Cobra Kai Trivia | 72 facts about the TV series

“Cobra Kai” is a martial arts comedy-drama streaming television series based on The Karate Kid film series.

The series gained more of a following after it premiered on Netflix. So let’s dive into some trivia and facts about this series ahead of the premiere of its third season.

1. Cobra Kai is an American martial arts comedy-drama streaming television series
2. The series is based on The Karate Kid film series created by Robert Mark Kamen
3. The television series was created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg
4. In the series stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka
5. Both of them are reprising their roles from The Karate Kid
6. They also serve as co-executive producers of the series
7. In the series also stars Xolo Maridueña, Jacob Bertrand, Courtney Henggeler, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser and Peyton List
8. Cobra Kai is set 34 years after the original Karate Kid film
9. The series is re-examining the narrative from Johnny Lawrence’s point of view, and his decision to reopen the Cobra Kai karate dojo leading to the rekindling of his old rivalry with Daniel LaRusso
10. The series launched on YouTube Red with the first two seasons being released in 2018 to 2019
11. In June 2020, Netflix acquired the series
12. Τhe third season released on January 1, 2021
13. In October 2020, the series was renewed for a fourth season ahead of the third season premiere
14. The thematic genesis for Cobra Kai began with two works of pop culture
15. First, the 2007 music video for the song “Sweep the Leg” by No More Kings stars William Zabka (who also directed the video) as a caricature of himself as Johnny
16. Ιτ features references to The Karate Kid, including cameo appearances by Zabka’s former Karate Kid co-stars
17. In a 2010 interview, Zabka jokingly discussed this video in the context of his vision that Johnny was the true hero of the film
18. Then, in 2013, Macchio and Zabka made guest appearances as themselves in the television sitcom How I Met Your Mother (“The Bro Mitzvah”)
19. In the episode, Macchio is invited to Barney Stinson’s bachelor party, leading to Barney shouting that he hates Macchio and that Johnny was the real hero of The Karate Kid
20. Towards the end of the episode, a clown in the party wipes off his makeup and reveals himself as Zabka
21. Cobra Kai was greenlit on August 4, 2017, with ten half-hour episodes, written and executive produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg
22. Although the series received offers from Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and AMC, it ultimately ended up on the subscription service YouTube Red
23. The trio was joined by executive producers James Lassiter and Caleeb Pinkett of Overbrook Entertainment in association with Sony Pictures Television
24. YouTube Premium released the first season on May 2, 2018 and the second season on April 24, 2019
25. It renewed the third season, initially for a 2020 release
26. On May 28, 2020, Deadline Hollywood announced that the series would be leaving YouTube and moving to another streaming platform, ahead of its third-season premiere
27. As YouTube was not interested in renewing the series for a fourth season, the producers wanted to find a streaming venue that would leave that option open
28. On June 22, 2020, it was announced that the show would be moving to Netflix
29. Netflix released the first two seasons on August 28, 2020, and the third season released on January 1, 2021
30. On October 2, 2020, Netflix announced an early renewal for a fourth season, prior to season 3 being released
31. The creators of the series explored moving to another platform ahead of the season two premiere, but the deal did not go through
32. The first season of the series had a positive response from critics upon its premiere
33. At the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 100% approval rating, with an average score of 7.54 out of 10 based on 47 reviews
34. The website’s critical consensus reads: “Cobra Kai continues the Karate Kid franchise with a blend of pleasantly corny nostalgia and teen angst, elevated by a cast of well-written characters”
35. Cobra Kai was 2018’s best-reviewed TV drama on Rotten Tomatoes
36. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 69 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews”
37. The second season has also received a positive response at Rotten Tomatoes, holding an 89% approval rating with an average score of 7.34 out of 10, based on 28 reviews
38. Its critical consensus reads: “While Cobra Kai’s subversive kick no longer carries the same gleeful impact of its inaugural season, its second round is still among the best around – no amount of mid-life crisis and teenage ennui’s ever gonna keep it down”
39. Metacritic’s weighted average assigned the second season a score of 66 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews
40. The third season of the series had a positive response from critics
41. At the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 97% approval rating, with an average score of 7.98 out of 10 based on 29 reviews
42. The website’s critical consensus reads: “By pairing its emotional punches with stronger humor, Cobra Kai’s third season finds itself in fine fighting form”
43. The first episode, which was posted for free along with episode two, had been viewed 5.4 million times within the first 24 hours
44. While it was noted that the response had been, in part, a result of YouTube releasing the episode for free, it was noted by Cinema Blend’s Britt Lawrence that, “YouTube Red’s new series debuted to numbers that should make rival streaming services take notice”
45. By October 30, 2018, ahead of the second-season premiere, YouTube was promoting the report that the first episode had then been viewed over 50 million times
46. The first episode was #8 on YouTube’s list of ten top-trending videos of 2018
47. According to market research company Parrot Analytics, the first season of Cobra Kai was the world’s most in-demand streaming television show during May 2018
48. Parrot Analytics later reported that the second season of Cobra Kai was the world’s most in-demand digital television show during April 2019 through May 2019
49. As of September 2020, the season 1 premiere has over 90 million views
50. Τhe season 2 premiere has over 86 million views
51. Upon its Netflix debut in August 2020, Cobra Kai became the most-watched series on the platform
52. It was the most-watched show on streaming media in the United States between August 29 and September 6, according to Nielsen ratings
53. During the week, the show’s 20 episodes drew nearly 2.2 billion streaming minutes in the United States
54. The first season was watched on Netflix by 50 million member households in its first four weeks
55. Μaking Cobra Kai the most-streamed show on Netflix during the month of September 2020
56. Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a video game based on the series
57. It was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on October 27, 2020
58. William Zabka and Ralph Macchio revived their Karate Kid characters, Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso, for the series
59. Randee Heller also reprised her role as Daniel’s mother
60. In addition, Martin Kove joined the series as a regular cast member in the second season, reprising his role as John Kreese
61. He made a cameo appearance at the end of Season 1
62. Other actors from The Karate Kid franchise have also commented on their interest in being involved in the series including Elisabeth Shue (Ali Mills) from the first film, Tamlyn Tomita (Kumiko) and Yuji Okumoto (Chozen Toguchi) from the second film and Robyn Lively (Jessica Andrews), Sean Kanan (Mike Barnes), and Thomas Ian Griffith (Terry Silver) from the third film
63. Although Hilary Swank has neither confirmed nor denied her interest, she did acknowledge that it would be a chance to have a “showdown” with Ralph Macchio
64. Hilary Swank appeared in the fourth film as Julie Pierce
65. In December, 2020, Cobra Kai’s co-creators stated that: “In our writers’ room we speak about literally every character that has appeared in the Miyagi-verse, so it’s obvious that we’ve spoken about Julie Pierce. As to whether or not she’ll return to the series, that’s something you’ll just have to wait to find out”
66. The cast list for Season One was announced on October 24, 2017, and included Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan, and Courtney Henggeler
67. Ed Asner was cast in a guest role as Johnny’s verbally abusive step-father, Sid Weinberg
68. On December 19, 2017, Vanessa Rubio joined the cast as Miguel’s mother
69. Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Xolo Mariduena, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, and Courtney Henggeler all returned for the second season
70. With Paul Walter Hauser and Peyton List joining the cast
71. Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Xolo Mariduena, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, and Courtney Henggeler all returned for the third season
72. Elisabeth Shue (Ali Mills), Tamlyn Tomita (Kumiko), and Yuji Okumoto (Chozen Toguchi) all made guest appearances as well