Cobra Kai (2018 — 2024)

Cobra Kai (2018–2024) is a continuation of the beloved Karate Kid franchise, following the story of Johnny Lawrence, now in his 50s. After losing to Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament, Johnny’s life has taken a turn. He works as a part-time handyman and lives in Reseda, Los Angeles, far from the opulent lifestyle he had growing up in Encino. Abandoning his son Robby from a previous relationship, Johnny’s luck takes another downward spiral when he loses his job after an argument with a client. However, when he defends teenager Miguel Diaz from bullies using his karate skills, Johnny finds new purpose and decides to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo. This rekindles his rivalry with Daniel, who is now leading a prosperous life as the owner of a car dealership chain and happily married to Amanda with two children: Samantha and Anthony. Despite all this success, Daniel struggles to connect with his children after the death of his mentor Mr. Miyagi. His mother Lucille also adds to this complexity with her complicated relationship with Amanda.

The first and second seasons premiered on YouTube Red/Premium in May 2018 and April 2019 respectively. However, after YouTube ceased producing scripted original programming, Netflix acquired the series in June 2020. The third, fourth, and fifth seasons were then released in January 2021, December 2021, and September 2022 accordingly. While production for Season 6 was initially halted during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and SAG-AFTRA strike, plans are now in place to resume filming after January 1, 2024. With a focus on Johnny’s journey to revive the Cobra Kai dojo and reignite his rivalry with Daniel, Cobra Kai offers a fresh perspective on the beloved ‘Miyagi-verse’ story. Critically praised for its writing, performances, action sequences, humor, character development, and dedication to staying true to its source material, the series has gained significant popularity on both YouTube and Netflix. Notably, its third season was recently nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.