‘Cobra Kai’, which has been successfully broadcast on the streaming service for the past few seasons, will be released on Netflix from July 18. The series is now coming to an end.

There is one wrinkle in terms of scheduling for this final run, though –– as with several of the company’s other hits (“Bridgerton,” “Stranger Things”) –– Season 6 has been split into separate parts. This first part will be followed by Part 2 on November 28 and Part 3 sometime in 2025.

Fans may be disappointed that the show has come to an end, but they can rest assured that the quality of the show overall has not declined.

Related Article: Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan to Team Up for New ‘Karate Kid’ Movie

Is ‘Cobra Kai’ Still Showing No Mercy?

Although the season is split into three parts, creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have promised that each five-episode series will tell its own story within the larger arc. And the first part proves that to be true.

What does work about the series is still the same: the comedy and action still blend, and the characters are still entertaining (with one exception; more on that later).

‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6: Script and Direction

As Season 6 begins, the story largely picks up from the previous season –– Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), the two main senseis who have finally defeated Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) and the revived Cobra Kai dojo, attempt to find a way to successfully merge their dojos and teaching methods. And despite the fact that they have put their differences to rest, friction still lingers.

There are two more major writing issues –– first, it’s still tricky, especially in a shorter season, to service the large cast and find interesting things to do with both the older and younger characters. Daniel and Johnny get the lion’s share of the fun, of course, but some of the kids’ storylines eventually veer into soap opera territory.

The other is potentially more serious (though hardly serious in tone), though largely isolated in its own storyline: a nonsensical subplot involving Johnny’s old teacher John Kreese (Martin Cove), who has been an occasional arch-villain on the show. In this final episode, he goes on a misguided mission to recruit new students, and there’s an entire sequence involving a snake that’s so up his nose it’s ridiculous.

Direction has never been the show’s selling point –– it’s perfectly adequate, but it rarely disrupts the cinematic stylings of other Peak TV shows, or even other Netflix offerings. But the character work remains solid.

‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6: Appearances

As we said about the script, there aren’t always that many solid storylines to go around. But the cast, as always, is happy to throw themselves into these roles.

Raph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso

The heart and soul of the franchise since the original ‘Karate Kid’ franchise, ‘Cobra Kai’ has allowed Macchio to bring out different sides and shades of the character, including the fact that he can sometimes lean into his arrogant side. But for the most part, he’s still the Daniel we know and respect, with a solid side storyline that sees him discover a side of his late mentor, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), that he never knew.

William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence

If anyone really benefited from Cobra Kai in terms of character work, it’s Zabka. He found the space to expand what was a standard villain (albeit with some depth) into a full-fledged wannabe badass with a brain and a point of view stuck in the 80s. He’s endlessly entertaining, and you can definitely empathize with his attempts to be a better person (while still being an idiot at times).

Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso

Courtney Henggeler played a supporting role as Daniel’s wife in previous seasons, but her role has been expanded considerably in the final season. And for good reason: she is a comedic assassin who can also stir up emotions.

Martin Kove as John Kreese

It always feels a bit like Kreese, unlike Johnny, has outlived his usefulness in the story. Yet the writers keep bringing him back. That’s not really the fault of Kove, who’s an all-in actor, but Kreese’s pantomime side often makes him feel like a throwback rather than a well-rounded character.

As for the rest of the cast, we’d like to give a shout-out to Yuji Okumoto as Chozen, a late addition to the series (who already appeared in ‘The Karate Kid Part II’) who has proven to be a very welcome addition to the show, with a talent for comedy, drama, and action.

And while some of the teenage characters sometimes veer towards melodrama, they are always fun to watch. Especially star actor Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz is a favorite.

‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6: Final Thoughts

We’ll be sad to see Cobra Kai go, but A) based on this evidence, at least it’s going to go away while there are still worthwhile stories to tell. And B) there will be 10 more episodes.

And the mix of comedy, drama and (although there is less of it in this first part) martial arts action remains strong. ‘Cobra Kai’ is still a top film.

‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part 1 gets 8.5 out of 10 stars.

What is the story of ‘Cobra Kai’ Season 6 Part 1?

The TV sequel to the ‘Karate Kid’ film franchise.

With Cobra Kai eliminated from the Valley, our senseis (Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio)) and students must decide if and how to compete in the Sekai Taikai, the world karate championships.

Who else is in ‘Cobra Kai’ season 6 part 1?

The cast of ‘Cobra Kai’ also includes Martin Kove, Santopietro and Oona O’Brien.

Other films and TV shows in ‘The Karate Kid’ franchise:

Buy ‘The Karate Kid’ Movies on Amazon