Ace Degenerate

This episode is great, it beautifully shows that Johnny Lawrence's life hasn't been going to good at all, he is just a pretty depressed alcoholic now, he doesn't care about the outside world and he's just still living in the 80s. This episode is great because after showing us now Johnny's life is going he decides to help a kid and get back into karate, this is the at the end of the episode and it perfectly sets up the next episode.

So basically now we have seen how Johnny's life is going and we know he's gonna help a kid learn karate, this is great, this invest's people into the show, they wanna se what happens to this kid Johnny's decided to help!

I was very skeptical when a Karate Kid TV show was announced. The first movie has become an all-time classic and while its two sequels or reboot have not been well-received and have not aged well, there was always that healthy dose of corny nostalgia, powerful character moments and Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi to bring any moviegoer back to the franchise. So I was pleasantly surprised when "Ace Degenerate", the launch of Cobra Kai was such a home-run. William Zabka really soled me on Johnny Lawrence and the fact that we are getting a reverse-plot is even better. The show really aims to portray Johnny as an anti-hero of sort, and succeeds in doing so. Seeing Ralph Macchio also co-star is just as fun as it was seeing him in the movies and the rest of the teenage cast help modernise the otherwise those occasional wacky 80's vibes. That's one gripe I have with the series so far. It seems a little to stuck in its time-period to move forward and thus the entire premise feels a little forced. However, when you take into account the fun story, well-written characters and the surprising amount of respect for the source "material", Cobra Kai is shaping up to be something special.

I like the bit where Daniel gives away free banzai trees. What a great gimmick

I don't have time to write a review for each episode. This is for Season One as a whole.

Somehow, they've recreated the magic of The Karate Kid while doing it in a modern and surprising way. This is terrifically entertaining television programming. It has just the right amount and level of 80s nostalgia. It deals with modern issues in an expert way, which seems like it wouldn't be possible with characters pulled straight from a mid-80s movie.

Thankfully, they aren't in your face with any political issues that would alienate half the audience. It's just a fun show. Yet, at the same time I have teared up more than once, which shows that they caused me to care for these characters more than I ever did in the movies. Quite a feat.

Priceless twist on one of my top childhood movies. LaRusso plays the the clown sporting a combover/toupe and Johnny the antihero is still living in the past.

I love the story and am just now watching episode 2. So far its great!