Vietnam movies do not receive Apex here: late-1970s quality and Platoon’s Oscar-winning period are preferred, with Full Metal Jacket and Casualties of War also discussed. — Bill Simmons
Reagan, Uncle Sam/America, Julia Nickson and the Cold War’s 1985 pop-culture moment receive affirmative answers; the lack of nuclear-weapons discussion slightly weakens the Cold War argument. — Bill Simmons
Martin Kove is placed at Karate Kid instead, and movie knives are placed a year later with Cobra and Crocodile Dundee, alongside knife advertising. — Kyle Brandt
Period-marker candidates include Martin Kove, Berkoff, the Frank Stallone ending and asking whether they can win this time. Kove is preferred from that list; the rescued prisoner asking the year is also offered. The transcript renders the year inconsistently. — Kyle Brandt
A proposed comic beat would let the rescued prisoner ask what he missed, including Jaws and Red Sox and Celtics results. — Bill Simmons
Ralph Macchio; Pat Morita; every Cobra Kai member and Martin Kove; Reseda; the All Valley Karate Tournament; Cruel Summer; the high-school biker gang/ninjas; mid-80s arcades
Macchio, Morita, every Cobra Kai plus Kove, Reseda (now known as the Karate Kid town), the All Valley tournament, Cruel Summer, the high-school biker ninjas and the mid-80s arcades are yeses. — Bill Simmons
Avildsen is a no because Rocky is his apex; Shue is a no because, the hosts say, she later won an Oscar. — Bill Simmons
The red jackets are grouped with Michael Jackson's Thriller jacket without a clear yes or no. — Bill Simmons
It is called one of the biggest Dion Waiters categories in 106 or 107 episodes; three nominees are named, with Tommy's eligibility left open. — Bill Simmons
Kreese is barely in the movie yet puts up huge stats, a bench player with a double-double in 14 minutes. — Bill Simmons
Dutch, played by Chad McQueen, is the scariest Cobra Kai and the one who would lead a coup against Johnny; his loss to Daniel seems unrealistic. — Bill Simmons
The tournament announcer ('Daniel LaRusso is going to fight!') is praised for his jacket-collar look and mysterious identity and is initially given the award. — Bill Simmons
An anecdote about an anchor questioning low energy in a pre-show rehearsal before a strong live show is used to compare the announcer's rehearsal footage with his performance when the red light goes on. — Bill Simmons
The announcer pick is disputed: Tommy is ruled ineligible and Dutch is not in it enough, leading to Kreese over the MC. — Ryen Russillo
The announcer is looked up as Bruce Malmuth, said to have died in 2005, who also announced in Karate Kid II and appeared in Lean on Me and Pentathlon. — Bill Simmons
The award goes to Kreese, though the karate announcer could have won. — Bill Simmons
