This entire series keeps keeps you guessing. The acting is top notch, the various plots are top notch , and the the pieces all come together. The ruthlessness and absolute lack of human feelings just shows in the characters. The writer is outstanding in the story. The way the pieces all come together and the ways the actors pull off their mannerisms, facial and behavioral actions all show the ensembles professionalism. Netflix has made an excellent intro into the drama market. I can only hope the series continues and more shows of this caliber are on the drawing boards of Netflix. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright really maintain as anchors in the series. Their interactions and depraved demeanors and narcissistic actions are like no other.
6 Reviews
The Cards Fall Into Place
Hitchcoc27 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Everything falls into place. Frank has manipulated the President to where he doesn't know what hit him (and he actually considers Frank a friend). Frank plays the biggest card of his life, giving Walker a letter that would send Frank to prison and exonerate the President. However, with an approval rating of eight percent and a public that is out for his head, he is in no position to do anything (of course, it was done on his watch). Claire has a horrible scene with Megan who has dropped into a depressed stupor after being used by Claire. We see that Mrs. Underwood has some emotion when she breaks down on the stairs; but she quickly gets her resolve back. Tusk is hung out to dry by Frank, again a gambit. He and Frank despise each other and could never co-exist if a deal were made. Doug heads off on his own and takes Rachel in a car to do God knows what. He has just met with his worst nightmare and is going to be blackmailed or exposed. Rachel takes care of that, however. The eerie music that is playing and the cinematography as Frank and Claire walk toward the Oval Office is about as spooky as anything I've seen or heard. What a great setup for Season Three. Frank as President, a man of no scruples, and he has played most foul for it. Great series!
Brilliant Finale to drool for Season 3
kramfamily15 February 2014
So remember when we were all praising Breaking Bad for its brilliant writing? This season of the House of Cards deserves the same. Even though it did not match Breaking Bad's last 4 episodes in intensity (which is kind of unmatchable) the writing and the tension were brilliant, leaving us drooling for season 3.
What I love about this series is that it creates tension through a tactical journey. So often tension is made by flawed characters, doing stupid things that make me want to slap both the writers for producing such cheap garbage and then slap the actor for making me lose faith in humanity. This show keeps our heroes performing at the top of their game. The way Frank and his wife influence and manipulate people is very plausible, most of the time. And if you disagree with my last statement, that is because you've probably never been around or been friends with sociopaths, who will lie to your face at every opportunity they get, always with a perfect story to fix everything in their favor.
I will finish by saying that this was a great achievement in cinematography. Not only did this season give us perfectly executed story to follow, it gave as an insight into human nature. A real, significant and important insight. The House of Cards shows respect to all of us, for it's mere existence. We can watch it and appreciate that there are people who make beautiful things and more importantly, those people understand that some of us crave something genuine, something real, something that will make us think about the reality of the world, ourselves, and the conniving bastards around us. The House of Cards granted us that wish.
What I love about this series is that it creates tension through a tactical journey. So often tension is made by flawed characters, doing stupid things that make me want to slap both the writers for producing such cheap garbage and then slap the actor for making me lose faith in humanity. This show keeps our heroes performing at the top of their game. The way Frank and his wife influence and manipulate people is very plausible, most of the time. And if you disagree with my last statement, that is because you've probably never been around or been friends with sociopaths, who will lie to your face at every opportunity they get, always with a perfect story to fix everything in their favor.
I will finish by saying that this was a great achievement in cinematography. Not only did this season give us perfectly executed story to follow, it gave as an insight into human nature. A real, significant and important insight. The House of Cards shows respect to all of us, for it's mere existence. We can watch it and appreciate that there are people who make beautiful things and more importantly, those people understand that some of us crave something genuine, something real, something that will make us think about the reality of the world, ourselves, and the conniving bastards around us. The House of Cards granted us that wish.
Shakespearean television
natahuiz18 August 2019
"We need to pull the pin and throw him at Walker before Walker pulls the pin, throws him at us"
TheLittleSongbird12 June 2019
Have made my very positive stance on the first series very clear more than once, liking to loving all thirteen of its episodes. Likewise with my stance on the second season, which had so much to live up and was not quite on the same level but was just as good overall. Do agree about Season 2 not settling straight away or as quickly in the way Season 1 did, the second half was better and more consistent than the first, but at its best it was brilliant.
"Chapter 26", the final Season 2 episode, falls very strongly in the brilliant category and would go as far to say that it is the season at its best and one of the best 'House of Cards' episodes at this point. To me it is the season at its darkest and most suspenseful, seeing the political intrigue at its most tense and cynical, the characters at their most interesting and ruthless and with the feeling that the cards are falling into place and stabilising. A long way from them crashing down or completely collapsing, certainly not in the same way as Seasons 5 and especially 6 did.
The dialogue maintains the darkness and sharpness apparent in the second half particularly of Season 2, and the momentum has far from slackened (it's gotten tighter). Everything with the increasingly malevolent Tusk has really heightened the tension that is even more fever pitch than in the previous episode. And while Claire and especially Frank are more ambitious and ruthless than before and really drive the drama they don't over-dominate the episode (which does allow the newer characters to make some kind of impression).
It can be counted upon for any 'House of Cards' episode to look great, and that never failed to happen. Even the lesser epsiodes had the production values as a redeeming quality. The photography is very stylish and in my mind "Chapter 26" is the most polished and cinematic-looking episode in a while actually, it has been mentioned about the walk to the Oval Office being especially effective and have to agree completely.
That aforementioned moment also has some of the best use of music of the entire show, the music has always been good on 'House of Cards' but not many other moments were quite as unforgettable and truly haunting in scoring and placement as the music in that particular part. A perfect marriage of visuals, music and body language that will be once seen and most likely never forgotten. None of the characters have lost their interest value and are far from cartoonish. As ever, they are impeccably acted with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright knockouts.
Altogether, fantastic episode and what a way to end a mostly incredibly well done Season 2. 10/10
"Chapter 26", the final Season 2 episode, falls very strongly in the brilliant category and would go as far to say that it is the season at its best and one of the best 'House of Cards' episodes at this point. To me it is the season at its darkest and most suspenseful, seeing the political intrigue at its most tense and cynical, the characters at their most interesting and ruthless and with the feeling that the cards are falling into place and stabilising. A long way from them crashing down or completely collapsing, certainly not in the same way as Seasons 5 and especially 6 did.
The dialogue maintains the darkness and sharpness apparent in the second half particularly of Season 2, and the momentum has far from slackened (it's gotten tighter). Everything with the increasingly malevolent Tusk has really heightened the tension that is even more fever pitch than in the previous episode. And while Claire and especially Frank are more ambitious and ruthless than before and really drive the drama they don't over-dominate the episode (which does allow the newer characters to make some kind of impression).
It can be counted upon for any 'House of Cards' episode to look great, and that never failed to happen. Even the lesser epsiodes had the production values as a redeeming quality. The photography is very stylish and in my mind "Chapter 26" is the most polished and cinematic-looking episode in a while actually, it has been mentioned about the walk to the Oval Office being especially effective and have to agree completely.
That aforementioned moment also has some of the best use of music of the entire show, the music has always been good on 'House of Cards' but not many other moments were quite as unforgettable and truly haunting in scoring and placement as the music in that particular part. A perfect marriage of visuals, music and body language that will be once seen and most likely never forgotten. None of the characters have lost their interest value and are far from cartoonish. As ever, they are impeccably acted with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright knockouts.
Altogether, fantastic episode and what a way to end a mostly incredibly well done Season 2. 10/10
Season 2: Rarely thrilling but still engaging, and does better at showing the darker side of things
bob the moo5 October 2014
I enjoyed the first season of House of Cards despite the fact that it did seem remarkably polished but yet distant. I had heard some negative things about the second season, but I had liked the first enough to come back for more. And indeed more is what we get, although mostly it is more of the same – which I am not saying is a bad thing. The plot continues on from the first season and, with some early dramatic plot developments, we soon enough start another round of politics – this time with Frank given a specific adversary in the middle of other characters, to give the show a bit more back and forward that it has when it is just him trying to move.
This does work as a device, although it moves slowly and like the first season there is surprisingly few dramatic twists and turns, with a lot of the plots not really going anywhere particularly quickly. It remains very polished and accessible as a piece of television, which is good because I do think that without the high production values and big names, perhaps the material would not be good enough to draw the viewers on its own merit. I don't mean to sound overly critical but it does take its time and you can see most of the developments coming – they are still delivered very professionally and properly, but it is hardly amazing writing. The thing that it does do better in the second season is that it allows characters rather than just events, to drive the narrative. In particular it allows us to see characters broken unfairly, to really see the ruthlessness of the Underwoods rather than just hearing him tell us about it. This aspect held me more than some of the actual plotting at times.
The cast remain classy throughout, with plenty of talent and plenty of technical and production skills to give them an aesthetically strong stage to do it from. It is still not as great a show as it looks and as others say, but it is professionally made to a high standard, has a lot of talent involved, and does provide a reasonably engaging narrative. I still say that it lacks teeth and real cynicism, but it was good to have some significantly darker edges to characters and events this time round.
This does work as a device, although it moves slowly and like the first season there is surprisingly few dramatic twists and turns, with a lot of the plots not really going anywhere particularly quickly. It remains very polished and accessible as a piece of television, which is good because I do think that without the high production values and big names, perhaps the material would not be good enough to draw the viewers on its own merit. I don't mean to sound overly critical but it does take its time and you can see most of the developments coming – they are still delivered very professionally and properly, but it is hardly amazing writing. The thing that it does do better in the second season is that it allows characters rather than just events, to drive the narrative. In particular it allows us to see characters broken unfairly, to really see the ruthlessness of the Underwoods rather than just hearing him tell us about it. This aspect held me more than some of the actual plotting at times.
The cast remain classy throughout, with plenty of talent and plenty of technical and production skills to give them an aesthetically strong stage to do it from. It is still not as great a show as it looks and as others say, but it is professionally made to a high standard, has a lot of talent involved, and does provide a reasonably engaging narrative. I still say that it lacks teeth and real cynicism, but it was good to have some significantly darker edges to characters and events this time round.
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