Former NBA superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar revealed his thoughts on why his friend and costar the late Bruce Lee would have loved Cobra Kai's philosophical approach to martial arts as a storytelling device.
In an op-ed for The Hollywood Reporter, the former NBA star stated that much of the original Karate Kid's success can be traced back to Lee's martial arts skills on cinema and television during the 1960s and 1970s. Initially learning about Cobra Kai during his time working on the Veronica Mars reboot, it wasn't until recently that he got to watch the show on Netflix, and he loved its redemptive arc centered around Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) instead of former protagonist Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). According to Abdul-Jabbar, what Cobra Kai does well as a show is "balance the combat with the conscience," a trait Bruce Lee regularly incorporated into his teachings.
Expanding upon this, Abdul-Jabbar explained that Lee "saw martial arts not just as a way to defend against enemies, but as a way to defend against one’s own self-destructive impulses." This can be seen in the development of both adult characters, with Johnny gradually realizing the harm of Cobra Kai's original "No mercy" mantra and Daniel letting go of his adulthood hubris and reconnecting with the spiritual teachings he learned from Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). Contrasting their warring ideologies, he explains how Miyagi-Do uses "the way of water, gently adapting to the forces that would destroy you to defeat them," whereas Cobra Kai, especially under John Kreese (Martin Kove), teaches a "way of fear, using the hammer to pound the enemy into submission."
Abdul-Jabbar further noted that if Lee were to have any critiques about Cobra Kai, it would mostly involve the slowed down karate choreography amongst the show's teenagers and adult characters. He also personally cited the lack of direct consequences from authorities in Season 3 at both West Valley High School and local police as a noticeable plot hole that made little sense.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar studied Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee during his college years at UCLA, with the two becoming close friends up until Lee's tragic death in 1973. Shortly before his passing, Abdul-Jabbar starred as the antagonist "Hakim" in Lee's final movie, Game of Death, the last in a series of four films that turned him into a cultural and martial arts icon.
Cobra Kai stars William Zabka, Ralph Macchio, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan, Jacob Bertrand, Gianni DeCenzo, Peyton List and Martin Kove. All three seasons are available to stream on Netflix.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter