It’s chop-chop for ‘Cobra Kai’s’ final episodes after six seasons in Atlanta

Filmed in Atlanta, the series is largely seen through the eyes of Lawrence, now a washed-up repairman, dealing with alcoholism and an estranged son, while Daniel is a successful car salesperson. When Johnny opts to reopen the titular karate dojo, he and his former rival find themselves on the same side, at least sometimes.

Credit: Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Credit: Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

The series showrunners — who produced, wrote and directed the series — were at SCAD TVfest in Midtown recently to screen the first of the five episodes that make up the finale and to talk about the series. (Actors Zabka, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser and Gianni DeCenzo joined them in the panel.)

As aficionados, the producers eventually realized they needed to do something about their passion. When they saw TV shows on Netflix that were properties from the ‘80s and ‘90s being revisited — and for which there was an audience — they sought the rights to “The Karate Kid” and got them. The dominoes fell in place from there.

When they came up with the idea for the series, they pitched it all over Los Angeles. From the beginning, though, they thought it was a Netflix series. In their minds, it was the next “Stranger Things,” Schlossberg said. Their first pitch meeting was with YouTube Red, whose leadership was looking to become the next Netflix.

“They snapped it up right away and said other places might have you write a script or make a pilot, (but) we’ll let you go right now and make an entire season of the show,” Schlossberg recalled. “We had not written any of it yet, but they had faith in the work we had done in the past and our vision and said, ‘Do your thing.’” (Their prior projects had included the “Harold & Kumar” films and the Atlanta-made 2012 movie “American Reunion,” a continuation of the “American Pie” series.)

Eventually, the trio did receive offers from Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, but none were going to let them have the opportunity to make the show they wanted. Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg rounded up a cast and spent the first three years making the show for YouTube, debuting it in 2018.

Yet when YYouTube Red eventually disappeared as a platform, the creators had to do a second round of shopping. “Cobra Kai” found a home — finally — on Netflix, which began streaming the first two seasons immediately, the third shortly afterward and then renewed the series for a fourth, fifth and sixth season.

Credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix

Credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix

One element the creators particularly like about the series is the relationship between Daniel and Johnny, now in different stages of their lives as adults, with children and proteges.

“They start as off bitter enemies,” Heald said. “What you see in ‘Cobra Kai’ is that they each had separate mentors who had different philosophies in life, and that impacted who they were as men. Now, after all these years, they spend time together and get to know one another. It doesn’t mean they always see eye-to-eye; there is plenty of conflict between them still, but at least they can see what is in each other’s hearts. It’s been a long journey together.”

The showrunners have enjoyed having that story unfold in Atlanta. Besides “American Reunion,” Hunter and Schlossberg produced the 2018 comedy “Blockers” here as well.

“We loved the area every time we have filmed here,” Schlossberg said. “Shooting ‘Cobra Kai’ here, it became a second home to us for the last seven years.”

The state’s tax incentives allowed the team, as writers and directors, to get more of their vision onto the screen. As a filming location, Atlanta has proved to be versatile.

“The business of Hollywood has extended far beyond Los Angeles at this point,” Hurwitz said. “When you are looking for a landscape that changes where you can shoot, Atlanta and Georgia has blossomed over the last 15 years in terms of crew here that knows their business, sometimes better than in other cities you love and trust. You can film something rural or city or industrial all within 20 minutes away.”

In all, the trio shot 65 episodes here and never felt they had to repeat locations. Some of the ones used were Atlanta Motors Superstore, C.T. Martin Natatorium and Recreation Center and Kenny’s Alley at Underground Atlanta.

Watching a new generation respond to these characters has been especially rewarding to the team. As children of the ‘80s, they saw “The Karate Kid” with their parents — and left the theater different. Over the years, they’ve revisited the film and even showed it to their children.

Its themes remain relevant, they believe, and, while the series is ending, they hope this isn’t the last of the characters.

“It’s an underdog story; a great mentor-student relationship about second chances, third chances, getting up when you get knocked down again. And there are so many universal themes to take from that well,” Heald said. “It’s wonderful to see a whole new audience come along on that journey with us, as well as those back in the day when we saw the movie. Now it’s up to the future to see if we can tell more stories in this universe. We’d like to, but maybe someone else will 40 years down the line.”

TV PREVIEW

“Cobra Kai” finale

The five final episodes premiere on Netflix at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.