Netflix has a serious effect on the way we consume media and if you take Cobra Kai as an example, it also has a way of turning an obscure YouTube series from 2018 into a bonafide hit.
Number one on Netflix Australia right now, the original series — which ran for two seasons on the video platform, is already in talks for a third just under a week after its debut on the streaming service.
For fans of The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai is an 80s tween dream. It’s a decade’s later sequel which stars the original main cast members, William Zabka and Ralph Macchio.
This time, they’re all grown up with Macchio (who doesn’t look a day over 30), already 58 years old. If that doesn’t floor you, he was actually 22-years-old when he played Daniel in the 1984 flick.
Cobra Kai has received a 96% audience score on RottenTomatoes which is really saying something. Most notably, it proves its appeal to the original fans who grew up with it and now their children who are following suit.
The series is set 34 years after the original film and re-examines the narrative from Johnny Lawrence’s (Zabka) point of view. His decision to reopen the Cobra Kai karate dojo leads to the rekindling of his old rivalry with Daniel LaRusso (Macchio).
Like any other Netflix hit, Netflix’s offering is completely bingeable with ten episodes sitting around thirty minutes each. That’s one night of viewing per season.
Due to its popularity, the streaming giant has already confirmed a third season coming in 2021.
Film and show creator, John Hurwitz, spoke to Slash Film about the upcoming season and potential spin-offs.
“It’s hard for me to give you an exact answer to this, but what I can say is that we have a list of at least five different scenarios that we would pursue, that we could consider,” he told the outlet.
“Now, some of them are untraditional. Some of them are unlike any kind of spin-off you’ve ever seen before. But, every time we’re writing episodes of the show, we’re falling in love with the characters that we’re creating and examining characters from the past.”
Hurwitz alluded to the fact that we may be seeing different timelines and different characters down the track.
“Within the world of ‘Cobra Kai,’ there are certain things that you can explore and certain things that don’t fit into that particular box, but there may be opportunities down the road to break out one of these characters and get to know them better or to explore different times in characters’ lives,” he said.
It’s clear that Netflix is on to something good by purchasing series that have already been in the streaming stratosphere — on fewer favoured services.
Lucifer, a supremely popular TV series in the United States, was only just pipped from the number one post on Netflix Australia by Cobra Kai this week (at the time of publishing).
The series revolves around Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), i.e. the Devil, who abandons Hell for Los Angeles where he runs his own nightclub named ‘LUX’ and becomes a consultant to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The series, which originally aired on cable TV in the States, has now become a worldwide phenomenon — raising Ellis’ star power and fans calling for a sixth season.
Whichever series you watch next, there’s no doubt that Netflix is a powerhouse and one that cannot be beaten.
WATCH: The official trailer for Cobra Kai.