House of Cards (TV Series) Chapter 52 (2016) User Reviews

Excellent

[nishantsalhotrans · 10/10 · 21 April 2016]

/*Spoiler Alert*/

This season was mostly very good except for some minor parts like Tom Yates and Claire's story(which kinda bugged me). Anyways, I'm gonna keep this short. After the Underwoods coming together again and kicking ass, everything seems to come crumbling down. Frank is broken for the first time since S1E01, Then the scene hits the screen. The scene that gave me goosebumps. Claire: You should put on a new suit. Frank: The navy blue. Claire: Yes, the navy blue.

This was such an awesome scene. Frank is broken beyond the stage where he should be filled with rage. Then Claire comes in. Fuels anger in him, and with that anger comes hope. It reminds us of the very first episode of season 1, when Frank is screwed by his party, and Claire says," I wanna see you angry". The 'navy blue suit' line is the reference to the same scene from that first ever legendary episode.

It practically says, House of Cards is back after a Not so good season 3

There Will Be Blood

[851222 · 10/10 · 28 June 2016]

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Chapter 52" is a brilliant ending to a terrific season 4. This is by far the best episode of the series overall (period). Everything - acting, writing, directing was a top notch - as usually, but with that "twisted" smile that makes this show unique and one of my favorite.

Overall Season 4 was a huge step up in comparison to a very good 2nd and good but inconsistent seasons 3. There were more interesting and gripping plot and twists, and reminded my of the terrific season 1 - it was that good. These two people won't let go what they have and what they want to have that easily, like one of them said "we will go one step further then any of them". That what makes this show and characters fascinating (and although sometimes they are over the top hilariously bad / twisted, but always entertaining, and plausible as possible).

Overall, do not miss Season 4 - if you liked previous seasons, you will be in nirvana watching these 13 great, great chapters.

singularity

[cwcitachi · 10/10 · 6 March 2016]

in this show，Underwood is a singularity. all rules don't apply to him. even the rule between reality and fiction： ONLY he can talk to the audience.

what happened in the very end of this episode is， Claire became ANOTHER singularity. (she looked at the camera)

i think in the next season， she will directly talk to the audience too. there is no more leading role or supporting role， there are only THEM, and this,i believe is also the meaning of the post of this season： Two Singularities.

（by the way，the post did a good job of misleading the audience，it made us think that this season was going to be Frank vs Claire.）

Season 4: Back to core strengths and keeps the season moving along pretty well aside from some weaker moments

[bob the moo · 2 July 2016]

Despite my misgivings about the third season, there was enough quality to the show to bring me back. Although not as smart as this quality would suggest, the fourth season is certainly a move back in the right direction. The plots have much more in the way of political maneuvering, and there is an edge to the drama that was lacking last time out. Not all of it works, and some of it does feel like it is filling time a little, but mostly it has good pace, weight to the drama, while also still having a light touch of entertainment to it.

The quality of the production remains high, and the cast match this with plenty of famous faces giving good performances. There are a few too many moving parts, and things to be brought to a close, however the fourth season is certainly an improvement on the third – feeling much closer to the aspects of the show that I enjoyed in the first seasons.

Powerful, stunning finale capping off a mostly great season.

[TouchTheGarlicProduction · 9/10 · 5 March 2016]

Wow. What a great episode. The season opened with four strong episodes (particularly the fourth), then fell into a bit of a lull for a couple episodes. It was understandable, but these episodes reminded me just a little too much of season 3; the weakest season. Season 3 wasn't bad but it felt hollow. Luckily, after a few episodes, the show began to build itself up again. It all gradually built to this. These final two episodes have been spectacular. Filled with plot, tension, and twists, they are a great way to cap off a pretty strong season.

Frank begins the episode by dispatching of Will. Claire brigs Yusuf Al Ahmadi into the picture to try and help with the hostage situation. Hammerschmidt gives Frank a chance to put out a statement before he runs the story. The episode builds up the tension and then...

Everything goes wrong for the Underwoods. The director and actors really conveyed the concept that everything they have built, everything they have worked for their entire lives, is now falling. We get to see the Underwoods pushed to their limits. And then they make a bold final move. The episode ends on a fantastic final image, on par with the ending of season 2. It makes me excited for the next season. This is something season 3 failed to do and season 1 was only moderately successful at.

In conclusion, this was a fantastic end to a season that far surpasses the previous one and is only just below or on par with the early seasons.

Wow

[jonas-buxte · 10/10 · 4 March 2016]

There are so many parts of this series that are outstanding, that catching them all would take too long and wouldn't help anyone reading it because the only thing that that would lead to is spoiler content. Thus, I'm making it very short: At the start I believed the still flashy, but not as bright excellence of season 3 would continue but luckily it proved me all wrong. I only have one sentence to describe this season and I think many will think the same:

This series will never cease to impress me.

FU2016.

Edit to fill the lines: I'm not an American, nor do I really care about their politics. But watching them dig their own grave by having not one presidential candidate that radiates strength really troubles me after just watching this series. Finish it and ask yourself, if any of the current candidates would make a good standing at just one of the troubles that occur in this fictional, but at least somewhat realistic series.

Oops, just one little oversight...

[jendarden · 8/10 · 16 April 2020]

I love House of Cards, stopped watching during season 3 first time around but sheltering at home April 2020 due to Covid19 has allowed me to pick back up. Just one comment about this episode. These American wannabe terrorists (evidently some kids in rural Georgia or somewhere) have kidnapped 3 members of an American family, demanding that a Guantanamo detainee be released. So it's all set up, ready to have communication between these kidnappers, the detainee, the U.S. government agencies, etc. But when it all goes down and the detainee goes off script, all hell breaks loose, partly because the detainees last few hurried sentences to the kidnappers were in Arabic, nobody knows what was said, everybody's scrambling around. Umm. Given the work that went into setting up this communication, did this scenario never cross anybody's mind and/or did it not occur to anyone (ANYONE???) to possibly have a translator on hand?? Really? That seems pretty farfetched to me. Pretty big OOPS!!

Am I the only one who gets scared when Underwood talks directly to us???

[meeTarantino · 10/10 · 14 July 2021]

I still don't know if I want Frank to win or to die...

When the Chickens Come Home to Roost, You Fry Them!

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 11 March 2016]

Well, quite the ending. Hammerschmidt moves in on Frank with his damning research (actually only scratching the surface) as the President and First Lady work over their captive, trying to get him to release the American. She is amazingly insightful and almost gets to him. The key is almost. When the news story hits, it is enormous. How can someone manage to overcome this onslaught in a short time. He is, after all, a sociopath. Claire is too. What do you do? You create a story that overwhelms everyone. You create national fear as a distraction. As bad a President as you are, you need me now because the alternative has no legs. This is the only fireman available setting the fire. This on smaller terms is a psychological condition. Frank and Claire are desperate and willing to go to the mat one more time. A cornered animal is the most dangerous there is. Far fetched. Look at our country today! What was once a fiction is becoming more and more possible day by day. Look at our current debates. Do you wonder what motivates these people? How far will they go to get elected. Remember in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" how Marc Antony is able to sway the stupid public and get Brutus killed. We had better be smarter and more suspicious of these highly moneyed folks. We have to start thinking about the power we have given to some pretty marginal characters. This episode has it all and it makes one wonder what we are in store for in the coming season. Finally, what amazing performances by these two actors, with their subtle and not-so-subtle villainy. Can't wait.

"That's right. We don't submit to terror. We make the terror"

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 18 February 2020]

Season 4's penultimate episode "Chapter 51" was a great penultimate instalment to a mostly solid season, where even the weakest episode was still good. The main plot on paper may have been on the basic side, but the character interaction (especially Frank and Conway), performances, Will Conway's development and genuine suspense and dread made that not be a major issue that brought anything down significantly. Not when everything else was so outstanding.

Continuing on from the events seen in "Chapter 51", the season finale "Chapter 52" is even better. As a season fnale, it really couldn't have been better. It has all of the things that were great in "Chapter 51" (which was almost everything), including all mentioned in the above paragraph and more. Yet those great things are executed to even better effect here and what may have been basic before is not as much here, while not being over-stuffed or muddled.

Frank and Claire were always fascinating characters throughout Seasons 1-5, Season 6 sadly suffered from Frank being written out and the writers not knowing seemingly what to do with Claire, even when the show was not quite on top form. They still are and have some goosebump-inducing scenes together. Particularly when they talk of fighting everything off. Frank and Tom's interaction is also hugely compelling.

The performances are superb across the board, with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright of course dominating. The writing hasn't lost its bite or thoughtfulness and the story's suspense and sense of dread has far from been lost, actually thought it intensified here with higher stakes and the pace remains taut. As does the class and stylishness in the production values, principally the photography. Can't fault the direction either, or the music.

All in all, brilliant final episode for Season 4. For me it was the last great episode of 'House of Cards' with Season 4 being the last season of the show to properly consistently impress me. It wasn't the same since, Season 5 was a little better than remembered though flawed but my very negative feelings on Season 6 have not changed. 10/10

Great finish to series 4

[snoozejonc · 9/10 · 16 April 2021]

Frank fights on two fronts to try and save his presidency.

This is a very strong episode and an effective series 4 finale.

It is as much about Frank and Claire as it is about two plot threads coming together and backing the two main characters into a corner.

It's not at all hard to swallow for a cynic like me. I've always thought statesmen and leaders take extreme political decisions when power is at stake and the writers of this obviously have the same outlook.

This has many memorable moments, mostly involving Frank speaking to the kidnappers and his final line to the audience. Probably the most effective part for me is something that is shown on a big screen in the situation room. Just watch the reactions of everyone in the room and pay attention to Frank and Claire. Very cinematic indeed.

It is a beautifully filmed episode with virtually every shot as beautiful and effective as always on House Of Cards.

Kevin Spacey is great as usual and he is supported well by the others, especially Boris McGiver and Robin Wright.

It's an 8.5/10 for me but I round upwards.

The Cult of Claire

[DesmondQu · 7/10 · 20 December 2016]

The plot armor on Claire is so thick, the entire nation love her, for what reason? Lets review her past achievements: Got into the position of ambassador through pure nepotism (arguably illegal) with zero experience; She deliberately sabotaged decades of relationship progress between US and Russia for one selfish delusional protester; She destabilized middle east on multiple occasions; She got tricked by a Russia agent and led the special ops directly into a trap. Then she blames her demotion on Frank rather than her own colossal failures. Her favorite words to Frank are "Fix it", Frank is constantly trying to fix her past mistakes. Even in 1st season Claire's hypocrisy was off the charts, she blamed Frank for cant accept the SanCorp money, but actually SanCorp's only objective was to use that money to buy political favors from Frank. Claire's entire career is built on top of leeching off Frank's political power while whining about it, every time they were in crisis Frank was the one to figure a way out, she even sabotaged his water bill, and somehow she is entitled to Frank's success. Im sure the writers forcing the praise of Claire down our throat has nothing to do with Robin Wright is an executive producer.... We get it, your executive producer's character is the main protagonist, you want to increase her involvement in the show.

Strong season, weak ending.

[alexandrearenafilho · 6/10 · 8 March 2016]

I enjoyed the 4th season of "House of Cards". The highlights were the chapters directed by Robin Wright, with everything before, between and after those being good but often uneven up until now.

My favourite developments were the ones involving the campaign, all the backstabbing etc. I hoped we would have the election this season, but after some episodes it started to drag a bit and it was clear we wouldn't reach it this year. "Chapter 51" shifted the focus completely and was all about a terrorist crisis that lost all my interest. This crisis continued in the last episode of the season, and another crisis showed up, one that is equally uninteresting: Tom Hammerschmidt's article on the Herald.

The new story doesn't feel all that threatening, and yet everybody keeps talking about it as if it was super harmful. What important part does it have that Lucas Goodwin didn't know already? Some quotes by partial people? We know what happened to Lucas. Frank should easily overcome this, considering everything he's been through in this series.

All of this ended up being hard to swallow and even eye-rolling. The dialogue between Claire and Frank when they decide to generate fear and war is just cringe-worthy. The actors try hard but there's not much to do about it. Also, I have no idea what it means for the future of the series when Claire breaks the 4th wall in the last seconds of the episode.