Cobra Kai Season 4 Teaser Crane-Kicks the Internet

Television

The dojo is open for business as Netflix has released a teaser for Cobra Kai season 4. Acting as a sequel to the Karate Kid movies, Cobra Kai follows former villain Johnny Lawrence – now a middle-aged washout – as he reopens the Cobra Kai dojo and trains a new generation of karate students. Meanwhile, Daniel LaRusso drifts back into his once-cherished pastime as well, and the old enemies find themselves in a battle for the soul of the youth, with the line between good and evil (as much as you can base those distinctions on karate schools) blurring. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprise their roles as Daniel and Johnny, as does Martin Kove as Cobra Kai’s original – and, as of last season, current – sensei, John Kreese. Also heavily hinted to be returning is Thomas Ian Griffith as Kreese’s benefactor and partner in evil from The Karate Kid Part III, Terry Silver. (How’s that for an 80s villain name?) The show also stars Mary Mouser, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Jacob Bertrand, Peyton List, and Courtney Henggeler. The new season will arrive on Netflix in December. Check out the Cobra Kai season 4 teaser below:

“Teaser” is the right word for this one. There’s no new footage here, aside from some karate poses shot solely for the Cobra Kai season 4 teaser, just the promise of more martial arts action from this ridiculously entertaining and surprisingly soulful series. I wrote about it a bit before, but I can’t believe how much I love Cobra Kai and how it succeeds where so many other continuations of older movies have failed. And it isn’t a niche thing either; Cobra Kai is popular with a large swath of the public. Last Thanksgiving, we were talking about TV shows we watched after dinner, and my aunt and uncle – who are in their 60s and have never watched a lot of TV – brought up Cobra Kai and said they love it. A lot of attention is paid to how refreshingly politically incorrect it is, with season 3 becoming actively anti-woke, showing those who purvey woke culture as, at best, well-meaning idiots, and the buzzwords and practices as tools used by evil people to bully and victimize by acting like victims themselves. (Seriously, this show is brilliantly written.) That’s all great, but the characters are what really make the show. The old guard is treated reverently, even when they’re portrayed as damaged or weak, and any ribbing of the movies is done with love. The new characters are great, too, with compelling arcs and relatable problems, so you never resent being taken away from Johnny and Daniel. I will say, though, that I have exactly one issue with the series, and the Cobra Kai season 4 teaser highlights it, which I wish it didn’t: I can’t stand Daniel’s wife. What a miserable, condescending, ungrateful harpy she is. Look at that clip from last season in the teaser; can you imagine talking about someone you say you love like that in front of other people? Maybe the best part of season 3 was when Kreese used her smug lecture against her and made her look crazy, proving Daniel and Johnny were right about him. But I don’t want to dwell on the negative; Cobra Kai is amazing, and I wish some of these other continuations would watch it and take notes.

What did you think of the Cobra Kai season 4 teaser? Do you like the show? Will Terry Silver retain his Steven-Seagal-like ponytail, and if he doesn’t, is it even worth bringing him back? Let us know in the comments and stick around Geeks + Gamers for more TV news!