In 1984 in the final of the under 18 All Valley Karate tournament Daniel La Russo used a crane kick to take out Johnny Lawrence and win. It was an immense moment. 34 years later it's still one of my all time favourite movie endings. It's satisfying as hell seeing a young lad take on the bullies and win.
It wasn't good for everyone though.
30 years later Johnny Lawrence is still reliving that night. His life has never taken off. He drinks way too much, his ex wife hates him and he's lost contact with his son Robby. A chance at redemption appears in the form of his neighbour Miguel. Miguel is being bullied and he turns to Johnny for help after he stands up for him one night. Johnny sees this as a chance to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo where he learned karate as a teenager and start teaching self defence.
Life has been somewhat better to Daniel LaRusso. He's the owner of a big car dealership in San Fernando Valley and he's happily married to Samantha and has two kids Amanda and Anthony. Even with all he has going for him he's still trapped in the past and trading off former glory. A car accident brings them both into contact after all these years and it's obvious resentment still seethes about former events.
This show is so much better than it had any right to be. It takes a storyline 34 years old and brings it roaring back to life. And brilliantly it does it using the same two main cast members. It would not have had a fraction of the impact with other actors but Ralph Macchio and William Zabka are perfect as the leads with all that life experience etched on their faces. It actually feels quite emotional seeing them stepping back into their roles and it fitting them like a glove. Brilliantly neither character's personality is changed but in this new context we come to look at them differently. Daniel's brash smugness takes on a different light when he's a grown man and Johnny's hard edged ways see him become a figure to be pitied rather than hated when you realise why he's the way he is. One of the advantages of a TV series over a film is the shades of grey that can be afforded to characters and here we see a full spectrum of the colour. I was 7(ish) this first time I saw the film and if you told me that 32 years later I'd be siding with Johnny over Daniel I'd have laughed in your face. In a meta touch neither Zabka or Macchio's careers ever took off either after the films and it's good to see them return to their finest hour.
The series format (10 x 30 minute eps) allows for more depth and this extra depth is well used. The show becomes a study of the damage done by toxic male role models as well as the damage done by a lack of a decent male role model. All the main characters are broken in some way due to their relationships or lack of one with their fathers/father figures. Johnny and his stepfather (a genuinely nasty Ed Asner) and his former trainer Kreese who both set him on a path towards darkness. Daniel and his absent father and Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita sadly passed away in 2005 but his presence looms large over the show) who set him on the right path but didn't teach him enough about humility. Miguel who is another young man without a father and who begins to learn the wrong things from Johnny and then finally Robby, Johnny's son who has grown up without him and as a result has ended up in a bad place. The one well adjusted character in the show is Daniel's daughter Amanda but even their relationship gets strained soon enough. Mistakes of the past cast a shadow over proceedings but the show has an optimistic take that shows even ingrained behaviour can be unlearned.
It sounds dark doesn't it? It is in places but it also manages a lovely lightness of touch too and even some great laughs courtesy of Johnny's seriously out of touch personality. His teaching style and attitudes towards his students will make you cringe laugh but the training dojo scenes are a delight and it's great fun seeing him eventually come around to modern ways of thinking. It's here we get to meet the younger cast of the show too and all do well especially the students who use the training to come out of their shells. (Hawk!) I expected the show to suffer when the leads were off screen but it doesn't at all. Every character is well drawn and each is struggling with their own issues and all get a moment in the limelight. Even one off characters get fun and memorable moments.
Great writing makes it all work and there's some intricate storytelling in here that could rival Game Of Thrones, especially the plot machinations used to put everything into place as the series comes to a close and rivalries build. You see it happening, you know what's going to happen but it never feels forced. And it's always deadly when there's no clear cut character you want to see succeed, when there's people on both sides you are shouting for. God it makes for satisfying viewing and there's one moment in a school canteen will have you roaring "YES!!!!!" at the tv screen.
I thoroughly enjoyed Season 1 of this. It's probably my favourite new show of the year. It's a reboot of sorts but one that's very reverent of it's source material. That said it puts a modern spin on proceedings too and both styles don't clash at all but rather compliment each other perfectly. The little nods to the original film sprinkled throughout will make you grin too especially the late reveal that will have you champing at the bit for season 2.
A genuine surprise and something that's really worth watching. Available on youtube red now.
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