Cobra Kai season two
Everybody was kung-fu fighting!
Those kicks were fast as lightening!
…In fact it was a little bit frightening.
So, now I’ve seen all of season 2. Although still not the original Karate Kid movie, I’m sorry! I will get to it I promise.
This series is so good. I keep running into reviews of it which say, “I expected this series to be a ridiculous nostalgia-fest and it’s the exact opposite.” At times it feels like a Greek tragedy which just happens to involve karate. The awfulness which happens in the season 2 finale, you could see it a mile away. Just talk to each other and stop acting like children! Put your petty differences aside and try and help out the kids in your care! Get them away from toxic influences including your own! But they didn’t and now everything is ruined.
There’s one thing I really hope the show picks up in season 3 and that’s how much both Daniel and Johnny have failed at parenting their sons. Look at Anthony! He’s a spoiled brat who barely says a word which isn’t demanding or antagonistic. You get the feeling his parents, with their busy careers, never had time for him and just handed him whatever would keep him happy. And in a show about how the older generation can ruin the next one, I hope we learn more about what’s gone on there and see Daniel try and fix it. Because that kid is a goddamn powder keg.
Another kid who is a goddamn powder keg is Hawk, he’s gone way beyond regular teenage posturing. I appreciate that this season showed us he always had anger issues and Cobra Kai just pushed him over the edge. (Probably straight-up Johnny’s fault, that one, for bullying him in front of everyone.) I’m sort of terrified of him but the actor who plays him is killing it. I hope he has an even bigger role next season.
Is it too on-brand for me to say I feel a lot of this series is about toxic masculinity? Johnny and Daniel are the main examples of this so far, but they’re very slowly learning. It’s just a shame it might have come too late.
According to Wikipedia, Cobra Kai is a comedy-drama. I’m not so sure about that.
September 22, 2020 @ 4:17 am
Yeah I think there is a bit of masculine toxicity happening but honestly that’s just the writing of those characters. I did Karate for many years and while there is certainly a tendency for some guys to be all “boys club” about it all, that’s not really a thing at least it wasn’t for me being one of only two females in the Dojo. What I like about this show is how they are quite inclusive – Miguel is Hispanic and the lead in terms of the younger, new generation of actors which is amazing. And they’ve got strong female characters involved at all levels. But I do agree with you about Johnny and Daniel and their poor parenting skills. It’s pretty obvious why their kids are having issues and why their students are having issues. What I like about it is that even as adults, they’re still struggling in many ways I never thought they would. Like I never figured Johnny would be a loser with no job or barely holding on. I like that he is at least trying to resolve some of his issues, particularly with his son. But Daniel, he seems to be screwing up a lot more to me than Johnny is and he has zero excuses. He has money, a family unit (even if it is a little dysfunctional) and now he has his own Dojo – Johnny doesn’t have any of those things now. It’s going to be a killer third season because I am pretty sure people from Daniel’s past and Mr Miyagi’s past are featured as well as Cobra Kai Sensei’s from Johnny’s past as well :)
September 22, 2020 @ 8:13 pm
OMG I am looking SO FORWARD to season three :) There’s actually like five seconds of footage from it on YouTube! Have you seen it?
(My only disappointment is that apparently the actress who plays Aisha isn’t coming back, so we’re down one female character. :( )
Yeah I see that Daniel is screwing up a lot and I wonder if some that comes from his early success, both in karate and in business. Like he got arrogant over time and that’s why he can’t see the flaws in his parenting or his marriage. He needs a wake-up call and fast. Hopefully no-one else will have to almost die for that to happen…
September 23, 2020 @ 7:24 am
Haha yes I have seen the trailer for Season 3 is that the one where it shows Daniel sparring with someone at the end? Totally agree with you about Daniel – I think things have gone to his head a little which is why I think he wanted to return to his Karate training. Mr Miyagi was his mentor and friend but he was also instrumental in shaping Daniel into the successful person he became over the years. I think without him, he finds himself struggling. And that’s where Johnny has it all over him because Johnny had nobody to support him so he’s already beaten Daniel in that regard :) And yeah, I heard about the Aisha thing – they just chose not to renew her contract for the third season.
September 23, 2020 @ 6:02 pm
That’s a shame about Aisha (I wonder what went down there) cos I noticed at the end of the season she was the only Cobra Kai regular not to be there taking the lesson from Kreese when he claims the dojo. So it seems like they might have been setting up a story there but… Ah well.
They’ve done a really good job in the show of making it clear how important Mr Miyagi was to Daniel, even though obviously he can’t appear in the flesh. Gosh, I’m only just learning what a fascinating life Pat Morita led.