Critics praise ‘Cobra Kai’ finale: “Mr. Miyagi himself would be proud”

nme.com:

Netflix’s hit Cobra Kai has been released, with critics giving their verdict on the finale of the show’s sixth and final season.Beginning in 2018, the Karate Kid spin-off picked up decades after Johnny Lawrence’s (William Zabka) loss to Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), a defeat that derailed his adult life before he returns to The Valley neighbourhood of Los Angeles to re-open Cobra Kai dojo.In the final episode, following tragedy at a tournament abroad, the story comes full circle for Johnny as faces off against Sensei Wolf in the Sekai Taikai tournament, where he lost to Daniel all those years ago.

This time, however, Daniel is an ally.Reviews for the episode were largely positive, praising the satisfying ending but feeling the show didn’t always feel as serious as it might have.

There was also disdain for a CGI recreation of the character of Mr Miyagi, using the image of the actor Pat Morita who died in 2005.The Guardian’s review was mixed, with critic Jack Seale praising the finale as “an emotional farewell to the Karate Kid gang” but being puzzled by some of the series’ tonal inconsistencies.He called it “an extremely unusual show.

It’s shot like a daytime soap and is often acted like one, having chosen not to recast any of the original characters: as well as Macchio and Zabka, numerous journeymen who failed to land any big gigs after The Karate Kid have been faithfully retained in the supporting cast, and whatever performance level they have managed is what the series has gone with”.For IGN’s Matt Fowler, however, the contradictions are what makes the show special.