Was 'House of Cards' Ever Good?

It ’s heavy to believeHouse of Cardsis only three years honest-to-goodness . consider the staggering number of harebrained plot threads that have unravel since its 2013 premiere – and all that ’s happened with the show ’s home , Netflix , in that time – it seems like Frank and Claire Underwood have been with us for at least a full presidential terminal figure , if not more . But March 4th is only the show ’s fourth - time of year premiere , and its arrival has us wondering : isHouse of Cardsactually a proficient show ?

Critics have been wonder this for a footling while , but their dissent got much gimcrack at the oddment of season three . “ That ’s It , House of Cards . You Lost Me , ” proclaim The Daily Beast last twelvemonth . “ House of Cardsis the unfit show about American politics . Ever , ” shouted theWashington Post . “ House of Cardsis Terrible and You ’re All Bad People , ” said an specially free-spoken Dave Weigel . Even die - hard lover seemed loaf about those last episodes , but here we are , about to dive into 13 more .

Along with many other viewers I know , I ’ve spent the past couple weeks turn over if I really want to invest more fourth dimension in the Underwood disposal , or if it ’s time to cut and track down toa new idiot box compulsion . So , like any case - A personality , I made aHouse of Cardspros and cons checklist to help in the determination - making outgrowth . Hopefully , it ’ll also help you make the correct call .

Kevin Spacey in Netflix series House of Cards

Netflix

It’s batshit crazy

Remember when Claire and Frank feed in Meechum a short ton of Bourbon dynasty and then went to town on each other ? How about when a future president throw a newsman in front of a moving train ? Or when that random Taiwanese billionaire was into autoerotic asphyxiation ? There ’s no agency around it : this show is fucking testicle . Premiering as Netflix ’s 2nd original serial ( never leave Little Stevie’sLilyhammer ) this show was design to be binged . No one watchingHouse of Cardsis savoring each instalment for little details or surprising social comment – they ’re power through to the next murder , affair , orgraveyard sacrilege . But the job with writing a show like that is that everything in between suffers . Be honest : are you really ante up attention during those meeting about Frank ’s instruction bill ? Of naturally you are n’t , and why would you when all those quieter moment of real ( well , sort of real ) government pale in compare to all the outrageous plot bend ?

In an seek to keep outdoing itself , House of Cardshas already paint itself into a nook . The show has killed off ( in increasingly alarming manner ) almost everyone who poses a serious menace to the Underwoods , and Frank and Claire have now been sitting in the White House since the season - two finale . As time of year three made clear , House of Cardshas no idea what to do with these two when they are n’t struggling or scheming for their next furtherance . That ’s not a great signboard for the show ’s foresightful - term future .

But batshit crazy can be kind of fun

front , no one said that Meechum three - way was n’t entertaining . All these OMG second carry through what they ’re suppose to do : provoke a reaction . It ’s a ton of fun freaking out with the people of Twitter as you hit each installment ’s insane peak , and likely the best part of watchingHouse of Cardsis doing a postmortem with friends after you ’ve all complete the new season . discourse Cashew the greaseball squealer alone can take up a good , gushing half an 60 minutes at brunch .

And the thing is , there ’s nothingwrongwith follow a show just because it ’s entertaining . That ’s the whole grounds telecasting exist ! Especially in the Second Advent of Peak TV , it ’s easy to feel shamed about enjoying a show that is n’t a slow - burn meditation on the human condition . You should n’t . The beauty of this television roar is that there ’s space for all kinds of appearance . If this special one is more your old bag thanMad Men , then you should be spending your weekend with Frank , not Don .

Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are a fascinating power couple

When you want an actor to deliver a hammy public presentation with a ridiculous southern drawl , one name should be at the top of your list : Kevin Spacey . And I do n’t mean that as an affront ! It ’s the only elbow room to play Frank , and Spacey has a short ton of merriment tearing into each ludicrous aside to the tv camera . Even well is Robin Wright as his reckon wife , Claire . I ’m go to be honest and intromit that I ’d kinda suffer track of Robin Wright afterForrest Gump . So seeing her show up in a series of undefiled black-market dresses and big businessman - stare the shit out of everyone in Washington was a goddamn delight . I do n’t acknowledge how she has n’t already done this , but I ’m willing to blow my rescue on a front - row Broadway ticket whenever she determine to play Lady Macbeth .

one by one , they ’re both corking , but Spacey and Wright are at their best when they ’re together . Some of the show ’s most memorable scenes are just Frank and Claire share a cigarette late at nighttime , plotting some political maneuvers . Or Frank and Claire dividing and conquering at dinner party parties . Or Frank and Claire make their bodyguard , but hey , you already know that .

The rest of the cast is… less fascinating

This was n’t so much a problem in season one , whenHouse of Cardshad Corey Stoll and Kate Mara at its disposal . Peter Russo might be the only genuinely sympathetic grapheme the show ’s ever had , and Zoe Barnes – well , I kinda hat Zoe Barnes for accept the already - wearying dad - culture trend of slutty , manipulative lady reporter to Modern tallness , but she in spades was n’t boring !

Those two have been gone for a recollective clock time , though , and the show seems to be suffering under the delusion that we care just as much about the remaining supporting characters . Characters like Zoe ’s mopey X - boyfriend , some honest-to-god rich guy whocollects birds , and Doug Stamper , whose intact season - three plotline can be summed up as “ deplorable physical therapy , conform to by continued stalk . ” The job is n’t that these characters are hard to like ( although they are ) . It ’s that none of them are remotely as interesting as the two lead-in . And that ’s a shame , because the show employ some pretty fantabulous actor with piddling to do but creep around administration buildings .

It looks really nice

WhenHouse of Cardsfirst premiered , Netflix made a big deal about the fact that it nab David Fincher to executive - produce and direct the first two episode . This was obviously imply to concern critics and movie geek who hump the famously meticulous director ’s moody esthetic . And it kinda worked ! Especially back before we knewwhat character of shows Netflix was capable of earn , the visuals inHouse of Cardswere just stunning . Who knew an online - streaming service could produce these kind of barb ? Even now that no one is doubting Netflix ’s abilities , the earmark noirish scene of Washington remain one ofHouse of Cards ’ greatest strengths .

But it’s not the prestige drama it thinks it is

It ’s one thing to make a visually striking show . It ’s another to make a visually spectacular show with substance . TheHouse of Cardslook might prompt you of other cinematic series likeBreaking BadorTrue Detective– and make no mistake , Netflix require you to make those connecter – but this show is using all that grim - key lighting as a masquerade party . It ’s not like those others demonstrate . It ’s a bananas D.C. soap opera wearing a really gracious cause , and you ca n’t have it both ways . Just need Shonda Rhimes , whose Washington political dramaScandalis arguably a better show , but has never been taken half as badly because it ’s owned the soap recording label from day one . House of Cardsisn’t any more meaningful , despite all theincrediblysmugthings its creator Beau Willimon has suppose to the contrary . It ’s just got a nice gloss .

So, is it a good show?

I ’ve dutifully check the retiring three seasons ofHouse of Cardsalong with everyone else . It would be a small masochistic to pay 39 hours to something I openly abominate – and the affair is , I do n’t hate this show . I ’m a sucker for political dramas , and I will never tire of watching Robin Wright being a stark ice queen . But I ’ve had a shrewish idea in the back of my head since the first episode that ’s been get louder and louder even as I ’ve blearily binged through each new season like a relapsed junky : This is n’t a good show . It probably never was . And I honestly do n’t think I can keep up with it anymore . That might mean missing out on some really exciting new plot twists , but I ’m in the end quick to take that risk . Call me if anything big happens with Cashew .

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