House of Cards Series Review (Season 5)

Released: May 30th 2017 (All Regions)

Created by: Beau Willimon

No of Episodes: 13

Where to Watch: Netflix

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Jayne Atkinson, Neve Campbell, Joel Kinnaman, Dominique McEllogott, Paul Sparks, Boris McGiver and Campbell Scott 

House of Cards returns for its fifth season in 2017, continuing Presidential Frank Underwood and his wife turned vice presidential candidate Claire relentless push for power at any cost.

Picking up with the entrance of terrorism in the lead-up to the 2016 election, Frank (Kevin Spacey) and Claire (Robin Wright) take measures to improve their chances of re-election, not to mention keep possible rebellions in line. With their secretary of state Kathy Durrant (Jayne Atkinson) questioning her loyalties and press secretary Seth Grayson (Dereck Cecil) talking with the press, there’s a lot to keep track of. Can the Underwoods survive? We’re about to find out over the course of another thirteen episodes. On the whole, there’s a lot more frustration and discontent running through the veins of the political elite here. Francis and Claire work to hang on to their power despite obstacles constantly springing up and their Republican opponent William Conway (Joel Kinnaman) gradually grows angrier as his progress towards the Oval Office is obstructed. This struggle to move forward continues with Tom Hammerschmidt (Boris McGiver) and the media as they look for all evidence that could damage President Underwood’s reign. Many elements from previous seasons have been deemphasised as the threat of terrorist group ICO mostly runs in the background and the intervention of the Russian President Victor Petrov (Lars Mikkelsen) is given a lot less screen-time. In some ways, this is an unfortunate turn that makes the fifth season feel a lot more static when compared to the fourth but a few twists and turns along the way, especially towards the end, do keep the momentum going.

Characters are still a strong point for season 5 with Francis once again talking the time to let the audience in on his plans; this time around he often takes a solo approach to his backroom dealings, further fleshing out his attachment and addiction to power while galvanising his desire to hang onto it. Some of Kevin Spacey’s best moments see him standing up to his opponents in the US government, his powerful voice hammering down onto those who would seek to remove him. Robin Wright continues to deliver a good portrayal as well but the biggest disappointment I had was how Claire barely had any moments to break to fourth wall. There was a lot of emphasis placed on her turning towards the camera at the end of season 4 and while Frank still gets his moments, she’s mostly kept in the same role she’s throughout the series. The affair she has with Tom Yates (Paul Sparks) seems to have outstayed its welcome here; while originally the author was brought in to pen a biography of the Underwoods, here it doesn’t really factor into the plot very much, that notion of building a legacy that Frank is hellbent on accomplishing. While Claire and her affair does falter a bit this time around, Leanne (Neve Campbell) has a lot more to do; between saving her own career and complicating things with Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), the two of them slowly start collaborating more. One of the best characters is the republican campaign manager Mark Usher (Campbell Scott), a genuinely careful and committed advisor who keeps composed under the pressure. He’s one of the more interesting members of the series’ political scene and may have a stronger hand to play as the series goes on.

By taking a more contained viewpoint, House of Cards Season 5 is a decent entry in the series, even if it does have some missed opportunities with characters. The struggle for the White House in a twisted election continues has a lot of weight behind it and every character is feeling the pressure bearing down on them. It’s far from the best season but it will still leave you satisfied.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)