House of Cards Series Review (Seasons 1 and 2)

When it comes to television, the realm of the political is a difficult niche to fill; either audiences deem it to be too dry for regular viewing or the producers play it safe by concentrating on realistic issues and affairs tackled in the real world. The most recent contribution to this genre is House of Cards, a series which manages to get the balance just right, resulting in what could easily be considered one of the best political dramas ever made.

Based on the novel by Michael Dobbs and the original UK mini-series from 1990, House of Cards takes one man’s elaborate scheme to gain power and places it on the grandest stage of all, The White House. Kevin Spacey plays Francis Underwood, chief whip of the democrats; after he is passed over for Secretary of State, he vows to climb the ranks of the political totem pole, whilst being assisted by his wide Claire (played by Robin Wright). Underwood also begins an affair with journalist Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) who agrees to spin stories in exchange for information that will help her rise in the media sector. On his conquest for a higher spot of power, Frank must contend with rebelling party members, numerous scandals and countless other obstacles that often expand worldwide. It’s these issues that give the series a serious dose of relatability that is rarely present in television dramas and in addition they keep the audience fully invested; you’ll always be wondering just how Underwood and his cohorts will manage get through the situation at hand. Of course the political backdrop with heavy diplomatic dialogue won’t appeal to everyone and newcomers to the topics discussed may find the plotlines a little tricky to follow but aside from its complexity, House of Cards is most definitely not one to fold over as it goes on.

House of Cards is a very character driven series and both the main and side characters are all especially memorable. Kevin Spacey gives one of his best performances as Francis; he’s such a cold and often sadistic politician and yet despite these repulsive characteristics, there’s not a single moment where he doesn’t fascinate the viewer. Robin Wright is his perfect match, bringing an equal level of cold decisiveness to Claire Underwood. In fact that’s something you’ll find about many of the women in House of Cards; many of them are very strong willed and progressive in their roles, which sometimes isn’t the case in other popular dramas. There’s also a contrast between old and young, with the inexperienced Zoe Barnes being stacked up against and often intimidated by Frank over the course of the series. The main thing which makes the characters work is their shady nature; nearly every character in the series has something to hide or some kind of dirty secret which they don’t want stumbling out into the open which not only consistently intrigues the audience but reinforces the prime theme of corruption. There are a lot of characters, with more being introduced as things go on but each and every one of them contributes in their own way to the web of intrigue and political drama.

House of Cards features many important themes but it also makes use of a fair few techniques to entertain its audience. I mentioned before that Spacey continuously fascinates as Frank Underwood, he does so by taking a moment or two to look towards the camera and narrate his plans to the audience; this technique (which was also used in the original 1990 series) is incredibly effective, meaning that no matter how ruthless Underwood becomes, you’ll be forever entranced by his sly quips. The series is certainly very adult in both its depiction of real issues such as alcohol abuse and its seamless implementation of controversial deeds including phone hacking and working relationships and this contributes to a rather dark tone which is enforced much more in season 2. You’ll witness people being destroyed by their personal demons and external addictions, or be stepped on by others who also seek more power and bad deeds for their own personal gain. Simply put, the production facets of House of Cards are always working to compliment the plot and characters; you’ll really appreciate the effort the crew put into this area time and time again.

House of Cards is a complex series which doesn’t always offer easy answers, nor does it cater to a wide audience, but its detailed performances and deep thematic plotlines more than carry the day. If you have any sort of interest in politics, journalism or both, you can’t afford to miss out on this brilliant series.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars