Cobra Kai Season 4 is less than a week away, and in an unsurprising turn of events, the series goes to extreme lengths in the name of karate. How the Emmys deem this show a comedy is utterly beyond me, considering its darker themes throughout its run. And while you won’t get any spoilers from us, I will note that Season 4 is also not a comedy—though I suppose if we consider Johnny’s continuous inability to adjust to modern technology and proper lingo funny, then yes, there are still plenty comedic elements.
It is, however, the season that potentially hints at an end being near. It’s the question I ended up asking myself while watching: how far is the show willing to go, and what’s in store for these characters after this? How long will their lives be at risk? I used to think a show like One Tree Hill went to extremes, but then the school brawl in Season 2 proved us all wrong.
There is something to be said about how Cobra Kai Season 4 manages to surprise us still even when certain storylines and endings can be sniffed out from miles away. I don’t think anyone thought that we’d see Johnny and Daniel wearing matching best friends forever bracelets and putting everything behind them for good, but the series instead finds an intrinsic balance with their characters even while they continue to adjust to what’s in front of them. There are ways to go on this front, and the best is yet to come if this season showcases anything.
The performances are better than ever before, and that’s likely why some of the storylines which I initially thought wouldn’t work for me manage to be profoundly moving instead. Amanda LaRusso is still and will forever be my MVP of this series, and Courtney Henggeler continues to be a gift.
At best, though there are still storylines that drive me bonkers in a way only this show can manage, Cobra Kai Season 4 also manages to make me care in a way that I didn’t think was possible. And there are a few specific scenes I can’t wait to discuss once you’ve all watched.