The Cobra Kai finale gave fans an exciting and emotional ending, wrapping up years of storytelling with action and heartfelt moments. While the show’s creators have been praised for bringing Johnny Lawrence back into the spotlight, few people realize that a surprising Hollywood connection helped make it all happen.
There’s a surprising link between Cobra Kai, a popular 2000s sitcom, and even a wild comedy movie from 2004. In fact, actor Neil Patrick Harris from How I Met Your Mother may have played a much bigger role in Cobra Kai’s success than anyone expected.
The Neil Patrick Harris connection that might have led to Cobra Kai
The Cobra Kai finale was everything fans had hoped for. It had action, emotion, and a satisfying conclusion to a show that successfully revived The Karate Kid story for a new generation. It gave closure to beloved characters and honored the legacy of the original movies while introducing fresh twists. But even though it was nearly perfect, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. Or rather, someone.
Neil Patrick Harris played an important role in making Cobra Kai possible, even if no one talks about it. His influence on the show goes back much further than most people realize, starting with a completely different movie—Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.
In 2004, the writers of Harold & Kumar, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, decided to include a version of Harris playing himself in the movie. They didn’t even ask him first—they just wrote him into the script and hoped for the best.
Fortunately, he said yes, and his performance ended up being one of the funniest parts of the film. He played a wild, out-of-control version of himself, and audiences loved it. Soon after, he landed the role of Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a show that became one of the most popular sitcoms of the 2000s.
Then, in season four of How I Met Your Mother, something unexpected happened. Barney revealed that he was a huge fan of The Karate Kid, but he had a completely different view of the movie than most people.
In his eyes, Johnny Lawrence was the real hero, not Daniel LaRusso. At first, it seemed like a silly joke, but fans loved it. The idea that Johnny wasn’t actually the villain became a running joke in the show, and eventually, William Zabka, who played Johnny was invited to appear as a guest star. This gave people a new way of looking at Johnny’s character.
Years later, the same Harold & Kumar writers, Hurwitz and Schlossberg, teamed up with Josh Heald to create Cobra Kai. The entire show was built on the same idea that How I Met Your Mother had introduced that Johnny Lawrence wasn’t just a bad guy.
Instead, he was a complex character with a deeper story, and Cobra Kai finally gave him the chance to be understood. The show became a massive hit, proving that Johnny’s character had always been more than just a villain.
While Cobra Kai’s finale was an incredible ending to a great series, it feels like a missed opportunity that Harris wasn’t acknowledged in any way. His work helped revive The Karate Kid universe, even if unintentionally. A small cameo, a reference, or even a simple mention would have been the perfect way to bring everything full circle.
What Neil Patrick Harris thinks about letting his kids watch How I Met Your Mother
While Neil Patrick Harris is known for his humor and wit on-screen, there’s one role that his children, Harper and Gideon haven’t been allowed to watch. Despite being a hit sitcom, How I Met Your Mother is a show that Harris and his husband, David Burtka, have kept away from their twins, but for a good reason.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Harris explained that his kids have not been shown the show due to its mature content, especially because of the way his character Barney behaves. The show often features his notorious womanizing antics and wild lifestyle, which made it unsuitable for children. He also revealed that his husband, David, made the call to avoid the show for now, explaining that Barney’s actions on screen might not be the best influence.
However, as his children are growing older, Harris has started to reconsider his decision. He’s now thinking that perhaps they are ready to watch How I Met Your Mother. Harris mentioned that he may allow them to see the show in the future, feeling that it might be more appropriate as they mature. For now, though, the show remains off-limits in the Harris-Burtka household.
You can watch Cobra Kai on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
