How “How I Met Your Mother” Unexpectedly Inspired “Cobra Kai” Creation!

Today, “Cobra Kai” stands as one of Netflix’s biggest hits. Yet, this spin-off from the “Karate Kid” movies might never have come to life without the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”!

In a memorable episode, Ted Mosby and the gang plan a huge surprise for their friend Barney Stinson (played by Neil Patrick Harris) by setting up a meeting with the lead actor of his favorite movie, “Karate Kid”.

Is Johnny Lawrence the Real Karate Kid?

To everyone’s astonishment, Barney sees red when he meets Ralph Macchio, the actor who played Daniel LaRusso. Barney then argues that the real “Karate Kid” of the movie is the antagonist, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). He also claims that Johnny was the victim of an “illegal” kick in their final showdown at the end of the first film.

Did Barney’s unique theory directly inspire the creation of “Cobra Kai”? In an interview with the American outlet CBR, the show’s co-creator Josh Heald admitted that this episode was discussed by the writers when designing the series’ plot:

We appreciate all the interpretations that exist around this series, especially the story in How I Met Your Mother – which is incredible – and we are often asked if Daniel is the real villain of Karate Kid. (…) Having these stories in mind when we pitched the series gave us confidence because it confirmed, although we were already convinced, that we were not the only ones who remembered Karate Kid.

So, while it might be inaccurate to say that “How I Met Your Mother” directly inspired the creation of “Cobra Kai”, it certainly lent credibility to a then-unpopular interpretation of the famous film and provided Johnny Lawrence with his long-awaited redemption from his perpetual bad-boy loser image!

The Iconic Scene from How I Met Your Mother:

All six seasons of Cobra Kai are now exclusively available on Netflix.

Check out the list of series currently available on the platform!