Netflix's 65-Episode Action Series Based On An Iconic '80s Movie Picked The Perfect Time To End

Published Sep 4, 2026, 10:30 PM EDT

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One of Netflix's best action shows chose the perfect time to end after having an incredible 6-season run. The show in question, Cobra Kai, was conceived as a spin-off of the iconic Karate Kid franchise. After many previously failed attempts of reviving the Karate Kid franchise, even Cobra Kai seemed doomed to meet the same fate.

Cobra Kai initially landed on YouTube Red and remained relatively obscure because of the limited reach of the streaming platform. It probably would not have gone past two seasons if it had stayed there. However, after finding its place on Netflix's streaming catalog, the show experienced a sudden surge in popularity. This paved the way for it to have a long four-year run.

Most shows that last for six whole seasons eventually end up running their plots a little too thin. They run out of storytelling ideas and keep repeating the same narrative threads before eventually reaching their conclusions. Fortunately, Cobra Kai is a rare series that avoids this trap and finds the perfect time to close its story.

Cobra Kai Ended Before Its Premise Began To Wear Thin

Credit: MovieStillsDB

Cobra Kai's early appeal came from its ability to flip the dynamic from the original Karate Kid movie. It portrayed the first movie's villain, Johnny Lawrence, as its main underdog hero, while portraying the original hero, Johnny Lawrene, as a morally flawed protagonist. While at it, the show also introduced a whole new roster of young fighters who fall into different rivaling karate factions.

Almost throughout its run, Cobra Kai avoided antagonizing any factions. This added to the show's appeal because it gave viewers many characters to root for.

However, after Cobra Kai's unique spin on the Karate Kid movies' story started fading, it did get a little repetitive with its storytelling. With each new season, characters jumped to new factions and prepared to flaunt their karate skills at the local tournament. Despite adopting a very similar formula throughout its run, though, Cobra Kai found creative ways to keep things intriguing.

It gave well-written redemption arcs to characters who almost seemed irredeemable. The show even leveraged nostalgia to remind its mature audience of '80s and '90s' pop culture. Instead of being invested in one or two characters, the show also gave equal importance to side characters.

Before these aspects of its story could run thin and become a little too redundant, the show ended its run on its terms with season 6. Cobra Kai season 6 perfectly raised the stakes by being the first installment in the franchise to feature an international karate kid tournament. With this, it delivered a high-stakes finale that wrapped its run on an incredibly high note.

Cobra Kai Still Has Room For Spinoffs, Even With The Main Show Over

Little seems to be known about what lies ahead for the Karate Kid franchise. While Cobra Kai remains one of its best offerings, Karate Kid: Legends struggled to leave its mark. A closer look at Cobra Kai's ending arc reveals that there is room for many more stories in the franchise. For instance, Robby Keene and Tory Nichols seem to dip their feet in the world of professional karate towards the series' end.

A whole new spin-off could be dedicated to their journeys as professional fighters as they navigate more high-stakes showdowns and their romantic relationship.

Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso, too, could get their own standalone spin-off show where the two characters team up to train a whole new generation of fighters. A Mr. Miyagi prequel/spin-off also sounds like a great idea for the franchise to continue its run after Cobra Kai. With so many narrative threads left to unlock, Cobra Kai could eventually return to Netflix in some capacity.

Cobra Kai

8/10

Cobra Kai is a sequel series continuing the narrative of the Karate Kid saga, set 30 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence seeking redemption by reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, who strives to maintain balance in his life.