It's been hailed as the 'future of television' and has lapped up critical praise across the board and kids, I've got to say House of Cards lives up to the hype and then some. An Americanized version of the British mini series, Kevin Spacey stars as Congressman Frank Underwood, the Majority Whip in Congress- who opens the season by approaching a dog who's been injured in a hit and run and promptly suffocates it to put it out of its misery, informing the audience in the first of many fourth wall breaking asides that he always does what has to be done. When he's passed over for Secretary of State in an incoming administration starts out on a deliciously machiavellian plan of revenge together with his wife Claire (Robin Wright) and an ambitious reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara). Underwood might be ruthless, power hungry and willing to do anything to get ahead but he's matched and then some by his wife Claire (who's portrayal by Robin Wright just about steals the show from Kevin Spacey.)
In short order, Underwood spikes the President's nominee for Secretary of State, ruins his education plan and the muscles his way in to provide a solution (thus gaining importance influence in the White House) and then ties a young Congressman with a troubled relationship with drugs and booze to his cause, almost ruining him and then setting him to fall as he attempts to run for Governor of Pennsylvania. All of which, by the end of the first season (two are planned, I believe) leaves Underwood on the verge of ascending to a great deal of power indeed.
This was one of the few television shows that I managed to watch completely without seeking out spoilers- and, as such, I won't reveal anything beyond what I already have. This is something worth watching- and something worth seeing to believe. It might be a little extreme in it's portrayal of the power hungry ways of Washington but when Underwood approaches a mentally disturbed homeless man who's screaming wildly in the street and assures him that 'he doesn't matter and nobody can hear him' it's not hard to see the interesting parallels between Washington and the rest of the country. It struck me that in a very real sense, we are that crazy homeless man. Or at least it feel that way a lot of time.
The cinematography reflects this as well. Washington is not a shining, virtuous, lilly-white city. No, this is a dirty city, a city of shadows, dark corners, grungy and grimy which suits it well and is a perfect fit for the overall series as well.
Netflix threw some serious money at this and it paid off in spades for them. I don't know if they'll challenge HBO for quality cable programming but this was one hell of a way to start out. Releasing all the episodes at once could be something that might prove quite innovative in the future, though it might be too soon to tell if this is what could safely be called 'the future of television.' It might be a the beginning of the beginning of the future of television but only time will tell. The Netflix format frees the show from the strictures of commercials and time pressures. Each episodes is as long as it needs to be to tell the story it wants to tell- and without commercial breaks, the lack of artificial cliffhangers throughout the show makes for a very different viewing experience. It feels slower but in reality its more delicately crafted in a way and the gradual pacing in the early episodes quickens pace as more and more of Underwood's plan is revealed.
Overall: This is the best political television show since The West Wing. Can't wait for another season to see what kind of trouble, manipulation and power politics these characters get into next.
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