PaleyLive LA event Cobra Kai: Season Two Premiere Screening & Conversation
PaleyLive LA event Cobra Kai: Season Two Premiere Screening & Conversation

Review by RCR entertainment reporter, Eric Szymanski, follow him on Twitter at @ecmanski

Cobra Kai is back!

On Monday night the cast of the hit YouTube channel show Cobra Kai walked the carpet to celebrate the release of season 2 at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills. Excitement echoed throughout as the returning cast members and a few new faces answered questions about what to expect from the newly released 10 episode season now streaming on YouTube Premium.

William Zabka
William Zabka

Speaking with William Zabka who plays the iconic Johnny Lawrence, all Valley karate champion in the early 80’s now turned sensei of the newly revamped Cobra Kai, he tells me in original 1984 movie Johnny is the protagonist against Daniel LaRusso. Here, in this series, we see things from his point of view which makes the character a little less threatening. Plus, we get to see him with a beer bottle and not doing well in the beginning which makes people feel good about not seeing him “King of the Valley”. Side note: when asked who would win in a fight between Johnny and Chaz from Back to School, Zabka told me Johnny. Chaz would get a cramp.

The most highly anticipated addition to the cast would have to be Martin Kove reprising the role of John Kreese. I asked how sensei Kreese would react to all those in 2019 getting “participation trophies” for just showing up. As the actor, he’s conflicted… as the character, society has gone soft and he doesn’t buy trophies for participating.

Martin Kove
Martin Kove

Season 2 picks up directly after the events of the season 1 cliffhanger. New unions are formed and old enemies emerge. Cobra Kai is enjoying the spoils that come with victory while Daniel LaRusso is building his own dojo based on the teachings of his mentor, Mr. Miyagi.

Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio

The first two episodes offer up the same nostalgic fun as last year with winks and nods super fans will wax on and on about. The producers of the show say they include all aspects of the original trilogy when writing and teased of the possibility of what the future holds for the series. In 2019, it’s a good time to be a Karate Kid fan.

Josh Heald (Executive Producer), Hayden Schlossberg (Executive Producer), Martin Kove, Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Jon Hurwitz (Executive Producer) at the PaleyLive LA event Cobra Kai: Season Two Premiere Screening & Conversation
Josh Heald (Executive Producer), Hayden Schlossberg (Executive Producer), Martin Kove, Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Jon Hurwitz (Executive Producer) at the PaleyLive LA event Cobra Kai: Season Two Premiere Screening & Conversation

All 10 episodes are now available streaming on YouTube Premium

About the Event

On the occasion of The Karate Kid’s 35th anniversary, the Paley Center welcomed the cast and creative team of Cobra Kai –YouTube Original’s bold reinvention of the classic film and pop culture franchise. One of the most talked about hits of the 2018 TV season, Cobra Kai revisits the original rivalry between Ralph Macchio’s “Daniel” and William Zabka’s “Johnny.” Transporting it three decades into the future with the original stars, proved an inspired, fun and smart concept and helped propel the series premiere episode to over 58 million views and universal critical acclaim. The Paley Center welcomed members of the gifted cast and creative team for a special screening and conversation in celebration of their upcoming season two premiere. PaleyCenter.org

About Cobra Kai
Thirty-four years after events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso.