I never intended to watch Cobra Kai. My initial response to the first season’s trailer was one of discomfort; it appeared to be a poorly executed contemporary teen drama capitalizing on an older martial arts series from the 1980s. However, I'm happy to admit that my assessment wasn't entirely accurate. It is true that it functions as a teen soap opera, but enough of what made the original Karate Kid movies appealing has carried over, making it somewhat endearing and worth viewing, even for an older demographic. The return of characters from those earlier films—characters I recall fondly from my own teenage years—kept me engaged. The first four seasons thoughtfully expand on the elements that contributed to the original films' popularity. Unfortunately, season five leans more toward a didactic soap opera than karate-based action. The lighthearted humor characteristic of prior seasons is largely missing as well. The tone feels inappropriately preachy and solemn, which I believe is an error. Even during its darker periods, this series never took itself overly seriously—and it shouldn't, considering the larger-than-life, almost comic book quality that permeates everything. To put it simply, seasons one through four are enjoyable. In contrast, season five seems to lack a defined purpose and, more significantly, appears to misunderstand what the franchise embodies. I suspect it’s time to end this trip down memory lane.

Source on TMDB