“And this is how you hold a tray of pickles, Daniel-san.”
Fathom Events
There’s a special place in my heart for The Karate Kid, and not just because I had a mad crush on Elisabeth Shue. In 1984, I was exactly the right age for the story about an awkward teen who stands up to bullies with the help of a kind mentor. (Could have used one of those.)
Of course, when Cobra Kai debuted on YouTube last year, with Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprising their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, I had low expectations. Extremely low. These reboots never work. Everybody’s going to look old and weird, the story will feel contrived and pointless.
Imagine my surprise when Cobra Kai turned out to be a darn good show. Of course, I’ve seen only the first two episodes, which YouTube offered for free. I wasn’t about to subscribe to yet another streaming service just to watch one series.
Watch this:
10 best free movie and TV streaming services
2:38
Good news: Cobra Kai is coming out from behind YouTube’s paywall. Starting Sept. 24, you’ll be able to view that show and other original YouTube content for free — though if you’re not a subscriber, you’ll have to contend with commercials.
I’m not sure yet how long the series will be available free or whether you’ll be able to get both seasons, but I’m waiting on Google for comment and will update the post if and when it arrives.
However, this is the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with young Daniel, young Johnny and the dearly departed Mr. Miyagi. Here’s how to watch the original Karate Kid movie online. (You really only need to watch the first one, which sets up everything that happens in Cobra Kai. But if you want to slog through the three sequels, they’re available as well.) Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.
Remember, you only need to watch the first one to prepare yourself for Cobra Kai. (Maybe that’s a good thing.)
CBS All Access
Watch The Karate Kid free, free with ads or for $4
Unfortunately, the movie isn’t currently available via HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Showtime or any other streaming service you might already be paying for — with one exception: You can watch it as part of your CBS All Access subscription. (Disclosure: CBS owns CNET.)
If you’re new to the service, you can try the Commercial Free plan free for one week. After that, it’s $9.99 per month. And for what it’s worth, All Access has not only the original, but also The Karate Kid: Part II, The Karate Kid: Part III and The Next Karate Kid.
The movies are also available “free with ads” (meaning you’ll have to sit through some commercials) from the following services:
Of course, you can also rent the movies. The Karate Kid is $3.99 at most of the major services: Amazon, Google Play, iTunes and so on.
If you’ve found a better deal, or some other way to watch Daniel throw crane kicks on the cheap, hit up the comments!
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