I find it hard to force myself to do real work right now. So instead, I will review Season 3 of Cobra Kai.
Note: there are SPOILERS here, yes SPOILERS. Also, may be of little interest to many who didn't grow up in the 1980s and/or hate the Karate Kid franchise. Here goes:
On the whole, this was a lot of fun to watch, and had many good aspects, though also some bad ones.
The Good:
- I like that the in-school Karate brawl in the Season 2 finale had real consequences, instead of quickly being swept under the rug. They include Robbie going to juvenile detention, and the school adopting ridiculous "zero tolerance" policies that would not have prevented the brawl had they been in place earlier (this is true to real life).
- Season 3 further reinforces how the theme of the series is the importance of fathers and father figures. Johnny and Daniel's lives were both heavily determined by the men who essentially took the roles of their absentee fathers (Mr. Miyagi and Kreese). Fathers and father figures are also crucial for Miguel, Robbie, Samantha, and the other younger characters' development. It's implied that Tory's lack of a father (she seems solely responsible for supporting herself and her sick mother) is a key reason why she goes bad. A crucial element of Johnny's arc is that he failed as a father to his actual son, but succeeded as a surrogate father for Miguel.
- Johnny largely completes his redemption in Season 3, and it feels (mostly) earned and plausible. That said, I like how he doesn't become good in every way. He continues to often be clueless (e.g. - doesn't understand the difference between a Protestant pastor and a Catholic priest), and insensitive. But he does finally take responsibility for his errors and start to correct them, and live up to his responsibilities.
- Johnny is also an interesting example of a person who is insensitive on racial and ethnic issues, but not a bigot (in the sense of believing that non-whites are inferior and/or not entitled to equal rights). Season 3 (building on previous seasons) gives us lots of examples of both aspects of his character.
- Daniel's trip to Japan and Okinawa is problematic in some ways (see below). But it does give some notable depth to Kimiko and Chozen - characters from Karate Kid II who were essentially cardboard stereotypes in the original movie.
- There is a great moment when Daniel laments how Mr. Miyagi's home village is no longer as picturesque and distinctive as what he saw back in the 1980s, as most of the people are no longer fishermen and subsistence farmers. Kimiko points out that the coming of modern stores, foreign investment, and tourism has made the villagers vastly happier and more prosperous, and that they would not want to go back to the old ways. It's a useful implicit critique of Westerners who decry globalization because it undermines traditional cultures and ways of life.
- It was fun to see "Ali with an I" return, and good also that the producers avoided the tempting but lame trope of having her get back together with Johnny or (even worse) Daniel.
Now for the bad: - Too often, especially in the second half of the season, plotting was sacrificed to fanservice, in the sense of bringing back as many characters and themes from the 1980s movies, as possible. Daniel's trip to Japan and Okinawa was particularly notable in that regard, as it seemed grafted on to the rest of the plot.
- It's hard to believe that all these people are still so completely in thrall to what they were doing 35 years ago in the 1980s, and those they met back then. Yes, I know this is an unavoidable aspect of the series, but I think Season 3 overdoes this.
- The attempt to give Kreese an interesting backstory through flashbacks to his time as a soldier in the Vietnam War largely backfires, I think. It just makes him seem more villainous, rather than less. In addition, it plays to the stereotype of the violent and traumatized Vietnam veteran.
- Johnny's only source of income in this season seems to be the vase he stole from his stepfather. Yet he uses it to pay his expenses, support Miguel, and other purposes, over many months. Was it really THAT valuable?
- Daniel's long-suffering wife should be angrier than she is, given all the dumb and dangerous things Daniel does in seasons 2 and 3. Also, I would expect her to be more annoyed than is the case, after it becomes clear how much Daniel still lives in the past.
- Building on point 9, it's remarkably convenient how so many people Daniel and Johnny knew in the 1980s just happen to be both willing and able to help them now, exactly when needed (Kimiko, Chozen, Bobby, Ali, etc.).
- I hope I'm wrong. But I suspect Season 4 is going to be lame, because the main issues at stake in the series (Johnny's redemption, Daniel finding balance in his life) are already largely resolved. The final showdown with Kreese seems like mainly a conflict with a cardboard villain. And I find Robbie going over to Kreese implausible (plausible that he might be alienated from his father and Daniel, but not plausible that he throws in with Kreese).
Ok, back to more productive activity - I hope!