Why Cobra Kai Is The TV Show You Need In Your Life Right Now

The Best Around.

by Michael Sidgwick
Johnny Lawrence Karate Kid
Columbia Pictures

This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season one.

The Karate Kid is a slice of Americana.

It captures the story of a down on his luck kid fulfilling the American dream for both himself and his expatriated karate sensei. It is corny, but then, so is the tapestry into which it is woven. A quintessentially 1980s film, all dates, babes, synths and fighting, there's a tremendous warmth, tragedy and pathos to it that elevates it into a timeless realm. It's also incredibly inspiring - so much so that even William Zabka, who played antagonist Johnny Lawrence, took up the martial art after filming.

The very last line is jarring and quite amusing. It's not entirely incongruous - Zabka registers his fright wonderfully, when Martin Kove's John Kreese instructs him to break Daniel LaRusso's leg in the final fight - but it is sudden. Lawrence grabs the trophy, hands it to the victor, and says "You're all right, LaRusso!"

This, after beating the sh*t out of the guy for about an hour and a half and trying to steal his girl. Credits roll. The awesomely histrionic fist-pump of "You're The Best" plays over them. It doesn't undercut the heft of the film, but it does bring into focus what outrageous wish fulfilment it is. The guy gets the girl, wins the fight, and you can rest assured, is never bullied again! It's the ultimate happy ending, and to underscore the genuine magic of the film, it is totally earned. Everybody watching, and those watches are probably in the double digits by now, wants to travel back to this more innocent time.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!