This review will contain spoilers for all of the first season of House of Cards. I try not to give away too much though.
Wow.
It only took me just about three weeks to finish it. I felt like I was the only person left that hadn't watched all of it.
This thirteen episode series is based on a British show of the same name. It stars Kevin Spacey as Democrat Majority Whip Frank Underwood. The beginning scene is a little rough. He kills a dog while breaking the fourth wall to explain to the viewers about his dislike of useless pain.
As the show continues, we meet Underwood's wife - Claire. Claire is an incredibly interesting character. A lot of my interest surrounded this relationship. The marriage is based on a mutual understand of the need for success and their ambitions. They work together to achieve these lofty goals - usually his. Her goals are often put to the backburner while he forces her to use her own company to promote his own goals.
They also seem to have an understanding about outside relationships. Frank's sexual and professional relationship with the young reporter - Zoe - is okay with Claire. I think it's based on the notion that she knows its purely for his profit. He's using this reporter to get ahead. And, to get laid. However, Claire's own affair is on a different level -- a level to which I don't think Frank would approve.
For most of the series, Frank seems as if he's not human. Totally detached from human emotions. Totally blinded by ambition. However, we get a glimpse into Frank's human side when he has a library at his alma mater named after him and his old college friends come to see him. It is heavily implied that he had a relationship with his friend. Almost as if he loved this man, but knew that it would never be. It was touching.
Peter Russo, a young Congressman from Pennsylvania with a rough past, is the best character on the show. He becomes a pawn in Frank's master plan.
I was really intrigued by the show and I really enjoyed it. And then, the last two episodes really went into a totally different direction than I had anticipated. And, I don't even want to get into the ending.
It was really well done and I loved his to the camera remarks. Sometimes, I felt like the writing didn't really match the acting -- if that makes any sense. Some of the lines were just really jarring and unrealistic, but it wasn't a result of the acting.
I'm honestly impressed by this Netflix Original and I hope that they can keep creating content like this. I enjoyed watching the show (Maybe because I love political dramas). It definitely kept up with this trend of the anti-hero show.
Have you seen House of Cards? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.
Labels: reviews, television
