Robby Keene has to be the most easily influenced character I have ever seen, like get a brain and think for your own. Decent enough acting and storyline.
10 Reviews
Not the TV
Calicodreamin19 January 2021
Nice Staging But Weird Motivations
Gislef10 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The opening sequence, with the intermingling and cut dialogues of Daniel, Johnny, and Kreese talking to their students is both nicely done for the most part, and delineates Daniel and Kreese.
But I'm still not getting what is going on with Johnny. He tells his students not to strike first, but then later outside of juvie, Daniel tells Johnny that "striking first" is Johnny's problem. But Johnny said earlier not to strike first. Granted, Daniel wasn't there, but shouldn't Johnny speak up and say that's not what he believes anymore. I suppose you could rationalize that he doesn't want to tell his old rival that he changed his mind, was wrong, et al. But it still rings hollow.
And speaking of the juvie scene, Robby finally shows up. Yay! I would have rather seen him and the afterward of his fight with Shawn, then more of the interdojo rivalry. It'd be more interesting than Sam's PTSD, one would hope. Or the flashbacks trying to make Kreese sympathetic.
Robby still has a chip on his shoulder, sees Miguel and Sam together, figures they betrayed him, and turns to Kreese. Although with Miguel soon becoming part of Miyagi-Do, and Kreese building his forces, you wonder who there is for Johnny. But he does get a moment of triumph, when Carmen links up with him. Of course, he's still pining for Ali, and she shows up in the last two episodes. So it doesn't sound like Johnny will get to keep what he's been kind of fighting for and finally got.
Everybody else just kinda tools along, as the focus is on the threat to the All-Valley Tournament. And Roberts says that they have to sign waivers indemnifying the city from lawsuits if the participants were harmed. Shouldn't the city have been doing that all along? If they hadn't, no wonder they were gun-shy about having a new tournament.
There are a few "take that's" about modern culture. Before the hearing for the tournament begins, there's a guy complaining about manhole covers being renamed "personhole" covers. As I've said before, I like the production staff's little pokes at SJWs and their ideology, rather than embracing it wholeheartedly and making it the near-entire focus of a season (Hi!, 'Supergirl'). And Matt Lewis as Ron steals the show when he shows up at Miyagi-Do, and compliments Amanda on her Crystal Lite lemonade. He makes me want to go back and check his other two appearances on the show.
Speaking of which, I like how 'Cobra Kai' brings back actors for recurring roles: it gives the show a nice "lived-in" sense of continuity. I doubt most people remembered Ron, but it's nice to see him back. Among others. Ditto for Yasmine coming back, and getting involved with Demetri. She wasn't even in season 2 (because she was in Europe, according to the in-story explanation). But here she is, back again and involved with one of the credited main stars.
So "The Good..." moves a couple of plot points forward, like the Johnny/Carmen/Ali and Miguel/Sam/Robby triangles. You get the impression the championship is going to play a big part in the season finale, but... it isn't. Later down the road you kinda wonder why the production staff spent so much time on it, when all it really does is bring Miguel and Sam back together.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
But I'm still not getting what is going on with Johnny. He tells his students not to strike first, but then later outside of juvie, Daniel tells Johnny that "striking first" is Johnny's problem. But Johnny said earlier not to strike first. Granted, Daniel wasn't there, but shouldn't Johnny speak up and say that's not what he believes anymore. I suppose you could rationalize that he doesn't want to tell his old rival that he changed his mind, was wrong, et al. But it still rings hollow.
And speaking of the juvie scene, Robby finally shows up. Yay! I would have rather seen him and the afterward of his fight with Shawn, then more of the interdojo rivalry. It'd be more interesting than Sam's PTSD, one would hope. Or the flashbacks trying to make Kreese sympathetic.
Robby still has a chip on his shoulder, sees Miguel and Sam together, figures they betrayed him, and turns to Kreese. Although with Miguel soon becoming part of Miyagi-Do, and Kreese building his forces, you wonder who there is for Johnny. But he does get a moment of triumph, when Carmen links up with him. Of course, he's still pining for Ali, and she shows up in the last two episodes. So it doesn't sound like Johnny will get to keep what he's been kind of fighting for and finally got.
Everybody else just kinda tools along, as the focus is on the threat to the All-Valley Tournament. And Roberts says that they have to sign waivers indemnifying the city from lawsuits if the participants were harmed. Shouldn't the city have been doing that all along? If they hadn't, no wonder they were gun-shy about having a new tournament.
There are a few "take that's" about modern culture. Before the hearing for the tournament begins, there's a guy complaining about manhole covers being renamed "personhole" covers. As I've said before, I like the production staff's little pokes at SJWs and their ideology, rather than embracing it wholeheartedly and making it the near-entire focus of a season (Hi!, 'Supergirl'). And Matt Lewis as Ron steals the show when he shows up at Miyagi-Do, and compliments Amanda on her Crystal Lite lemonade. He makes me want to go back and check his other two appearances on the show.
Speaking of which, I like how 'Cobra Kai' brings back actors for recurring roles: it gives the show a nice "lived-in" sense of continuity. I doubt most people remembered Ron, but it's nice to see him back. Among others. Ditto for Yasmine coming back, and getting involved with Demetri. She wasn't even in season 2 (because she was in Europe, according to the in-story explanation). But here she is, back again and involved with one of the credited main stars.
So "The Good..." moves a couple of plot points forward, like the Johnny/Carmen/Ali and Miguel/Sam/Robby triangles. You get the impression the championship is going to play a big part in the season finale, but... it isn't. Later down the road you kinda wonder why the production staff spent so much time on it, when all it really does is bring Miguel and Sam back together.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Sam & Miguel for All Valley Tournament
moritzherz4 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
T H E G O O D , T H E B A D , A N D T H E B A D A S S
In this episode the new founded eagle fang dojo (John Lawrence), the refounded miyagido dojo (Daniel LaRusso) and the powerful Cobra Kai dojo (John Kreese) all fight for one cause:
The All Valley Karate Tournament.
All three speak in front of the city council mocking each other, achieving nothing. It were Miguel and Sam, who succeed in the end.
A powerful speech from both end an hug in the end make this scene great. It feels like the relationship between Sam and Miguel is restored what I personally like.
So now everything is prepared for a brilliant showdown in the last two episodes.
8 out of 10
E X T R A O R D I N A R Y.
In this episode the new founded eagle fang dojo (John Lawrence), the refounded miyagido dojo (Daniel LaRusso) and the powerful Cobra Kai dojo (John Kreese) all fight for one cause:
The All Valley Karate Tournament.
All three speak in front of the city council mocking each other, achieving nothing. It were Miguel and Sam, who succeed in the end.
A powerful speech from both end an hug in the end make this scene great. It feels like the relationship between Sam and Miguel is restored what I personally like.
So now everything is prepared for a brilliant showdown in the last two episodes.
8 out of 10
E X T R A O R D I N A R Y.
Brilliant episode
evansjoshyr3 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The all valley tournament has been cancelled and its up to every dojo to try and get it back. This episode perfectly shows the divide. Not divide in different dojos but between adults and the students. In an attempt to bring back the tournament, the senseis can not let go of their rivalry for one second and it proves to everyone the damage karate can cause. All seems lost until miguel walks in and shows the fulfillment and development of character karate is given him. This speech, along with sams help is how the tournament is back on. The students have truly become more mature than the adults. And I loved it. A great episode indeed
Kreese is JR Ewing
whatch-179314 January 2021
Marvelous character, and marvelous episode.
If you think through all of this, the whole situation is utterly ridiculous, with Kreese manipulating the whole soapy affair like an insane JR Ewing.
Kreese twists things the way he wants while running circles around everybody else. It's truly wonderful to watch Kove expertly bring this smarmy character to life. In a show with many great actors and characters, Kove as Kreese threatens to steal the whole show. If he's onscreen, you're looking at him- if he's not, you wonder what he's about to pull.
--
Meanwhile, Daniel has a hilarious bit where he points out that Sam is causing herself all kinds of drama by continually switching her befriend between bitter enemies Robbie/Miguel/Kyler.
In other words, Daniel's lines are the show winking to the audience "shh, yeah we know it's ridiculous" by lampshading what so much of the drama flows from: silly high school soap.
If you think through all of this, the whole situation is utterly ridiculous, with Kreese manipulating the whole soapy affair like an insane JR Ewing.
Kreese twists things the way he wants while running circles around everybody else. It's truly wonderful to watch Kove expertly bring this smarmy character to life. In a show with many great actors and characters, Kove as Kreese threatens to steal the whole show. If he's onscreen, you're looking at him- if he's not, you wonder what he's about to pull.
--
Meanwhile, Daniel has a hilarious bit where he points out that Sam is causing herself all kinds of drama by continually switching her befriend between bitter enemies Robbie/Miguel/Kyler.
In other words, Daniel's lines are the show winking to the audience "shh, yeah we know it's ridiculous" by lampshading what so much of the drama flows from: silly high school soap.
So far season 3 is corny as hell
ramo1405 January 2021
Full circle!
mm-3919 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The Good, The Bad, and the Badass is a full circle episode which replays the 84 movie classic. There is Robby, Johnny, Krees etc all bubbling the Dojo drama which will only be resolved by the All Valley Karate tournament. One problem city council needs to approve the cancelled tournament.. The meeting has a humorous side which balances the episode. The ending is sappy but still watchable. 6 stars.
Lazy, weak,, soap opera writing
tdnb0022 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The scene with Johnny and Carmen was terrible. Why would Carmen tell Johnny he was meant to be a Sensei after all that has happened (besides for the fact that she barely knows him)? Why would she tell Johnny that she realizes he was just as hurt when her ONLY SON almost died in a horrific accident that left her ONLY SON paralyzed?
That was one of many poorly written parts of this episode, which is part of a poorly written season, filled with the type of dialoged and interactions you would expect from a soap or perhaps Three's Company.
Is this Netflix's influence? Season 2 of this show was perhaps one of the best seasons of any modern streaming show. After this season, I will be glad to take a long break from this show.
That was one of many poorly written parts of this episode, which is part of a poorly written season, filled with the type of dialoged and interactions you would expect from a soap or perhaps Three's Company.
Is this Netflix's influence? Season 2 of this show was perhaps one of the best seasons of any modern streaming show. After this season, I will be glad to take a long break from this show.
Predictable
hnt_dnl25 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This "Save the Tournament" episode is arguably the most cringe of the season. It started off with that boring montage of the trifecta karate dojos Cobra Kai, Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang(? lol) with Kreese, Daniel and Johnny finishing each other's sentences. Then the capper is that overly long and corny city council meeting to save the All-Valley Karate Tournament with everyone's sweethearts Miguel and Sam saving the day with their gooey afterschool special speechifying. EVERYONE is so obsessed with this Miguel-Sam pairing that's it's gotten nauseating. And it's sad because Robby-Sam was so much better. Robby is easily one of the show's best characters and now he's stuck with Miguel's scraps, namely Tory, instead of being back with Sam, where he belongs. So the writers just dump him off with the evil Kreese and turn him into some version of Anakin Skywalker and based on the awful character from the Star Wars prequels, that's hardly a compliment. This episode is filled with all these predictable pairings and alliances where either the chemistry is just OK (Johnny-Carmen), overrated (Miguel-Sam), silly (Demetri-Yasmin), or non-existent (Robby-Tori). At least most earlier episodes of this show had a nonstop energetic comic vibe, but this one was a chore.
Too cringe. Counselor scene
Jetsss16 January 2021
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