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Isometric Bacon
Jul 24, 2004

Let's get naked!
Answering the question no one's really asking, looking at the snake in the dealership scene again, I'm pretty sure there's two RAV4s, a Camry and a Lexus, and I saw two Prius in an earlier scene. So all Toyota brands in the dealership this season (from my very brief look at a couple of scenes).



So, might not actually mean anything other than production realities, but it might have been intentional simply to have clearly 'Japanese' cars, or it could be a product placement thing that changed when Toyota didn't want the way their company does business being a part of the story, hence the whole Doyona thing.

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MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

Isometric Bacon posted:

They definitely say Doyona. There's a Fx shot of a large building in Tokyo with it written on a tower.

I wouldn't be surprised if, as others suspected, they found they couldn't use the word Toyota and had to dub it afterwards, or otherwise they just did a soundalike anyway since it was a large plot point where they represent people from the company as characters.

"Hey Toyota do you want to be featured in our karate TV-show where you're shown to be a nefarious and easily manipulable titan squeezing out a small businessman and only nepotism makes you change your mind? What do you mean no?"

breadshaped
Apr 1, 2010


Soiled Meat

BiggerBoat posted:


Prediction: Johnny's selfie with Ally is gonna be his undoing since he doesn't know how to erase poo poo from his phone and FB. Carmen is gonna find that photo.


Carmen has been a focal point of emotional maturity in the show, instead it'll be something dumb (and great) like the guy Kreece called is Ali's ex husband or something

Babe Magnet
Jun 2, 2008

lmao holy gently caress if they make miguel's dad Terry Silver

MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

Well, he was a very bad man.

Ishamael
Feb 18, 2004

You don't have to love me, but you will respect me.
Finished the season last night, and I think it has all played out a lot like the Karate Kid movies: the first one was excellent, the second and third ones were fun but definitely not up to the level of the original.

The ending was so over the top and ridiculous that it went from stupid to great, back to stupid again. I did like seeing Johnny and Daniel finally team up though.

I am An Old so I don't really care about the kid drama, I am here for the Karate Kid stuff, so I was interested in the Johnny and Daniel story and really didn't give a poo poo about the kids and their rivalries. Also, I know Karate Kid was never a great martial arts showcase, but some of the fights this year were extra lame, especially the brawl in Daniel's house. I liked what they tried to do with the long tracking shot, but most of those kids are not strong enough fighters to sell that scene.

To that end, my favorite part was Elisabeth Shue, because she is an actual movie star and raised the level of the production all around. Just charisma for days. Also, she was my first childhood crush and she is still gorgeous and charming. Every scene with her was gold.

The KK2 stuff in Okinawa was great too, and Tamlyn Tomita was amazing in her scene with the letters. Overall, I loved all the fan service stuff and the stuff with Miguel and Johnny that felt like S1. The rival karate gangs stuff was weak, and Robbie continues to stink up the screen.


I think I can hop off the CK train here with no regrets, it was a really fun ride and came to a satisfying conclusion. That said, if there is more and its decent I could be convinced to come back.

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.
^^^I agree with most of that^^^

I've rolled my eyes a lot during this series but usually had a smile on my face when I did it and I like the show. S3 almost gave me eye blisters though.

The vietnam flashbacks and the snake pit (get it? KOBRA Kai!)

The kids breaking into the zoo to steal a snake

The landlord backing down from Kreese instead of just calling the cops

Miguel's recovery from crippled to kicking rear end in about 2 weeks (?)

Chozen coming on real heavy and ominous for some reason at first before revealing the magic pressure point Miyagi scrolls after making besties with Daniel and also what's her name in Okinawa just happening to be there, run into Daniel and just happening to have a friend at the auto company

Another karate riot (several actually), this time one at Daniel's house where I'm sure they have security cameras. And cameras at the loving zoo. I'm sure the bright red mowhawk kid would be real hard to ID.

Do any of these kid's parents have issues with their kids coming home from KK with their faces all busted up?

It's LA but Daniel and Johnny always wind up in the same places at the same time all the time. In fact, everybody just happens to show up certain places at just the right time to create drama. Robbie at Miyagi Do JUST when Sam and Miguel are embracing for example.

The 180 at the city council meeting due to all the "inspired speeches". In season 1 that would have ended with the council smiling, a music swell, close ups and then them saying "No. gently caress your tournament. Motion denied"


I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff.

Some of this poo poo though, seriously, just call the loving cops. We have assault and battery, breaking and entering, trespassing, endangering an animal, burglary, assault with a weapon and a cobra left in a car at a god damned auto dealership (which also has cameras I'd imagine).

I like the goofy cheesy poo poo on this show but...we seem to have peaked.

Halloween Jack
Sep 12, 2003

La morte non ha sesso

BiggerBoat posted:

The landlord backing down from Kreese instead of just calling the cops
I mean, c'mon, that guy is wearing a giant neon sign saying that he doesn't deal with poo poo by calling the cops. He calls his Cousins and Nephews.

Now the city council scene, that's easily the worst scene in the show.

Narcissus1916
Apr 29, 2013

I think you either buy into the insanity of the season or you don't. I know a lot of people who gave up after the school fight last year.

Honestly the most distracting part of the LaRusso house fight was that they CLEARLY weren't in the same house they field in. Definitely built a set for it, which is fine, but even the lighting was totally different.

And while I still find it comical how each kid seems to have vastly different levels of martial arts experience (I think Miguel and Hawk might have the most? Sam's actress clearly can't throw a punch worth a drat) I simply admire the attempt they made.

They've also gotten better at hiding the fact that both Kove and Macchio aren't exactly fighting machines. The difference between, say, the beach fight in season 1 and this year's chop shop fight was pretty huge. And Kove honestly gets a pass because the dude is 74 and still looks imposing as hell, even when they're switching him out for a double every five seconds.

A hell of a lot better than shaky cam, at least

Simone Magus
Sep 30, 2020

by VideoGames
Ultimately I felt S3 was considerably less silly than S2. I mean, Stingray.

Spacebump
Dec 24, 2003

Dallas Mavericks: Generations

Simone Magus posted:

Ultimately I felt S3 was considerably less silly than S2. I mean, Stingray.

The funniest thing that could happen if they don't line up Silver for season 4 is make Kreese's phone call to Stringray.

MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

Stingray busy arranging plutonium deals from his moms basement.

Xealot
Nov 25, 2002

Showdown in the Galaxy Era.

Gaius Marius posted:

If she breaks with him cause he took a selfie with a girl he dated twenty years ago, then johnny dodged a loving bullet.

Honestly, yeah. "Your high school girlfriend who you haven't seen in 30 years and who lives in Colorado saw you when she was briefly in town?! It's over!"

Halloween Jack posted:

I mean, c'mon, that guy is wearing a giant neon sign saying that he doesn't deal with poo poo by calling the cops. He calls his Cousins and Nephews.

What Daniel asked him to do is extremely illegal. He's not calling the cops to help him illegally shakedown and evict a paying tenant...it'd be like a drug dealer calling the cops because someone stole his cocaine.

Halloween Jack
Sep 12, 2003

La morte non ha sesso
I doubt that there was ever a legal transfer of ownership from Johnny to Kreese. Johnny's name is probably still on all the paperwork. Kreese isn't dumb, though, and if there was ever a legal question he'd probably claim that Johnny just abandoned the business and Kreese graciously kept it going so as not to let the students down.

It was actually refreshing when Johnny goes to see Carmen; I was expecting her to confront him about his date selfies, but nah, Miguel's there with a black eye. I'm sure she'll get mad about Facebook at some point; everybody does.

Spacebump
Dec 24, 2003

Dallas Mavericks: Generations

Halloween Jack posted:

I doubt that there was ever a legal transfer of ownership from Johnny to Kreese. Johnny's name is probably still on all the paperwork. Kreese isn't dumb, though, and if there was ever a legal question he'd probably claim that Johnny just abandoned the business and Kreese graciously kept it going so as not to let the students down.

It was actually refreshing when Johnny goes to see Carmen; I was expecting her to confront him about his date selfies, but nah, Miguel's there with a black eye. I'm sure she'll get mad about Facebook at some point; everybody does.

Not all leases need to be written. However, I don't know anything about California property law so that might not be true there.

Xealot
Nov 25, 2002

Showdown in the Galaxy Era.

I'm not sure how it'd work for a commercial business, but there are fairly broad protections for renters in CA, or at least Los Angeles. It's not easy to evict tenants without cause, especially if they pay rent on time and are law-abiding. But that's the point: Zakarian didn't serve notice or anything, he just showed up with some goons. It's Mafia poo poo, plainly illegal from the outset.

If it actually got in front of a court room, Zakarian would probably get crucified, though. Even if it was "a handshake lease," if Kreese could prove a consistent history of payment, it'd speak way more to Zakarian being a slumlord and probable tax cheat. If they're going to come down on someone, it's not the formerly-homeless Vietnam vet who runs a small business. It's the wealthy landlord who owns half of Reseda and runs it like a fiefdom. Read all about it in my karate-free Cobra Kai fanfic about an eviction dispute.

Halloween Jack
Sep 12, 2003

La morte non ha sesso
If I wanted not-violent-enough disputes between California tenants and California real estate developers, I'd read the dang news.

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.

Xealot posted:

Honestly, yeah. "Your high school girlfriend who you haven't seen in 30 years and who lives in Colorado saw you when she was briefly in town?! It's over!

He didn't tell her about it and IIRC he blew her off to go see Ally instead. I've dated women who would call me out on something like that. I was married to one who would have. Plus the pics that are gonna wind up on FB show them kissing,being romantic and very much on a date type of thing.

Could be I'm just projecting my bad experiences onto the character though. My ex was insanely jealous to the point that I avoided FB altogether since I knew there's be ex girlfriends on there.

Simone Magus
Sep 30, 2020

by VideoGames
It would be bad writing imo

I mean Johnny hooking up with Miguel's mom has been telegraphed hard since the very first or second episode and she's generally been a voice of reason.

I predict maybe Johnny tries to gently caress it up and she's like "yeah I'm not gonna let you gently caress this up, silly"

TheCenturion
May 3, 2013
HI I LIKE TO GIVE ADVICE ON RELATIONSHIPS
She said she had to work late.

Rockstar Massacre
Mar 2, 2009

i only have a crazy life
because i make risky decisions
from a position of
unreasonable self-confidence
I think the complaint about Kreese violencing the landlord is about Tori's landlord, not Zakarian.

Honestly the same point applies though - dude's a slumlord, he's not calling the cops. Best case scenario, the LAPD does it's usual thing and vaguely forgets why they're even there mid-followup. Worst case, they injure or kill tenants or bystanders and he still doesn't get paid.

Lurdiak
Feb 26, 2006

I believe in a universe that doesn't care, and people that do.


Daniel telling his stupid daughter to stop fueling the relationship drama that's at the root of 90% of the fights in the show by constantly being in love triangles was the funniest poo poo I've ever seen.

TheCenturion
May 3, 2013
HI I LIKE TO GIVE ADVICE ON RELATIONSHIPS

Utgardaloki posted:

I think the complaint about Kreese violencing the landlord is about Tori's landlord, not Zakarian.

Honestly the same point applies though - dude's a slumlord, he's not calling the cops. Best case scenario, the LAPD does it's usual thing and vaguely forgets why they're even there mid-followup. Worst case, they injure or kill tenants or bystanders and he still doesn't get paid.

“So anyway, officer, there I was, attempting to extort sex from an underaged girl by threatening to put her terminally ill mother out on the street, and this like 75-year-old dude threatens to beat me up!”

Lurdiak
Feb 26, 2006

I believe in a universe that doesn't care, and people that do.


I thought it was kind of a cowardly move to make every character we care about defect from Cobra Kai(except Aisha who is just absent) and fill the ranks with season 1 bullies and nobodies so they can just be uncomplicated faceless villains. It's a little too narratively convenient compared to all the conflicting emotions and relationships that were at play in, say, the season 1 finale. I guess Robbie joining Cobra Kai is supposed to balance that out but his entire storyline felt so undercooked compared to how big a focus he was in the last two seasons. He just keeps getting angrier and angrier at everyone who cares about him even though they're all trying to help him. Like at no point does he get to express remorse for nearly killing Miguel, the only pathos he gets is getting beat up in jail. Felt a bit thin.

I also think Tory suffers from being written as too much of an rear end in a top hat. Like she spends the entire season apparently obsessed with getting revenge on Sam, but like, she already nearly killed her in a horribly brutal karate fight where she violently scarred her. How much more revenge can she possibly want? Does she just want to straight up murder her? She keeps talking about how they have to "finish this" and it's like... you did! You had a big brutal final fight that put your opponent in the hospital and then lost. You lost so bad it ruined your life. It is by definition finished.

Otherwise this was a really good season, though.

MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

I found Tori being this revenge terminator in Sam's dream only for that to then literally happen again was just too funny. She's literally out to kill the poor girl.

Honestly it almost feels like she's intruding on everyone else's character beats at this point. She just had no one to really bounce off all season.

The Bee
Nov 25, 2012

Making his way to the ring . . .
from Deep in the Jungle . . .

The Big Monkey!

MiddleOne posted:

I found Tori being this revenge terminator in Sam's dream only for that to then literally happen again was just too funny. She's literally out to kill the poor girl.

Honestly it almost feels like she's intruding on everyone else's character beats at this point. She just had no one to really bounce off all season.

Now that the rest of the sympathetic characters are all in one place, I feel like we might get some deeper dives into Tory and Robbie for Season 4.

Guy A. Person
May 23, 2003

Lurdiak posted:

(except Aisha who is just absent)

Bringing back Aisha could actually be a good motivator for some interesting interactions. Like I doubt she would come back and just join Cobra Kai but it could be interesting seeing her react to all the changes, especially Demetri dating Yasmine and everyone villainizing Robby and Tory without understanding they are also victims. Also both sides might try to recruit her.

Otherwise yeah I agree with your assessment, as of the end of S3 it's basically all the faves on the same side which made me initially think that S4 would be a good ending point, but it sounds like they have multiple seasons planned after that so hopefully we get some more nuance added and don't just have characters regressing next season for the purposes of extending the drama. My one big fear is that they make Johnny's temptation to regress and rejoin Cobra Kai to be with his son a major aspect, and have him flip again at the end of next season.

Narcissus1916
Apr 29, 2013

I liked the twist that Robby is now Cobra Kai'ing largely because it plays like a meta-commentary of how little Johnny and Daniel give a poo poo about him.

He's by no means a saint but both of "fathers" throw him under the bus, repeatedly, with much gusto. Especially loved him being released from juvie only to discover the two of them feuding.

I've gone on and on about the game, but there's definitely something up with Aisha's absence. Literally every character who has ever spoken a line on Cobra Kai is in the game (Nathaniel is a miniboss who freaking naruto runs around, that random British guy who Carmen dated pops in etc.) and yet Aisha is absolutely nowhere to be found.

GlassEye-Boy
Jul 12, 2001
I enjoyed Robbie's heel turn. The guy has such a punch-able face.

Halloween Jack
Sep 12, 2003

La morte non ha sesso
I'm just glad that Jonathan Brandis has returned from the grave and got his career back on track.

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.

Narcissus1916 posted:


I've gone on and on about the game, but there's definitely something up with Aisha's absence. Literally every character who has ever spoken a line on Cobra Kai is in the game (Nathaniel is a miniboss who freaking naruto runs around, that random British guy who Carmen dated pops in etc.) and yet Aisha is absolutely nowhere to be found.

IIRC, the actor and the writers had some sort of back and forth falling out.

VinylonUnderground
Dec 14, 2020

by Athanatos

GlassEye-Boy posted:

I enjoyed Robbie's heel turn. The guy has such a punch-able face.

Robbie is a huge piece of garbage. Like you, I think my feelings on this might be driven by him having a punchable face, though his acting hasn't done him any favors either.

The kid is a natural born heel and that really worked in the first season where he was Daniel-san's pupil fighting against the audience's natural sympathy for the protagonist of the Karate Kid movies. Him embracing his heel-nature with Kreese's Kobra Kai makes sense.

I agree with what other posters said where it undercuts the grey area that made the show fun. But that has been fading season to season anyway. Degrading into stupid 80s jocks vs schlocks melodrama is unfortunate given the first season but, let's face it, we're watching a follow-up series to some bad '80s movies. If we weren't basically OK with jocks vs schlocks melodrama we wouldn't be here. Could have been more but I'm here for what it is.

Astroman
Apr 8, 2001


Astroman posted:

I was imagining that it would end with Daniel and Johnny teaming up, maybe agreeing to do guest lessons at each other's dojos to show the kids it's not an all out war and both schools have their merits.


Astroman posted:

The best part of the Ali arc would be the tension of Daniel still having a thing for her quickly get deflated with her and Daniel's wife bonding over how stupid all this is. :allears:

:smug:

Finally finished S3. While I called some of it, there were a lot of cool, unexpected things like Johnny Alphaing Miguel's legs to work again, the Kreese flashbacks and the Ali/young Kreese in the diner/Terry Silver in 'Nam fakeouts.

I thought the use of Kumiko and Ali in one episode each to set Daniel and Johnny down the right paths was great. Chozen was next level awesome.

I got serious Star Wars vibes when the "Three Generations of Cobra Kai" were together. It was like ROTJ except Luke is on the side of the Emperor trying to get Vader to join them. Probably the best use of Robbie though cause he's otherwise a drip and drains the fun away when he's moping onscreen.

I've never seen all of KKIII. Probably should watch before S4.

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!
KK3 rules. Thomas Ian Griffith is amazing.

breadshaped
Apr 1, 2010


Soiled Meat
I thought they got a new actor to play the LaRusso son, but he just lost a ton of weight; good for him. I don't think he gets a single line in S3 though, which sucks for him.

Spacebump
Dec 24, 2003

Dallas Mavericks: Generations

Bedshaped posted:

I thought they got a new actor to play the LaRusso son, but he just lost a ton of weight; good for him. I don't think he gets a single line in S3 though, which sucks for him.

I think he has one in his one scene. I wish the writers would remember he exists more.

AgentHaiTo
Feb 7, 2003

Well, isn't this a coincidence? So, um, how you doing? You're busy, I know and I don't want to distract you, please, don't let me interrupt you.

Spacebump posted:

I think he has one in his one scene. I wish the writers would remember he exists more.

I remember he says something snarky to Sam, and the mom tells him to wait in the car or something like that.

MiddleOne
Feb 17, 2011

Someone in the Youtube comments pointed out that by doing the Vietnam fakeout ponytail thing they've retroactively retconned Karate Kid 3 Terry Silver into having a pony tail to honor his fallen comrade.

I wanted you all to share my pain.

Darko
Dec 23, 2004

Spacebump posted:

I fairly certian the dealership car brand changes between season 1 and 2. (prob because of sponsors.) I wasn't paying as close attention in s3.

Season 1 was literally all Audi and Porsche. I noticed because I thought that was a really weird dealership.

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dogboy
Jul 21, 2009

hurr
Grimey Drawer

Darko posted:

Season 1 was literally all Audi and Porsche. I noticed because I thought that was a really weird dealership.

I can imagine that in a non german dealership, they target slightly different markets. But in this season they probably needed a japanese car company simply because they needed a reason to set up his return to Japan so Daniel could learn those secret Miagi techniques that will imho play a central role in the upcoming All Valley Tournament finale next season.

Miagi Shrine and Dojo in Schweinhausen, Germany, would have had a weird flair to it. (Or more seriously: Ingolstadt or Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.)

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