Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeMacchio first reprised his signature role as “The Karate Kid,” the now all-grown-up Daniel LaRusso, when “Cobra Kai” debuted on YouTube in 2018.
Critics embraced the show and its smart take on what happened to Daniel and his former rival, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) — as did fans of the original 1980s franchise. “Cobra Kai” became the most-watched series on YouTube’s subscription service, and a second season followed in 2019.
But then YouTube got out of the scripted business — and producer Sony Pictures TV, which has a lengthy track record of keeping shows alive by moving them to other platforms (“Community” and “One Day at a Time” among them), saw a big opportunity in Netflix.
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