TV Review: ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part 3

While a more global focus has added to the amount of characters the show must juggle, the core cast remains the highlight and the finale is a fitting send-off.

(L to R) William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in 'Cobra Kai'. Photo: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2024.

‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part 1 receives 9 out of 10 stars.

Arriving on Netflix on February 13th, ‘Cobra Kai’, which has successfully been running on the streaming service for the last few seasons, is finally ready to take its final bow.

After splitting this final batch of episodes into three (Netflix always looking for a way to keep those subscribers hooked), the end is here and the creators face the daunting challenge of wrapping up some knotty plotlines.

Does ‘Cobra Kai’ still kick butt?

Yuji Okumoto as Chozen in 'Cobra Kai'. Photo: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2024.

It’s hard to know exactly when the creative team –– led by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg –– began planning the end; especially since in TV you’re usually working towards the end of a season, not necessarily the whole show.

Yet it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into the wrap up, with seeds planted years in advance and emotional moments paid off. That, and a whole lot of laughs too, since ‘Cobra Kai’ has never been straightforwardly dramatic.

A real benefit here compared to even having three main ‘Karate Kid’ movies is that we’ve had plenty of screen time to get to know the various characters (even if the focus remains weighted towards Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence) and with the finale, the need to manufacture ways for the two old rivals-turned-friends to rekindle old tensions is removed, meaning we can just enjoy the evolution of these two men and their various students.

Script and Direction

(L to R) Jacob Bertrand as Eli 'Hawk' Moskowitz, Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene, Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz, Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso, Gianni DeCenzo as Demetri in 'Cobra Kai'. Photo: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2024.

The writing team continues to bring the goods when it comes to the shows various dynamics, whether it’s the well-established connection between Johnny and Daniel, their lives outside of the dojo or the more melodramatic, soapier elements of the teenaged students who get the lions’ share of the fight scenes.

Especially delightful has been the development of side characters, such as Daniel’s wife Amanda (Courtney Henggeler), who has wisely gotten more to do as the show as evolved and particularly Yuji Okumoto’s Chozen, another rival to Daniel from the movies (the second, to be exact), has blossomed in just the few seasons he’s been on the show, whether he’s getting sloppily drunk or striking up an unexpected romantic connection with an apparent enemy.

‘Cobra Kai’ might not be the best-looking show in the Netflix pantheon, and certainly doesn’t have the budget or panache of, say, a ‘House of the Dragon,’ but the direction gets the job done and the inventive use of Atlanta to stand in for almost anywhere else, such as the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles) or here, Europe) helps the show look good enough.

Cast and Performances

(L to R) William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz in 'Cobra Kai'. Photo: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2024.

Johnny and Daniel’s stories remain the big selling point for fans of the original movies. Macchio and Zabka have fully embraced the potential, playing our two unlikely heroes with a welcome level of depth and nuance.

We’ve watched Johnny in particular become a more fully-rounded human (yet still a loveable lunkhead with attitudes stuck in the 1980s at times) as he finds a family –– both nuclear and in his students –– and a purpose beyond anything he’s had in the past.

Daniel, meanwhile, has had to reckon with his ego having become more successful than his old enemy, and also confronting skeletons from the past. It’s perhaps that last element that rankles slightly; while Macchio is still great in the role, the shadows of doubt about Mr. Miyagi’s motives when he himself was younger has seemed more manufactured than other storylines (though does, at least, have a satisfying resolution we won’t detail here).

(L to R) Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso, Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in 'Cobra Kai'. Photo: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2024.

Around them, the acting levels are varied, but the younger performers are entertaining in their roles, having been on their own journeys. Shout out to the likes of Xolo Maridueña as Miguel and Mary Mouser as Samantha for having the more satisfying finale in terms of both story and performance.

All in all, there is a lot to enjoy from the various characters, and their storylines wrap organically, with just a hint of classic movie emotion. And in case you’re wondering, no, one particular actor from the franchise who has been speculated about for years doesn’t finally show up (her name rhymes with “pillory tank”).

Final Thoughts

(L to R) William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene in 'Cobra Kai'. Photo: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2024.

While previous seasons have always nodded to continuing storylines, the pressure is finally off this one and a satisfying finale has been achieved.

Yes, there are hints of where the show could go from here, but as with other years, the creative have wrapped things up and this time with a truly welcome last outing. The only regret is that we won’t get to enjoy the further adventures of Daniel, Johnny and the rest –– unless you count the somewhat mystifying decision to have Macchio team up with Jackie Chan from the 2010 kung-fu version for this year’s ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ on the big screen. Honestly, we’d rather have seen Team ‘Cobra Kai’ given their shot at a movie.

Cobra Kai

"Back in the Valley. One final fight."

TV-146 SeasonsMay 2nd, 2018

Watch Cobra Kai Online

What’s the plot of ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part 3?

After a shocking result in the Sekai Taikai, Miyagi-Do must reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat. Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.