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If you were choosing from Netflix’s July 13–20, 2024 release slate, three titles stood out for very different reasons: Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 1 was the major returning franchise event; Homicide: Los Angeles offered investigator-led true crime; and Skywalkers: A Love Story delivered a self-contained documentary about romance and extreme urban climbing.
The dates are now historical rather than upcoming. This is a retrospective look at the three recommendations originally highlighted ahead of that week, using U.S.-leaning Netflix availability as the frame. Catalogs and release availability can vary by country.
The three releases at a glance
| Date | Release | Format | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 16, 2024 | Homicide: Los Angeles | Documentary series | True-crime viewers |
| July 18, 2024 | Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 1 | Five-episode series installment | Karate Kid and returning Cobra Kai fans |
| July 19, 2024 | Skywalkers: A Love Story | Documentary film | Extreme-adventure and climbing fans |
The original July 12, 2024 article described 24 new Netflix movies and series arriving during the week. That total belongs to the original publication’s framing; the stronger editorial case for these three is that they covered three distinct viewing moods: serialized action, investigative nonfiction, and a high-stakes one-off film.
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Watch this if: you already follow Cobra Kai, grew up with The Karate Kid, or want a continuing martial-arts drama built around long-running character rivalries.
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The first five episodes of Season 6 begin after Cobra Kai has been eliminated from the Valley. Daniel LaRusso, Johnny Lawrence, their students, and their allies must decide whether Miyagi-Do should compete in the Sekai Taikai, the fictional international karate championship.
That premise made the release the week’s headline attraction for established viewers. Netflix describes the series as continuing the Daniel-and-Johnny story more than 30 years after the original 1984 Karate Kid tournament. The appeal is therefore cumulative: the season draws on years of rivalries, reconciliations, mentorships, and ensemble storylines rather than functioning as an easy entry point for newcomers.
There is an important qualification. Season 6 was the show’s final season, but Netflix divided its 15 episodes into three parts. Part 1 was only the opening five-episode batch, so it was not intended to provide the complete ending. In 2026, all three parts are available and the final season is complete; readers watching now can approach it as a finished 15-episode conclusion rather than an unfinished weekly event.
Netflix’s official Part 1 trailer confirms the July 18 launch and five-episode release. Its final-season guide provides the later completion context.
Rank #2
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The trade-off: this is the least accessible recommendation if you have not watched the earlier seasons. Start with the previous Cobra Kai episodes—and, ideally, the original Karate Kid films—if the character history matters to you.
Homicide: Los Angeles — July 16, 2024
Watch this if: you prefer real cases, detective interviews, and prosecutor perspectives to scripted police drama.
Homicide: Los Angeles is the second season of Netflix’s broader Homicide documentary franchise. After the first season’s New York focus, this installment moves to Los Angeles and examines homicide investigations through the accounts of detectives and prosecutors.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThat distinction matters. Although Dick Wolf, Wolf Entertainment, and Alfred Street Industries are associated with the project, this is a case-based documentary series—not a scripted Dick Wolf procedural. Its interest comes from the people who worked on the investigations and the process of reconstructing difficult cases, rather than from fictional characters or invented police action.
Rank #3
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The episodic format makes it the most flexible choice of the three. Viewers who like case-by-case storytelling can watch an installment at a time, while committed true-crime audiences can continue through the season. The subject matter is also the heaviest recommendation here: homicide investigations can include disturbing details, grief, violence, and emotionally difficult testimony.
Netflix later reported that the series opened with 4.3 million global views during the week of July 15, 2024. That indicates substantial audience interest, but view counts measure reach—not universal quality, critical approval, or suitability for every viewer.
Netflix’s official July announcement describes the Los Angeles setting and investigator-and-prosecutor format.
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Skywalkers: A Love Story — July 19, 2024
Watch this if: you want a single-sitting documentary with romance, extreme physical risk, and vertigo-inducing visuals.
Rank #4
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Skywalkers: A Love Story follows daredevil climbers Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau as they attempt dangerous high-rise stunts, including a plan involving the spire of the world’s second-highest skyscraper. Directed by Jeff Zimbalist and Maria Bukhonina, the film combines relationship drama with the tension of extreme urban climbing.
Its biggest advantage in this particular slate is its format. Unlike Cobra Kai and Homicide: Los Angeles, it is a documentary feature rather than a multi-episode commitment. It works as a focused evening’s viewing, especially for audiences who want something visually spectacular and tonally different from another television series.
The film’s appeal is experiential as much as narrative: height, exposure, preparation, and physical danger are central to the viewing experience. That is also its clearest warning. Anyone with a strong fear of heights—or discomfort with risk-focused nonfiction—may find the climbing sequences stressful rather than exhilarating. It is a documentary, not a fictional romance film, despite the subtitle.
Netflix’s 2024 movie guide identifies the directors and outlines the film’s climbing premise.
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Which one should you choose?
- Choose Cobra Kai if you want the biggest returning franchise and have already invested in the series. Expect nostalgia, martial arts, ensemble melodrama, and an installment rather than a complete ending when viewed in its original 2024 context.
- Choose Homicide: Los Angeles if you want real murder investigations told by people involved in the cases. Expect serious and potentially disturbing material, not a fictional police procedural.
- Choose Skywalkers: A Love Story if you want a self-contained film combining a relationship story with extreme climbing. Expect intense height-related imagery and genuine physical danger at the center of the film.
What the later numbers tell us
In hindsight, Cobra Kai was the most commercially prominent of the three during that release window. Netflix reported that Season 6, Part 1 debuted at No. 1 on its global English TV list with 14.8 million views for the relevant reporting week. Homicide: Los Angeles ranked fourth with 4.3 million global views.
Those figures are useful context, not a verdict on quality. They show the difference in audience reach between a major returning franchise and a specialized documentary series. They do not establish that Cobra Kai is the best choice for every viewer, nor that either documentary is less worthwhile.
Netflix’s weekly results report contains those global figures.
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The official Netflix announcement confirms the calendar dates above, but a universal local release hour should not be assumed from the date alone. Availability can also differ by territory, and Netflix’s catalog, plans, and pricing change over time. If you want to watch these titles now, check their listings in your country through Netflix’s official signup and service page rather than relying on old pricing or third-party account offers.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
