MovieChat Forums > Cobra Kai (2018) Discussion > Season 4 a bit of a letdown (Spoilers)

Season 4 a bit of a letdown (Spoilers)

posted 3 years ago by Snoopy828 (586)
44 replies | jump to latest

I'm sorry but after a much, much, anticipated return...the return of Terry Silver felt flat. You tried to dissect and be self aware of what was in part III that you took all the air out of the balloon. You didn't let Terry Silver be Terry Silver until the last episode.

The conflict between Kreese and Silver was 1000% unearned. Did they forget that Kreese was totally humbled in the opening of part III. He never threw it in Terry's face that he saved him in Vietnam. Terry in an attempt to build his friend back up, kept pumping him up that John saved him. They were equals, they were brothers. Terry felt that HE owed John, not that John felt Terry owed him. The show tried to play it that Terry was underneath John, and dare I say scared of him. It just didn't work. Terry was not scared of anyone. Again they equals, and on the same page with everything they did.

Here they had them passively aggressively fighting like a bunch of old hens. I'm sorry Cobra Kai creators. I know you guys are super fans, and we love you for it but the way you handled the Silver/Kreese dynamic was a total failure.

The Johnny one liners were great "I learned feminism for this". Some cool scenes. But overall this season was the worst for me.

[–] Fredo (64) 3 years ago

I liked the season overall, but I agree with your feeling about Terry Silver.
Just didn't feel like the same character.
I guess he was supposed to be different seeing in how he was older and said he put that stuff behind him.

It could have been that their relationship was always like that but at the beginning of Part III Kreese was at his lowest point and knew Silver would help him.
But the ending more than made up for it.
That ending was Terry Silver.

[–] Chris822cats (394) 3 years ago

There are two ways to look at it. Either, Terry genuinely did change and being around Kreese brought his former personality back slowly but surely. Or, Terry just learned to put on a less intimidating public face and was secretly plotting to take over Cobra Kai from Kreese all along.

[–] Saenzwa9 (492) 3 years ago

Most likely the former. At first Terry had no interest in anything to do with Cobra Kai. I think when Kreese stopped him from beating the crap out of Johnny is when he planned to usurp Cobra Kai. He figured out Johnny was Kreese's weakness, and that Kreese was his own weakness.

[–] AP (5288) 3 years ago

When we met Terry in KK3, the show revealed he had a cocaine addiction during the time (I don’t think the movie mentioned this but… he definitely seemed the type). Meanwhile, as you mentioned, Kreese was at his lowest point. The dynamic had changed a lot since then. I was okay with that.

[–] millsey72 (10372) 3 years ago

Yea the cocaine addiction admission doesn't add up because Karate Kid part 3 took place in the 80s and cocaine didn't become prevalent in society till the early 2000s

[–] fzane (1119) 3 years ago

LMAO! No way! The 80s was King for Cocaine! Early 2000s was the Ecstasy Era!

[–] millsey72 (10372) 3 years ago

You don't sound like a good person. Were you an addict too during this time?

[–] Enigmaticocean77 (2446) 3 years ago

I was a preteen right up until the last year of the 80s, and therefore I didn't do drugs, but some of the guys that I worked for in the 90s and 2000s (who were about a decade older than I) said that they had tons of coke parties in the 80s. It's very plausible that Silver had a coke addiction during the 1980s. Recreational drug use of any kind was looked down upon until the early 2000s. Very few people prior to that were open about doing drugs. Sure you had the clique at school doing it, and everyone knew who they were, but for the most part it was kept in the dark.

[–] fzane (1119) 3 years ago

So I don't drink I don't do drugs.... anymore. I used to take drugs, and I quit, but I'll tell ya somethin: I have nothin against drugs whatsoever. That's kind of weird huh? You've never heard that one huh? I'm someone who used to take drugs, quit and have nothin against them. Wow never heard it huh?
I'll tell ya somethin else, I know this is not a very popular idea, and ya don't hear it very often anymore, but it's the truth:
I have taken drugs before, and I had a......REAL GOOD TIME! Sorry!
I didn't murder anybody, didn't rob anybody, didn't rape anybody, didn't beat anybody, didn't lose one f*#king job, laughed my ass off, and went about my day... Sorry!
Hahaha, and now with that said, you sound like a schmuck who is afraid of CONvid, and too scared to come out from under your bed! I betcha you're gearin up to spend the rest of your life in a medical mask, and takin five booster shots a year! I'll end up seeing you in the back of a medical tent after your next jab, and wishin you would had the balls to have some real fun in your life before it got snuffed out by the SCAMdemic!

[–] Bigt (114) 3 years ago

lol what?? No clue what you're talking about there, bud. Please get a clue.

[–] millsey72 (10372) 3 years ago

So you were an addict during this time? Why would I want to get any kind of clue from you?

[–] Bigt (114) 3 years ago

No, I just know a bit of history unlike you. Again, get a clue lol.

[–] StinkyPoopyPants (3121) 3 years ago

Cocaine was very much prevalent in the 80's. One might even say the 80's was when cocaine boomed. It was everywhere. His cocaine addiction is not unreal or shocking at all.

[–] Enigmaticocean77 (2446) 3 years ago

Yeah, I wasn't shocked by that. It actually made complete sense.

[–] Galactus03 (4375) 3 years ago

Well to explain the silliness of part 3 we now know Silver was on cocaine...😂.....without it apparently hes not as aggressive well until the final episode....I think the dynamic works on many levels ..

[–] Snoopy828 (586) 3 years ago

Respectfully disagree

[–] Galactus03 (4375) 3 years ago

What would you have them do?? He was being his old asshole self at the end. This time no cocaine..lol

[–] Snoopy828 (586) 3 years ago

I would have had them working together like they worked together in Part III, plain and simple. I could have done without the bickering,and forced conflict. I know this show is full of forced conflict but here, with these two characters it just didn't work.

Although the cocaine line was good for a laugh, I didn't need an explanation as to why Terry acted the way he did in KKIII. It worked, it was OTT, funny, the whole package, all part of his charm. Subduing him here made him boring. Yes I know he was himself by the end, but it took us 10 episodes to get there. Why??

It almost felt like Season 4 was a setup season, the same way several Marvel movies feel like setup movies for the next big event movie. Here's hoping S5 can rebound

[–] Galactus03 (4375) 3 years ago

Well the cocaine thing I think was a wink to the fans. One of the grips about that movie was why would a billionaire bother with a 17 year old kid and old man. I have even said it over the last year or two. Haha...
It was Just like at the city meeting when t he guy yelled out about Daniel being the bully...😂...making fun of the YouTube video of course.
I enjoy little call outsi to the fans and critiques of the previous films.

[–] StinkyPoopyPants (3121) 3 years ago

"It was Just like at the city meeting when t he guy yelled out about Daniel being the bully...😂...making fun of the YouTube video of course.
I enjoy little call outsi to the fans and critiques of the previous films."

That made me laugh! I love those little jokes too!

[–] Sidha108 (2688) 3 years ago

Season 4 feels weaker than the previous season (and kind of rushed too) but still quite enjoyable. I was expecting there to be more backlash from Johnny about Daniel keeping his one-time allegiance to Cobra Kai a secret after all this time. Also I thought Daniel would come to help Johnny fight Kreese and Silver in the old Cobra Kai dojo like Miyagi did with Daniel in KK3. I’m still excited for Season 5, but if it’s underwhelming or goes in a “woke” direction, I will probably check out on Season 6.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

I found the committee not wanting to pit boys against girls to be Anti Woke and pretty brave. Johnny gets away with stuff like that but the other characters not so much. When I saw Silver without his shirt on it looked like he had man boobs and then I couldn't help but wonder if his character is going to be trans or if it was just the way the actors body is.

I would hate to see this show go Woke.

[–] Sidha108 (2688) 3 years ago

Me too!

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 3 years ago

I actually found that pretty woke; they don't want to show men beating up women. It's similar to what happened in wrestling.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

It's a dilemma isn't it? On the one hand they keep saying women are just as strong and good as men on the other they can't let them fight each other as the woman will most likely get beaten to a pulp.

It depends on the version of Woke I guess. I'm not Woke at all and I think not allowing them to fight each other is a good idea.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 3 years ago

Wasn't trying to label you one way or the other. I was definitely alluding to that dilemma you laid out for sure. And gender and racial politics often are complicated.

I mean, there's no way to know for sure...but I feel pretty confident that the reason for the separation isn't because they're trying to acknowledge physical differences between biological men and women. But again, my bias just stems from consuming media that has seemed loathe to depict physical damage upon women, especially at the hands of a man.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

It's cool. I didn't take it personally or anyway at all.

I just found it interesting in the show as they had to admit to themselves that it isn't a good look for a man to be beating up on a woman that way.

Woke would probably be against physical contact aggressive sports in general anyway.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 3 years ago

Woke would probably be against physical contact aggressive sports in general anyway.

lmao. Yeah. A sport that is literally all about aggressive, physical violence.

[–] Colorado_Kid (214) 3 years ago

One thing I noticed about Terry Silver's character was when he is about to eat breakfast and told his servant he wasn't hungry. The servant asked him if he should call a doctor and Silver says no he will just go or a ride. This gave me the impression that he was having a health issue but nothing came of it.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

The servant seemed very upset that he didn't eat the creation which I think he made especially for him. Silver was probably just acting different than usual so the servant thought he was ill. But he doesn't look healthy either.

[–] PaladinNJ (21528) 3 years ago

I think the reason he doesn't look healthy is that it appears Griffith has had a facelift. Ironic when you consider that he's actually younger than Ralph Macchio.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

Never would have picked that even though there is only a year difference, Griffith looks in his late 60's early 70's. Macchio more or less looks his age.

Face lifts usually make people look worse I have noticed.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

This season was a lot more serious than previous ones. I wasn't into the Terry Silver story line or character. So now we just have a new Kreese basically, a smarter more business orientated one.

I am not sure where they can really take this next season. It seems the story will just repeat itself.

[–] Snoopy828 (586) 3 years ago

Agreed. So now what? They're going to redeem Kreese. They better not

[–] Galactus03 (4375) 3 years ago

Well for long running series the villain sometime becomes the hero and vice versa. Redemption and than usually death. Not many places they can take these characters now. I'm assuming that kressen will be giving advice to Daniel on how to stop Silver from jail.

Hopefully we will get one season where the team goes to Okinawa or something. Than just end it there. This premise can only go so far and it will start to break down soon.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 3 years ago

This. I think it would be far too cheesy, even by their own standards to have Kreese redeem himself and become a hero. But I can totally see them having a temporary "enemy of my enemy is my friend" arrangement, with Kreese assisting Daniel from a prison divider.

[–] Galactus03 (4375) 3 years ago

Yup. I am almost 100% sure this will happen. In the end Kresse will die or become a more toned down sensei. Lol

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

It would appear he still has a soft spot for Johnny and it wouldn't surprise me if in the next season Kreese joins Eagle Fang to get revenge on Silver. Ho hum. I think I would have preferred a couple of solid seasons than to watch them run it into the ground.

The nostalgia of bringing back characters from the films is pretty worn out now. I don't think many would have cared about Silver or the Japanese bad guy that Larusso fought. Seeing Hilary Swank's character would probably be good but I doubt that would happen.

[–] Snoopy828 (586) 3 years ago

I'm all for bringing back legacy characters when it makes sense. Ali's two episodes made complete sense, and I don't have to see Elizabeth Shue again because I think they accomplished everything they needed to in those two episodes, ditto for Kumiko. I felt the same way about Chozen but he's coming back again, and I hope the writers don't ruin it, it can go either way.

And the point of my thread in the first place is that I was a big fan of the Terry Silver character, and a lifelong defender of part III (as ridiculous as it was). I wasn't really happy with what we got here. Like I said earlier, it took 10 episodes to set up the return of Terry and that was too long. It could be great in Season 5, but as far as Season 4 went it didn't really do it for me. But that's just me

As for other legacy characters the only ones I really need going forward are Lucille and maybe Bobby. Lucille was such a massive part of the first movie, and it's nice seeing her again here. Plus she's Daniel's mom so it'll always make sense to bring her back.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

Everyone was hanging to see Ali again and yes it did make sense and fit in perfectly.

Silver coming back feels very forced especially the way they have done it. So he is wealthy and of course older, he likes to play piano and eat tofu and yet somehow wants to go back to Karate, specifically Cobra Kai? We find out he has an ulterior motive but as you say it takes the whole season to see it play out.

Only a minor type character but asides from Miyagi also Daniel's first and only friend in KK - Freddy, it would be good to see him turn up at some point. Even just in passing like buying a new car etc.

[–] brrrrStickem (64) 3 years ago

I believe in Season 4, Terry Silver was only acting scared of Kreese. It was all part of his plan to lure Kreese into the trap that he laid out. Silver was in control the whole time.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

You can see it in the training sessions. Silver is more balanced than Kreese. Kreese would have been better off leaving him alone.

[–] brrrrStickem (64) 3 years ago

For sure! Kreese is still a lost soul.

[–] Mustang (5444) 3 years ago

As a character he is very one dimensional. It's all about anger and revenge, winning at any cost. He's learned nothing at all and is really no more wise than his young students.