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Cobra Kai
S1.E2
All episodesAll
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IMDbPro

Strike First

  • Episode aired May 2, 2018
  • TV-14
  • 28m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
5.8K
YOUR RATING
Ralph Macchio and William Zabka in Cobra Kai (2018)
Martial ArtsTeen DramaActionComedyDramaSport

Daniel is dismayed to find a new Cobra Kai dojo has been opened up. Johnny learns his dojo has to pass several safety requirements before he can actually start teaching.Daniel is dismayed to find a new Cobra Kai dojo has been opened up. Johnny learns his dojo has to pass several safety requirements before he can actually start teaching.Daniel is dismayed to find a new Cobra Kai dojo has been opened up. Johnny learns his dojo has to pass several safety requirements before he can actually start teaching.

  • Directors
    • Jon Hurwitz
    • Hayden Schlossberg
  • Writers
    • Robert Mark Kamen
    • Josh Heald
    • Jon Hurwitz
  • Stars
    • Ralph Macchio
    • William Zabka
    • Courtney Henggeler
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    5.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Jon Hurwitz
      • Hayden Schlossberg
    • Writers
      • Robert Mark Kamen
      • Josh Heald
      • Jon Hurwitz
    • Stars
      • Ralph Macchio
      • William Zabka
      • Courtney Henggeler
    • 9User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos25

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    Top cast27

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    Ralph Macchio
    Ralph Macchio
    • Daniel LaRusso
    William Zabka
    William Zabka
    • Johnny Lawrence
    Courtney Henggeler
    Courtney Henggeler
    • Amanda LaRusso
    Xolo Maridueña
    Xolo Maridueña
    • Miguel Diaz
    Tanner Buchanan
    Tanner Buchanan
    • Robby Keene
    Mary Mouser
    Mary Mouser
    • Samantha LaRusso
    Joe Seo
    Joe Seo
    • Kyler Park
    Annalisa Cochrane
    Annalisa Cochrane
    • Yasmine
    Bo Mitchell
    Bo Mitchell
    • Brucks
    Gianni DeCenzo
    Gianni DeCenzo
    • Demetri
    • (as Gianni Decenzo)
    Jacob Bertrand
    Jacob Bertrand
    • Eli 'Hawk' Moskowitz
    Hannah Kepple
    Hannah Kepple
    • Moon
    Dawson Towery
    Dawson Towery
    • Rory
    Jonathan Mercedes
    • A.J.
    Griffin Santopietro
    Griffin Santopietro
    • Anthony LaRusso
    Linda Boston
    Linda Boston
    • Mrs. Jenkins
    Chris Mason
    Chris Mason
    • Isaiah Robinson
    Nichole Brown
    Nichole Brown
    • Aisha Robinson
    • (as Nichole La'net Brown)
    • Directors
      • Jon Hurwitz
      • Hayden Schlossberg
    • Writers
      • Robert Mark Kamen
      • Josh Heald
      • Jon Hurwitz
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    8.15.7K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    8Calicodreamin

    got any fish sticks?

    A good follow up to ep 1, showing the difference between LaRusso and Johnny's lives. Decent acting and good use of archival footage from the movies.
    8Hey_Sweden

    Mercy is for the weak.

    Johnny learns that his newly acquired dojo will require meeting a number of safety requirements before he can actually begin teaching. To that end, he has his first student, the put-upon Miguel (an excellent, and likeable, Xolo Mariduena) put in lots of physical labor. Meanwhile, we get more of a look at Daniels' home life, with his wife (Courtney Henggeler) and daughter (Mary Mouser), and son (Griffin Santopietro).

    Effective bits include the portrayal of high school life for characters like Miguel. He tries asserting himself with a girl from a different clique, as one of the lessons Johnny has taught him is that hesitation NEVER pays off.

    We also get to see another aspect of Johnny's life. As it turns out, he has his own teenage son (Tanner Buchanan) who is currently a true bad seed.

    It's nice to see Daniel continue to get fleshed out as a character at this point in his life. He's doing his best to be a responsible father; however, when he "over-reacts" to a pool party thrown by his daughter, it's easy enough to see things from his point of view. He is admittedly thrown for a loop when he sees that Johnny is re-opening the Cobra Kai dojo. This leads to a solid confrontation wherein Daniel is certain that Johnny is acting like decades haven't gone by (and HE does instruct Miguel the same way that his old sensei Kreese would do), and Johnny informs him that he might not know that much about his daughter and her friends.

    The show-runners here have done a superb job of building anticipation for all of the further developments in this series.

    One hearty laugh occurs early on when the building inspector mistakes the cobra in the logo for a rattlesnake, and mispronounces the word "kai".

    Eight out of 10.
    8highmarksreviews

    Strike First

    Indeed, the flurry of nostalgic thrills seem to continue in "Strike First". While not nearly as well-paced as "Ace Degenerate", it serves as a worthy follow-up and opens up new doors for the series. The opening of the Cobra Kai dojo on Johnny's (William Zabka) behalf is a neat storyline to follow and I'm interested to see how he will be able to balance having to deal with Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and his new students. Macchio had a little more screen time here, allowing him to really show us what his family is like and what he has matured into. The scene where the two are standing in the new dojo was absolutely wonderful and we may actually get that showdown this season.
    8Better_TV

    An Excellent Follow Up to Episode 1

    This is a fantastic follow up to the first episode. Here we explore more of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio)'s life, mostly as it pertains to his wife (Courtney Henggeler) and daughter (Mary Mouser). The former seems to be a lot more acclimated to the rich upper-class life the LaRusso family now leads; Macchio, meanwhile, is convincing as a guy whose wealth was earned, not inherited. He is from New Jersey after all, as established in the first "Karate Kid" film. Exploring Daniel's character more in this episode also helps remove some of the d-baggery that hung over his brief appearance in episode 1.

    Outside of that, there's decent work by the kids in the cast, one of whom, Xolo Maridueña, is taken under Johnny (William Zabka)'s wing at the new Cobra Kai dojo. And Joe Seo is suitably arrogant and vicious as Daniel's daughter's love interest; the scrapes and bruises he got in the first episode lead Daniel to assume he was the victim, not the aggressor, all culminating in an electric confrontation between Johnny and Daniel at the end. It's worth the wait.

    This is about as good a reboot/revival/continuation as I've seen from Hollywood in quite awhile. As long as the scripts can keep Johnny and Daniel front and center, this one looks like it'll be a winner.
    6Prismark10

    Strike First

    Strike First explores more of Daniel LaRusso, the boy from New Jersey make good. Yet dark clouds hover. He runs a successful business, has a nice house with a beautiful wife. Yet it was his daughter Samantha who crashed into Johnny's car and drove away. She is also going out with bad boy Kyler the one who was beating up Miguel before Johnny intervened.

    Daniel is perturbed when he sees Johnny's new dojo leading to a face to face meeting with less bonhomie and reminiscing from Daniel compared to their earlier encounter.

    Of course things still do not look good for Johnny. We see him get brushed off by his estranged son. He also gets Miguel to get the dojo into shape so he can get a license and insurance to operate. However his teaching methods leave a lot to be desired. He makes that music teacher from the movie Whiplash look like a pussycat!

    Related interests

    Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon (1973)
    Martial Arts
    Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club (1985)
    Teen Drama
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball (2011)
    Sport

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Johnny says to Miguel, "We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, on the street, in competition, a man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy. Is there a problem, Mr. Diaz?" In Karate Kid, Kreese gives this same speech except at the end he says to Johnny, "Is there a problem, Mr. Lawrence?"
    • Goofs
      When Daniel enters Johnny's Dojo, the door chimes, but when he leaves, there is no sound.
    • Quotes

      Johnny Lawrence: And change that ringtone. Get some Guns N' Roses or something.

      Miguel: What's Guns N' Roses?

      Johnny Lawrence: I'm going to pretend you didn't say that.

    • Connections
      Features The Karate Kid (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      Ain't That a Kick in the Head?
      Written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn

      Performed by Dean Martin

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 2, 2018 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Atlanta, Georgia, USA
    • Production companies
      • Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions
      • Overbrook Entertainment
      • Sony Pictures Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 28m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital

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