(Not Quite) Throwback Thursday

Growing up in the 80s & 90s, The Karate Kid saga was one of my jams, second only to The Goonies, which is still one of my Top Favorites of All Time. "Wax On, Wax Off" was part of my vocabulary. And I have a distinct memory of practicing the Crane Kick with my cousins in their basement after one of many repeat viewings of the movie (Side Note: We did not kick at each other, only attempted the iconic technique itself. However, we still wound up bruised and battered, as we landed on our behinds more than we did our feet).  And, as destiny would have it, my husband is a fan of the films too.

Which is why we've recently been enjoying watching Cobra Kai, a long-awaited continuation of the saga. A saga which never seemed finished in my eyes. At its simplest, the show tells what happens years after the credits rolled on Karate Kid 3 and gives more depth to both Johnny's and Daniel's characters (and also their continuing rivalry). But really, it's so much more. There's drama, there's romance, there's humor, there's Good Guys to root for and Villains to hate, and, of course, there are truly EPIC karate duels. All the while, the show attempts to stay true to the tone of the films. Plus, each episode is absolutely filled with Easter Eggs! Fans of the movies will have fun trying to spot them all.

True, I was somewhat concerned Cobra Kai would fall prey to the same Epilogue Curse that plagued both Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, thus diminishing my enjoyment of the original movies. I shouldn't have worried. Cobra Kai is Bad A--!! And I'm 100% happy I gave it a go. The only downside is the torture of waiting to watch the next season.

(Side Note: For more fun, check out the 2007 song and video that inspired the show)