Cobra Kai has succeeded where other TV and movie reboots have failed, and this all comes down to a few features and plot details the series nailed.
Cobra Kai has been a triumphant spinoff of the Karate Kid movies, succeeding where others have failed. Reboots have grown in popularity over the past decade, with many nostalgic classics being brought to the modern age through sequels, spinoffs, and remakes. Though audiences are typically excited to return to their favorite stories of the past, these new installments can be hit or miss, with the majority ending up a disappointment. However, Cobra Kai has mastered the formula for a successful reboot, and this all comes down to a few features that the Karate Kid spinoff series embraced.
The Karate Kid is a staple of the 1980s. Daniel LaRusso’s story combined the heartwarming elements of an underdog story with the outrageous excitement of a martial arts film. Though the sequels, The Karate Kid Part 2 and The Karate Kid Part 3 (not to mention The Next Karate Kid), didn’t perform as well, the integrity of Daniel’s story was left intact, and audiences have continued to look fondly at the classic films. The spinoff series risked ruining this with Cobra Kai, but against all odds, the Netflix series has managed to keep the excitement going into Cobra Kai season 6—and this is no accident.
10. Cobra Kai Used The Karate Kid’s Formula (With A Unique Twist)
It’s easy for a reboot to forget what made the original movie or series so popular to begin with. In the case of The Karate Kid, this came down to the teacher-student relationship between Mr. Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso. The idea of a wise old master taking on the bullied underdog has since become a film and TV trope, so audiences know what to expect. However, Cobra Kai was clever enough to take this tried and true formula and put its own twist on it. Making Johnny Lawrence the new Mr. Miyagi (with Miguel as his student) breathed new life into an old idea.
9. Cobra Kai Follows Predominantly New Characters
It has been great to see the old Karate Kid characters return for Cobra Kai, but this wouldn’t have been enough on its own. Daniel LaRusso, Johnny Lawrence, John Kreese, Terry Silver—they have all had stories worth continuing, but without the younger generation of characters, they would have stopped being interesting long ago. It’s common for reboots like Fuller House to depend heavily on the characters that audiences already know, but by introducing the likes of Miguel, Robby, and Sam, Cobra Kai kept its story propelled forward.
8. Cobra Kai Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously
A series like Cobra Kai might be easier to keep going since it doesn’t need to worry too much about continuity or realism. In all, there is a lot about the Netflix series that makes no sense. Everyone masters karate at an alarming pace, brutal fights rarely attract the police, and grown adults getting deathly serious about a couple of children’s karate schools is altogether unrealistic. However, Cobra Kai never pretends to be anything other than outrageous. This allows the series to get away with being even more silly than the Karate Kid movies, which provides some flexibility as a reboot.
7. Cobra Kai Shifted To Johnny’s “Villain” Perspective
The obvious choice in a The Karate Kid spinoff would have been to see Daniel LaRusso take Mr. Miyagi’s place as the wise old sensei. This would have been interesting for a time, but it would have only been a shallow repeat of the original movies and, therefore, wouldn’t have lasted for long. Since Cobra Kai put The Karate Kid’s villain in the spotlight, the series could not only continue the story but put a fresh perspective on the original movie. Cobra Kai takes Johnny’s “badass” -ness and makes it the focal point of the series, allowing it to stand independently while still feeling like an extension of The Karate Kid.
6. Cobra Kai Paid Homage To The 1980s (Without Making Fun Of It)
Nostalgia is a significant factor in any reboot. When people watch a remake or spinoff of an old classic, they want to be reminded of what it was like to watch it in the first place. When it comes to movies or TV series released in the 1980s or 1990s, the appeal is a simpler time, where music, clothing, and technology are entirely different. The problem is that some reboots can spend so much time making fun of these decades that it alienates those who are nostalgic for them. Cobra Kai manages to bring ’80s elements without making them seem silly and allows characters to look back fondly in the same way that those who lived through the decades do.
5. Cobra Kai Allowed Daniel & Johnny To Have Changed Since The Karate Kid
Cobra Kai picks up 30 years after the end of The Karate Kid, so it’s only natural that Johnny and Daniel would be different than they were in high school. Daniel, especially, has changed. He started out a poor new student from New Jersey and ended up a wealthy car dealership owner who seems to have forgotten what it was like to go without. This change is far more believable than if Cobra Kai were to pick up with a 50-year-old character still acting like a teenager. This seems like an obvious note, but it’s something that countless reboots don’t take into account.
4. The Karate Kid’s Story Is Enhanced By Cobra Kai
There’s no point in continuing a 30-year-old story if there is nothing valuable to add. Many reboots begin to feel like cash grabs since, even after several installments, they don’t seem to add anything notable to the original story. Cobra Kai is an example of this done right. Though The Karate Kid Part 3 was considered a flop, Cobra Kai retroactively improved the outlook on the story by bringing Terry Silver in as a central villain of Cobra Kai. This resulted in a renewed interest in the franchise’s third movie, with some even going back to watch it for the first time.
3. Cobra Kai Had a Clear Story To Tell (Rather Than Beating A Dead Horse)
Some TV reboots do okay for a season or two, but they seem to be endlessly circling the drain after that. This happens when the spinoff or sequel lacks a clear direction from the beginning or introduces a conflict that was far too easily solved. The plan was only ever to draw audiences in using nostalgia—beating a dead horse for the sake of money. On the other hand, Cobra Kai had the rivalry between Daniel and Johnny to depend on, and this allowed countless other characters to get sucked up in the chaos. This simple but effective concept kept the series organically propelled forward, with Cobra Kai season 6 being a logical end to a well-rounded story.
2. Cobra Kai Didn’t Shy Away From Tasteful Retcons
If a movie or TV series is being rebooted, it will likely already have a loyal fan following. Fandoms are notoriously protective of their beloved properties, so things can get ugly when a reboot or spinoff messes with canon. However, if a series is too afraid to make some changes, then it’s more likely that audiences will lose interest. Cobra Kai retconned plenty of The Karate’s Kid’s plot points, but it did so in a way that made sense. For example, it’s revealed in Cobra Kai season 1 that Johnny’s seemingly perfect past was far from it since his family only had money because of his manipulative and abusive stepfather.
1. Cobra Kai Poked Fun At Obsessive Nostalgia
Nostalgia is the main reason any movie or TV show gets rebooted, even if the story has no logical direction. People can sometimes get so caught up in the past that they lose interest in moving their lives forward—whether embracing new movies and TV shows or taking a new direction in life. Cobra Kai calls attention to this problem with its own characters. Johnny and Daniel are both stuck in the past in different ways, but as the series goes on, they slowly learn to have a healthier relationship with nostalgia. This balance between the past and present is precisely what makes Cobra Kai work so well, so it’s fun to see the lesson reflected in its characters.
