Based on the numbers the series pulled in on YouTube, Netflix looked like they were onto a winner when they debuted the first two seasons of Cobra Kai on the platform during the summer, and the Karate Kid sequel show managed to knock the hotly anticipated new episodes of Lucifer from the top spot of the most-watched list in almost no time at all.
The company also picked up the production rights to the martial arts-focused drama, and season 3 was always destined to do big numbers right from the very beginning. After originally being announced for January 8th, Netflix dropped a bombshell for the millions of fans around the world by revealing that Cobra Kai would return a week ahead of schedule on New Year’s Day, and so far, it’s gone down a storm.
Indeed, looking at how the first two seasons fared, it felt inevitable that the third run would instantly rocket to the top of the most-watched chart and stay there for the foreseeable future. However, Cobra Kai has faced surprisingly stiff competition from period piece Bridgerton, with Shonda Rhimes’ first Netflix series exploding onto the scene on Christmas Day, and it’s now projected to become one of the company’s most successful original shows ever.
The two have been locked in a battle for supremacy at the top of the viewership rankings for close to a week now, but even if it falls to Bridgerton in terms of overall streams, the future still looks bright. Sources close to WGTC – the same ones that told us Netflix was developing a prequel to The Witcher long before Blood Origin was announced, and that The Umbrella Academy would get a third season – say that the higher ups are planning on the rivalry between the warring dojos to last for at least five seasons, based on how strong Cobra Kai‘s overall performance has been so far in terms of both new and old episodes. It could potentially run even longer, too, but for now, expect it to go until at least season 5.
