Cobra Kai Season 5 DVD Review
“Cobra Kai” is the gold standard of franchise reboots.
In the 10 episode penultimate season of “Cobra Kai,” the story picks up where season 4 left off. Miguel seeks out his father (Hector) in Mexico, Terry Silver expands the Cobra Kai business, the fate of Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang is revealed, and Kreese is in prison. Outside of that, expect plots about Mike Barnes, a pregnancy, marital and relationship woes on numerous fronts, character flashbacks, try-outs for the Sekai Taikai tournament, Silver’s crimes and corruption, Tory pondering her future, Daniel and Chozen collaborating, and yes, the return of Stingray.
Since “Cobra Kai” debuted in 2018, show creators Josh Heald, Justin Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg proved a great many things. For one, they showed you could make a franchise sequel/reboot that not only pays tribute to the past, but paves its own path forward. Two, they showed you could make a sequel that is on par with (if not better than) the original (“The Karate Kid”). Three, they showed you don’t need to push aside the legacy characters as so many reboots do and that you can make them the face of the story still. With the show’s fifth season, the creators showed something else- that you can improve upon the past. “The Karate Kid 3” is a mixed movie to say the least, but with the fifth season of “Cobra Kai,” the creators absolutely redeemed the once goofy over-the-top character of Terry Silver and made him a formidable foe this time around. Thomas Ian Griffith is clearly having a blast here as the shady villain who doesn’t play fair and it’s great to see the character more fleshed out.
In terms of the story this season, it can feel a bit outlandish as the karate clan feuds seem to spread out while characters are constantly switching sides. Still, it feels very much in line with what has come before and there’s no shortage of characterization this season. One of the characters that gets a lot of screentime here is Chozen (from “The Karate Kid Part 2”). The character superbly played by Yuji Okumoto has an unexpected arc and he steals the season. The chemistry between him and Daniel was especially fun to see.
Of course, the series is known for its great ensemble. William Zabka has never been better as Johnny. How he has not received an Emmy nomination is beyond me. Ralph Macchio continues to bring new layers to the character of Daniel having lived with the character for so many years. Tory (Peyton List) has been one of the best new characters of the series and that doesn’t change here. Fan favorite Hawk (Jacob Bertrand) has had a stressful character arc to be sure, but it’s nice to see the character back on the right path. It’s no secret that Xolo Mariduena (Miguel) has gone on to become a movie star now having landed the role as “Blue Beetle” (which is a fun DC comic film by the way). The actor has been the true breakout of the show and deservedly so.
As the cliffhanger ending signals what is to come in the sixth and final season, there’s something a little bittersweet about watching season 5 knowing the end is almost near. Hopefully, the series goes out on a high note (and brings back Hilary Swank).
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.78:1. Grade B-
Audio Track: Dolby Digital 5.1. Grade: B+
Extras:
* A 9 minute gag reel
* 9 deleted/extended scenes
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