa Rubio), and the rift between his son (Tanner Buchanan) and his (Xolo Maridueña ).
The kids, in fact, have as many shifting allegiances as the older generation, whose AARP-eligible karate masters continue to prove remarkably sharp. The producers have also remained resourceful enough, not only to incorporate old clips into the series where appropriate, but also to sprinkle in familiar faces – which, again, shouldn’t be spoiled and treat the original “Karate” trilogy seriously. Kid” as if it were a mythical franchise. , an earthly cross between “Star Wars” and “Star Trek”.
Like any show with so many school-aged characters in the mix, “Cobra Kai” seems to lack real estate, at least in terms of more plausible mileage that can be pulled from the younger crowd. The seasons also began to exhibit a familiar pattern, starting and ending strong while trailing a bit in the middle.
Even so, the show’s remarkable resilience so far – having started on YouTube before migrating to Netflix, where it blossomed into an Emmy-nominated hit – suggests it would be premature to count it down. .
Plus, “Cobra Kai” again demonstrated that all you really need is a good leg to keep fighting on. Five seasons later, the show has already exceeded all reasonable expectations, developing a life of its own that proves it wasn’t just about “The Karate Kid.”
“Cobra Kai” begins its fifth season September 9 on Netflix.