so why do people like this show so much?

For one thing, it presents its protagonists as neither 100% bad or 100% good. Also, anti-heroes have a mystique about them.

I really enjoyed the first season, probably due to nostalgia, but I feel like the 2nd was a big decline.

I think William Zabka is actually fantastic in this. I agree Ralph Macchio isn't the best actor - he was actually more natural in the old trilogy than he is now - but Zabka is hilarious and sympathetic.

It's a very entertaining show. It's funny as hell, over-the-top melodramatic, and just plain fun to watch. The character development is surprisingly good; better any right than it has to be, really.

Show borrows nicely from other hit movies and Tv shows. I definitely felt a Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibe in the second season.

To me this just continues where it left off, the acting is good, the script is good, there's ambiguity about right and wrong, an underdog story, power corrupts, also the cast is pretty much prefect.

Its fun and light hearted but doesn't go overboard with the over top comedy or too much dark drama.

Just the perfect blend of everything that made the original movies good.

Just like the movies it has a ton of rewatchability. It's not supposed to be high drama. Like its predecessors it's just good fun mild drama in a semi family format. (the series is a bit more risque than the movies)

Like old tv shows this show will have a ton of rewatchability. You can take any episode and just start watching and its fun.

Zabka is a great actor. He should get a lot more work after this. Macchio just seems to be having fun with it.

People like this show so much because it reminds us of the 80's, a simpler time, not without its own problems, but before everyone became offended by everything. The show makes fun of the woke snowflakes, while still acknowledging that people need to change with the times and presenting Johnny as kind of a dinosaur.

OVERRATED! Wow! I watch a lot of Movies and the top 10% of tv and Cobra Kai is up there with the best of the best. I'd put it in ranks along with House of Cards, Game of Thrones, and Breaking Bad. It was the highlight of my and many others tv in 2018. It's an intelligent well written show with engaging characters. That much alone has 99% of the competition beat. It should be the blue print for sequels moving forward. Weak writing? Please name 2 other shows from 2018 that have a better premise, and more interesting characters than Cobra Kai.

On top of that
1. It has characters that were very well cast. Almost everybody has somebody they can identify with on this show.
2. It's a basic outline of good vs bad with all the moral complexity that comes with that. Exploring the gray areas such as breaking bad did.
3. It explorers the interesting sociology between rivalries, friendships, student and teacher, and intimate relationships.
4. It's a good mix of characters old, middle aged, young, and high school. Most shows only pander to a small demo.

"Ralph Macchio and William Zabka are weak actors"
Not a chance. Both these guys have been removed from these roles for 30 years and yet slip back into them as 50 year old men seamlessly. That's a tall order for anybody. Zabka makes us care about Johnny Lawrence. The Villian. He has layers filled with heart and soul. He's a cool dude that still has daily issues that most of us can relate with. The scene where Daniel says he'll fix his car for free, you see the hurt in Johnny as he has to accept a handout. You can in his face that he's sad, embarrassed, but needs the help. Zabka also delivers the majority of comedy and lands it perfect. Weak Actors! Hell Zabka should have an Emmy for this show!

I'm not a huge fan of the KK movies and before Corba was release had only remembered the first and parts of the third. So I'm not a nostalgia kick or anything.