[TV Show Review] House of Cards (Season 1: 2013 -)

Posted on December 20, 2013 by thegrandshuckett in TV Shows // 0 Comments

Official Netflix Website

Plot Summary: A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him.

Created by: Beau Willimon

Original Channel: Netflix

Based On: House of Cards (UK TV Show) by Michael Dobbs and Andrew Davies

Runtime: 56 min / episode

Main Cast:

Kevin Spacey as Francis Underwood
Robin Wright as Claire Underwood
Michael Kelly as Doug Stamper
Kristen Connolly as Christina Gallagher
Kate Mara as Zoe Barnes

Review: by GG

Fair warning: This show is essentially about politics. It is also rated MA, so it included some nudity, sexual scenes, profanity, and drug use. I was not sure I would be interested in this show, but I had heard some good things about it; so, I decided to give it a try.

What I Liked:

Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is very, very clever. He makes plans that he hints to the audience, but does not directly tell them. He also does this thing where he talks to the camera and either predicts what another character is going to say or how they are going to react. This is something that I did not know if I would like at first, but the execution and timing of these events are spot on. Also, the other characters cannot hear him while he is in this mode, so it gives a touch of personality to the show. Francis is the “whip” for the democrats and has to make sure people stay in line, while also putting himself in position to climb up the political ladder.

A character that I liked in the beginning but was not sure how to feel about her by the end of the season was Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara). Zoe is a small-time reporter at The Herald who moves to another company based on her help from Francis. Since Francis is in such a high position, he is able to feed her stories hours before anyone else; however, every story comes with a price, and you quickly realize every favor in this show comes with the expectation of a returned favor.

Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) is another character that I liked from the beginning. She plays the supporting wife role for Francis and is almost always looking out for his best interests.

Visually, the show is spot on because it actually looks like it is in Washington, D.C. Landmarks in the show are real, or they seem to be. I couldn’t believe the show was actually taped in Baltimore and only some scenes were done in the district.

Also, the style of the characters is very believable and spot on. There are some nice suits worn by the men, and Claire particularly wears some fitting dresses that express her style, confidence, and grace.

What I Didn’t Like:

There is not much to dislike about this show; however, there is a strong political presence, so the political speak can be a little overwhelming at times. There are also some sex scenes in the show that I did not see as necessary. These scenes die out closer to the end of the season, and I feel like the show got better without them.

Summary

House of Cards is a pretty good show; however, if you are not that interested in politics, it may not be your forte. The cliffhanger at the end of season 1 has me looking forward to season 2! Another great Netflix series!

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