3.12.14

IHAO on ... House of Cards



Binge watching and Netflix-ing helps my insomnia.  I recently talked about going through all of Frasier.  I watched all of Wings after that.  No, that one isn't worth talking about.  It is a fine sitcom, and that's the end.  Next ... well, I tried Coach, because the sitcom train hadn't gone badly.  I did not last long in Coach.  If I go back, I'll just skip the first season entirely.  House of Cards had been sitting on my "To Watch List" for awhile, so I decided to go ahead and start watching it.

Three days later, I finish.

This show is super duper good.

End review.  Roll credits.



It is not often that a show this high in quality comes along.  It is filmed like a movie, it has great actors, and its plots are superb.  Even the simply episodic episodes feel like they have purpose and meaning, and are my favorites of both seasons.

A quick rundown of the show: Francis Underwood is a politician screwed one too many times as he tries to move up the political ladder.  So with good old fashioned politics, intrigue, blackmail, extortion, charm, threats, and greasing the wheels in even more unscrupulous ways, Frank tries to make his way to the top.  His wife, a charity head and lobbyist, is also working on her own schemes.  And journalists are also working their way in.

The show is dense, rewarding, with incredible ... everything, really.  The mystique of why Francis turns to the camera to give us little asides is wonderful, and used many different ways to great effect.  Kevin Spacey, who I normally don't care much about, is able to do what he loves best: completely dissolve into his character.  But since this is a show instead of a film, he is given so much more to work with, and can do so much.  Kevin Spacey deserves and Oscar for Best Actor for this television show.  That is the level of quality on this show, and he deserves every award.

If you have Netflix, you are doing yourself a disservice to not watch House of Cards.

Grade: A++

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