Into the depth of essential characters. A much needed episode that took place at the right time in the events of the series. A deeper look into the past of Underwood and Russo. Underwood outside the world of politics is just a man with his feelings, memories and close friends, though not vulnerable through his past life, in a moment he put it behind his shoulder and keep doing what he is doing best, Politics. Russo on the other hand showed the true him, a genuine fighter. A larger background was set behind his character. He always knew his people, that was what made him succeed the first time, that was what made him succeed the second time. That will make him land the governor role with a fierce fight though in my opinion.
7 Reviews
Who is Francis Underwood and what does he want?
SgtLennon17 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I ask these above questions to myself whenever I watch an episode of House of Cards. Before this episode, I thought I had the answers to both. The easy answer to both these questions is to say Frank Underwood craves power, craves control, craves being the gatekeeper to all solutions and whatever secrets that it takes to reach that point.
Like any good anti-hero from this past 10 decade, 'Chapter 9' clarifies that Underwood belongs to an exclusive group of lead characters with a crippling, if buried, sense of inferiority that they wish to fix by being the absolutely best in their fields. Frank is out of his element a lot here, back in his hometown, honored by his alma mater with a library named after him and old academy chums by his side.
Even after they crash the ball the night before, he accepts them with welcome arms, singing old marching tunes, drinking and reminiscing about times past and breaking into the old library, as if nothing's has changed.
This doesn't sounds like Frank Underwood at all, doesn't it? "He doesn't have friends, hobbies, anything that defines you or I," likely says many HOC viewers. When his friends were introduced, I kept waiting for that expected moment where Spacey breaks the fourth wall and showboats about how pathetic these people are and how his friendship was nothing but a centrifuge. Yet it never came. In fact, this is one of the few episodes where we're OUTSIDE of Frank's head and perspective.
You see, I did picture Frank Underwood as the devil incarnate, with a psychopathic-like childhood, with not a lot of friends and the ones he did keep were ones that held to keep up appearances and/or for leverage.
Nothing shown in the previous seven has swerved me from that mental image: Claire and Frank have work associates but not friends. It's also, we learn in this episode, why they've never had children: A child is it's own entity with its own agency, something that can't be taken or controlled.
Like the last significant episode "Chapter 3," it further clarifies and defines Frank Underwood as a character, both inferring that his Machiavellian streak developed in Gaffney. This is easily the best episode of the series thus far because it frames Frank as someone who just wants recognition. Sound familiar? I have a tad more sympathy to him as a character because of this episode.
And a renovated library that's just getting a new name, his name, and paint job, something that'll happen again in 50 years is uninteresting to him. Being able to confident reject the President of the United States, as he did in "Chapter 6," is more his thing. It's not so much that he passed a strong education bill completely intact, but he thrives on being able to say to labor leaders that they're not the guy in the chair. That's Frank Underwood. Critic Todd VanDerWerff called it in AV Club feature the "receding white man," and Frank is that guy.
Running parallel to this, Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) finally is coming into his own as a character. He's ascending in power, even if it's as a pawn of Frank. In his hometown, he tries to appeal to the citizens of his town at a town hall and tries to get them on board to Claire's job plan that will bring new jobs to the population, which goes as expected for someone who just rubber-stamped the act that kills this town's sole sense of economic security. Russo's a down and dirty player, at his core, and finally talks to them off-the-cuff later in a bar, calling himself their only chance, with a few more profanities thrown in for good measure. It's a startling piece of honesty on a show that loves to avoid political-manuevering, with moves that are clearly as such.
With this, Peter is the frontrunner as a formidable opponent to Frank. He couldn't determine if Peter would slit his wrists in his bathroom or that he would stay on the wagon long enough to enter the governor's race. Frank loves control and being five moves ahead, and when he doesn't, it presents a challenge to his authority.
For someone as conniving as Frank Underwood, that's a very dangerous position to him and his opponent to be in.
Like any good anti-hero from this past 10 decade, 'Chapter 9' clarifies that Underwood belongs to an exclusive group of lead characters with a crippling, if buried, sense of inferiority that they wish to fix by being the absolutely best in their fields. Frank is out of his element a lot here, back in his hometown, honored by his alma mater with a library named after him and old academy chums by his side.
Even after they crash the ball the night before, he accepts them with welcome arms, singing old marching tunes, drinking and reminiscing about times past and breaking into the old library, as if nothing's has changed.
This doesn't sounds like Frank Underwood at all, doesn't it? "He doesn't have friends, hobbies, anything that defines you or I," likely says many HOC viewers. When his friends were introduced, I kept waiting for that expected moment where Spacey breaks the fourth wall and showboats about how pathetic these people are and how his friendship was nothing but a centrifuge. Yet it never came. In fact, this is one of the few episodes where we're OUTSIDE of Frank's head and perspective.
You see, I did picture Frank Underwood as the devil incarnate, with a psychopathic-like childhood, with not a lot of friends and the ones he did keep were ones that held to keep up appearances and/or for leverage.
Nothing shown in the previous seven has swerved me from that mental image: Claire and Frank have work associates but not friends. It's also, we learn in this episode, why they've never had children: A child is it's own entity with its own agency, something that can't be taken or controlled.
Like the last significant episode "Chapter 3," it further clarifies and defines Frank Underwood as a character, both inferring that his Machiavellian streak developed in Gaffney. This is easily the best episode of the series thus far because it frames Frank as someone who just wants recognition. Sound familiar? I have a tad more sympathy to him as a character because of this episode.
And a renovated library that's just getting a new name, his name, and paint job, something that'll happen again in 50 years is uninteresting to him. Being able to confident reject the President of the United States, as he did in "Chapter 6," is more his thing. It's not so much that he passed a strong education bill completely intact, but he thrives on being able to say to labor leaders that they're not the guy in the chair. That's Frank Underwood. Critic Todd VanDerWerff called it in AV Club feature the "receding white man," and Frank is that guy.
Running parallel to this, Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) finally is coming into his own as a character. He's ascending in power, even if it's as a pawn of Frank. In his hometown, he tries to appeal to the citizens of his town at a town hall and tries to get them on board to Claire's job plan that will bring new jobs to the population, which goes as expected for someone who just rubber-stamped the act that kills this town's sole sense of economic security. Russo's a down and dirty player, at his core, and finally talks to them off-the-cuff later in a bar, calling himself their only chance, with a few more profanities thrown in for good measure. It's a startling piece of honesty on a show that loves to avoid political-manuevering, with moves that are clearly as such.
With this, Peter is the frontrunner as a formidable opponent to Frank. He couldn't determine if Peter would slit his wrists in his bathroom or that he would stay on the wagon long enough to enter the governor's race. Frank loves control and being five moves ahead, and when he doesn't, it presents a challenge to his authority.
For someone as conniving as Frank Underwood, that's a very dangerous position to him and his opponent to be in.
Back to School
Hitchcoc27 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Because Frank is so evil and ambitious, did the writers try to soften the edge a bit. Was there a time when there was some decency to this man? In this episode, he returns to his alma mater. A new library is to bear his name and this is a great honor. While there he meets with some of his old friends and drinking buddies and seems to have a connection to times that were simpler and more positive. Peter is now running for Governor, becoming a pawn in Frank's game, but Remy and his huge corporation become less than enamored. Still, Frank has a couple of epiphanies which will probably be rejected. There is a really great scene where the men seem to be equals for a while because the past is still the past and we sometimes reveal ourselves, warts and all.
"How quickly poor grades are forgotten in the shadow of power and wealth"
TheLittleSongbird4 March 2019
It's only the first season, and, although there weren't yet any show high-points and there was a slight finding its feet feel (understandable, most shows when they first start do), and already 'House of Cards' showed itself to be of really quite great quality. Wasn't blown away by all the episodes in Season 1, including this one, but most of the season was very good to brilliant. This extremely high quality continues all the way to Season 4, before going completely pear-shaped since in one of the biggest declines for any "among the best there was when in its prime" show.
David Fincher (his two contributions were among 'House of Cards' best directed episodes to me), James Foley (who went on to do more directing for the show since) and Joel Schumacher (yes you saw right regarding the last, and actually he did a far from shabby job) each directed two episodes, before Charles McDougall followed suit with "Chapter 7" and "Chapter 8". The latter, this one, is the second of his episodes, and while there is a lot to like about it and it is still a pretty good episode compared to what was seen before in the first season it was a bit of a disappointment and a lesser episode of the season for me. Again not because it's bad, but because 'House of Cards' was frequently much better than pretty good, a distinction which judging it by prime-'House of Cards' standards is fairly low. Found McDougall's first 'House of Cards' episode to be the superior one, particularly in terms of pacing.
The pacing is "Chapter 8's" biggest flaw. Do have to agree that some of the pace is rushed which made for some abruptly jumpy parts in the story, where things jump to the next without exploring what happened before all the way through. That feeling is felt too in some of the editing.
A few scenes go on for too long and could have been trimmed or cut out, like the one at the sentinel which did feel awkward.
However, there is still a lot to admire in "Chapter 8". Once again the production values score more than highly. Love the grit and stylishness and there are some beautiful shots throughout. The music is never intrusive while not being too low key at the same time, knowing when to have presence and at the same time knowing when to tone down and let the drama and characterisation shine through (and both do impeccably). Most of the script still provokes a lot of though, does nothing to insult the intelligence and is always cohesive. No cheese, no childishness and nothing feels over-complicated (again not even the politics) or dumbed down.
While the story is far from perfect here, it still manages to absorb and not hard to comprehend at all. Really appreciated the development to Peter and that Frank continues to be a fascinating character without being one-dimensional, "Chapter 8" does well in providing an equal balance of characterisation and storytelling and advancing both. McDougall directs with ease if not always distinction. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as usual, and Corey Stoll manages to be even better here and shows himself to be growing into the role of Peter the more interesting it gets.
So a pretty good episode on the whole, but could have been much better on the other hand considering what had come earlier in the season. 7/10
David Fincher (his two contributions were among 'House of Cards' best directed episodes to me), James Foley (who went on to do more directing for the show since) and Joel Schumacher (yes you saw right regarding the last, and actually he did a far from shabby job) each directed two episodes, before Charles McDougall followed suit with "Chapter 7" and "Chapter 8". The latter, this one, is the second of his episodes, and while there is a lot to like about it and it is still a pretty good episode compared to what was seen before in the first season it was a bit of a disappointment and a lesser episode of the season for me. Again not because it's bad, but because 'House of Cards' was frequently much better than pretty good, a distinction which judging it by prime-'House of Cards' standards is fairly low. Found McDougall's first 'House of Cards' episode to be the superior one, particularly in terms of pacing.
The pacing is "Chapter 8's" biggest flaw. Do have to agree that some of the pace is rushed which made for some abruptly jumpy parts in the story, where things jump to the next without exploring what happened before all the way through. That feeling is felt too in some of the editing.
A few scenes go on for too long and could have been trimmed or cut out, like the one at the sentinel which did feel awkward.
However, there is still a lot to admire in "Chapter 8". Once again the production values score more than highly. Love the grit and stylishness and there are some beautiful shots throughout. The music is never intrusive while not being too low key at the same time, knowing when to have presence and at the same time knowing when to tone down and let the drama and characterisation shine through (and both do impeccably). Most of the script still provokes a lot of though, does nothing to insult the intelligence and is always cohesive. No cheese, no childishness and nothing feels over-complicated (again not even the politics) or dumbed down.
While the story is far from perfect here, it still manages to absorb and not hard to comprehend at all. Really appreciated the development to Peter and that Frank continues to be a fascinating character without being one-dimensional, "Chapter 8" does well in providing an equal balance of characterisation and storytelling and advancing both. McDougall directs with ease if not always distinction. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as usual, and Corey Stoll manages to be even better here and shows himself to be growing into the role of Peter the more interesting it gets.
So a pretty good episode on the whole, but could have been much better on the other hand considering what had come earlier in the season. 7/10
A seemingly rushed episode
williamjdevogel13 March 2017
There's good reason this is the lowest rated episode of the entire series.
Awkward singing moments with past alumni (I'm a former Marine and was slightly confused over them doing the Marines' Hymn), unconvincing 'drunk' acting, a laughably bad 'fight' and make-up scene, and some very sloppy editing hinder this episode from being on the scale as the rest.
The script is constantly transitioning and departing before any of the scenes have time to gain traction.
Peter Ross should be gaining viewer's respect but the rushed portrayal of his scenes really just leaves me not caring.
Minor plot holes that won't be noticed by many are sprinkled throughout.
Watching this episode feels more like a chore than entertainment.
Awkward singing moments with past alumni (I'm a former Marine and was slightly confused over them doing the Marines' Hymn), unconvincing 'drunk' acting, a laughably bad 'fight' and make-up scene, and some very sloppy editing hinder this episode from being on the scale as the rest.
The script is constantly transitioning and departing before any of the scenes have time to gain traction.
Peter Ross should be gaining viewer's respect but the rushed portrayal of his scenes really just leaves me not caring.
Minor plot holes that won't be noticed by many are sprinkled throughout.
Watching this episode feels more like a chore than entertainment.
It's not enormously worse than the others, but this chapter is the worst of the first season, IMHO
stillworkingfortheknife28 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
House of Cards does excellent work on developing characters and pushing the plot forward simultaneously, so I'm not all too fond of episodes centred on the first to an even higher extend. The series's eighth chapter is one such an example and, in my humble opinion, the first season's worst episode.
As you can deduce from my rating though, it's merely marginally worse than the remaining twelve, but clearly the least thrilling. I hold some issues with the story being entirely focused on Frank's and Peter's excursions and more than just a few scenes decisively outstay their welcome, in addition to them already not being high up on the entertainment value scale. Yet, House of Cards gets to some small but crucial moments for the two aforementioned characters - one taking place with Peter visiting his mother in a nursing home (how tragic is it that this isn't even the character's saddest scene in this series?) and one taking place with Frank discussing drunken secrets with a former close friend of his.
Last but not least, every new location gives the series's cinematographer Eigil Bryld another possibility to present the audience with a different form of beautiful filming and he does so twice in this episode. Clearly, I had nothing even close to a bad time watching chapter eight and it has quite some importance if you look back on the complete first season, but the flaws in it are unusually high for House of Cards.
Memoranda: Wow, Kevin Spacey can both be creepy (the end of last episode) and awkward (the beginning of this episode) as Frank Underwood - that thirty seconds of singing at the Sentinel went on for thirty seconds too long. House of Cards' cast is filled with actors that are remarkably talented at playing their characters in a drunken state, but surprisingly, Kevin Spacey is not one of them. He just looks and acts exactly the same regardless of being sober, drunk, or hungover. But there is one distinction: he reminded me of Alan Rickman abnormally much when drunk and I have no idea why. One small fight is all it takes to bring Peter and Paul back together? Sorry Beau Willimon, but that is a silly cliché that I'm not buying. If you want to "get some shut-eye", Frank, then for what reason are you taking a coffee with you? From my experience with this particular beverage I wouldn't highly recommend it because of its extraordinary soporific effect. I've already expressed my criticism about Frank and his friends' binge drinking scenes above, but I can't deny that the shots of them waking up and strolling about the campus the morning after are excellent. Why doesn't Christina ever question Peter's decision not to testify for keeping the shipyard in his hometown open? Did he merely tell her that it's politics stuff and she was like "Mkay. Let's search for a solution with which the people in your hometown are way worse off." or what? Completely forgot about the best quote thingy I've been doing with this episode while watching it, thus this point will stay void for once.
As you can deduce from my rating though, it's merely marginally worse than the remaining twelve, but clearly the least thrilling. I hold some issues with the story being entirely focused on Frank's and Peter's excursions and more than just a few scenes decisively outstay their welcome, in addition to them already not being high up on the entertainment value scale. Yet, House of Cards gets to some small but crucial moments for the two aforementioned characters - one taking place with Peter visiting his mother in a nursing home (how tragic is it that this isn't even the character's saddest scene in this series?) and one taking place with Frank discussing drunken secrets with a former close friend of his.
Last but not least, every new location gives the series's cinematographer Eigil Bryld another possibility to present the audience with a different form of beautiful filming and he does so twice in this episode. Clearly, I had nothing even close to a bad time watching chapter eight and it has quite some importance if you look back on the complete first season, but the flaws in it are unusually high for House of Cards.
Memoranda: Wow, Kevin Spacey can both be creepy (the end of last episode) and awkward (the beginning of this episode) as Frank Underwood - that thirty seconds of singing at the Sentinel went on for thirty seconds too long. House of Cards' cast is filled with actors that are remarkably talented at playing their characters in a drunken state, but surprisingly, Kevin Spacey is not one of them. He just looks and acts exactly the same regardless of being sober, drunk, or hungover. But there is one distinction: he reminded me of Alan Rickman abnormally much when drunk and I have no idea why. One small fight is all it takes to bring Peter and Paul back together? Sorry Beau Willimon, but that is a silly cliché that I'm not buying. If you want to "get some shut-eye", Frank, then for what reason are you taking a coffee with you? From my experience with this particular beverage I wouldn't highly recommend it because of its extraordinary soporific effect. I've already expressed my criticism about Frank and his friends' binge drinking scenes above, but I can't deny that the shots of them waking up and strolling about the campus the morning after are excellent. Why doesn't Christina ever question Peter's decision not to testify for keeping the shipyard in his hometown open? Did he merely tell her that it's politics stuff and she was like "Mkay. Let's search for a solution with which the people in your hometown are way worse off." or what? Completely forgot about the best quote thingy I've been doing with this episode while watching it, thus this point will stay void for once.
House of Cards Chapter 8
dalydj-918-25517512 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This episode seemed to take place with both Francis and Peter returning to their homes. Francis returned to his college and to his old friends when a library in his name was opening. Peter returned to his home state to try get some votes even though he was met with less support because of the closing of the shipyard. Getting to know Francis more in this episode was a great thing to watch even though it was just a group of four drunken men. Peter's plot seemed more a struggle as he was not celebrated and really had to fight for support from both his harsh mother and constitutes of the state. The episode was all about men as Claire and Zoe were barely given anything worth talking about. It was hard seeing all those people turn on Peter but at the end of the episode where he was able to get everyone back on his side it was a great thing to watch as the relationship between Christina and Petrr builds even more after ending just a few episodes ago. Seeing Francis drunk of his ass and having fun was a different look and it build up to the speech given by Francis which was both a great moment of writing but also as a performance from Spacey. Spacey and Stoll once again are fighting for the best performance on the show with Stoll edging ahead in this episode.
EPISODE GRADE: B+ (MVP: Corey Stoll)
EPISODE GRADE: B+ (MVP: Corey Stoll)
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
