MORAL OF THE SERIES

It’s not worth letting your past dictate your present. When you get bogged down by what you’ve been through in the past, you forget to make the most of the present, so you lose more as a result. Sometimes it’s better to let bygones be bygones and see the good and the bad in the people around you so that you can try adopting the good and avoiding the bad.

WHO I THINK WOULD MOST ENJOY THIS SERIES

This season is mostly catered to Cobra Kai fans that loved everything to do with the teen drama of the first season. However, if you really liked the show for its karate action sequences and awesome training montages, then you’re in for a good time as well.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/COMMENTARY

In this second season, the attitudes of yesterday clash with today’s climate. As mentioned in my review of the first season, there is some commentary concerning political correctness through the characters of Johnny Lawrence and John Kreese. Now, I’m not exactly sure what they’re trying to say about political correctness per se as it is somewhat unclear. Yet, I think there’s an argument to be said that the show is using it as an excuse to justify the tough treatment and being stuck in the ways of the past. This then turns into a commentary about seeing these behaviors for the pros and cons that they offer. While tough love has its pros in the eyes of some, it also has its cons in how it affects the rest. So, the season focuses on these sorts of takeaways with certain teaching philosophies and attitudes in general. Through these morals and lessons, the show is spectacular. I even took a very useful analogy out of it regarding how you get stuck like cement if you don’t move forward and progress. Just because something has been a certain way for a long time doesn’t make it right, so it’s a matter of being critical and analytical in order to properly progress and not get stuck in the past (like cement). As good as the wisdom and morals of the season are, they can’t help but be overshadowed by the less enticing teen drama that is being used as the hook of the show. That was the weaker part of the season and why I think this season dipped a bit in quality from last season. Nevertheless, you get everything you’ve come to expect from last season such as the great life lessons (often though symbols, metaphors, and/or analogies), fun nostalgia (through the show’s great music), and the awesome karate action set pieces. Interestingly, this season offers a fresh take on the uses and applications of karate outside of competitions, which concludes with an incredible karate sequence. Additionally, there are some new character additions (some significantly more developed than others) in this season that greatly added to the story and I’m keen to look out for the next season. Overall, the show takes a dip by focusing on the less interesting teen drama but still retains the charm of its nostalgic appeal and life lessons portrayed through fun karate action. In the end, I am very much looking forward to seeing how the Karate Kid universe continues to expand with the next season and develop the storylines that are currently up in the air.