Emmy Catch-Up: Cobra Kai

Every year, I watch the six submitted episodes of every series I don’t regularly watch that’s up for one of the Emmy series prizes. Last year, I started watching the entire season of each show to get a better idea of the quality I missed, and I’ve decided to continue that this year.

Cobra Kai: Season 3, Episode 8 “The Good, The Bad, and The Badass” (B)

I really have a hard time believing, once again, that Kreese is so willing to say what he needs to in order to convince people in power that he’s a good person but that he teaches only viciousness to his students. If he was going to try that hard to get people to let him do what he wants, what is he actually trying to achieve? I’m also, eight episodes in, not quite understanding how this is a comedy series, because while most of the lines that come out of Johnny’s mouth are intended to showcase his lack of seriousness and maturity, everything else that’s going on is pretty dramatic, if considerably campy. By the end of that city council meeting, all three sensei seemed equally petty and held in poor regard by the council, who only reversed their discussion because of the students who emphasized its impact. It was nice to see the joint passion shared by Sam and Miguel, but of course that connection came at the wrong time when Robby showed up and was then convinced that they were in a relationship, having moved on before he was in prison. That was likely the last straw for him that could have sent him on the right path, and now he’s headed straight for more trouble with Kreese. Somehow, Johnny managed to win Carmen over, which is sure not to last too long, and there’s even a budding relationship between Demetri and Yas that they both aren’t doing a great job of pretending doesn’t exist.