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| Co-star Kevin Spacey sits bloody-handed in the ultimate throne of power on this poster for season 1 of Beau Willimon's House of Cards |
House of Cards - season 1 is created by Beau Willimon (The Ides of March (2011)), based on the BBC miniseries of the same name from 1990, which in turn was based on the same-titled 1989 novel by Michael Dobbs (Winston's War (2002)).
The following season summary contains SPOILERS:
Frank Underwood, South Carolina Democratic congressman and House Whip, kills his neighbors' suffering dog in the series' first scene. A long-time politician, he is married to cool businesswoman Claire Underwood when his candidate wins the presidency, - while Underwood is brushed away from the State Secretary position he was eyeing in favor of another, to instead work on the new government's first big reform, on education. Raging and vengeful, Frank finds a young reporter, Zoe Barnes, to whom he leaks the bill's first draft.
Frank also leaks damaging old information to Barnes about the soon to be appointed State Secretary, forcing him to resign early. Mrs. Underwood proves no less ruthless than her husband, as she asks her right hand woman to fire 18 employees after which she fires said employee herself. Frank has younger forces work on the educational reform after having pushed another leader veteran out of his post over his initial, way too liberal (and leaked) draft.
The first 100 days of the new administration have almost passed, and Frank ought to negotiate reform details with party heads, when the fatal accident of a 17 year-old girl in his SC hometown forces him back to put a lid on it in record time. Meanwhile Carrie hijacks her former philanthropist partner Gillian into joining her new endeavor. Zoey positions herself at work and in relation to her new high-profile source Frank, whom she flirts with over text messages.
Frank arranges a devious coup against the House Speaker, who was opposed to his reform, - and changes sides in the 11th hour. Carrie ends an old affair with a photographer she had called to Washington DC herself. Zoey is nonchalant about a promotion and is fired, - celebrating by laying herself sexually at Frank's feet. Frank's younger 'apprentice', congressman Peter Russo of Pennsylvania drinks himself to obliteration after having taken a painful bullet for Frank (and having lost his girlfriend in the process.)
Zoey lets Frank take nude pictures of her and sees if she fits in at a modern online media workplace, while her ex-boss at the Washington Herald gets fired. Frank and teacher's union leader Spinella cross swords, and the man arranges problems at Carrie's charity gala, but power couple Frank & Carrie prevail and raise 750k $. Russo is upset that his supporting the closing of a major ship factory in his district is causing death threats, but Frank entices him with support as a coming governor of Pennsylvania.
A teacher's strike is taking place, and Frank stumbles rhetorically in a debate with Spinella on CNN and has to fight an order from the president, (which seems a bit odd.) The strike ends when Frank provokes Spinella into hitting him and then blackmails the man into giving in. Frank also forces Russo to attend AA meetings in order to support his future governor's campaign.
Russo is on the fence about this future, confronted with his own sinful past, but Frank wins him over by getting his ex back to him and his new campaign. Frank's right hand man, Chief of Staff Doug Stamper has an outspoken prostitute move into a female colleague's home, - like the Peter Russo storyline this is another one that seems a ticking bomb. Zoey wants her Herald competition hired at her new workplace and she continues her sleazy relation to Frank, who in turn offers her philosophical insights before performing cunnilingus!
Russo visits his hospital-bound, sad mother and confronts the wrath of the shipyard workers with his on-again girlfriend and with his older friend's support he wins their cautious support. Meanwhile Frank is home in SC to open 'his' library, and Claire is courted by their former press chief Remy. Frank parties with an old cadet friend, whom he used to have a secret gay relationship with that's still tender.
Russo is on a campaign trip accompanied by the vice president, who needs a ticking-off to step aside. Zoe wants to end her sexual relation to Frank but goes on when she understands that it would end their secret confidence. Frank doesn't help his wife with a professional issue, and she returns the favor by serving him a shocking defeat.
When Frank understands the connection, and that his wife is also cheating on him, it is unclear what he can or should do about it. 'Ticking bomb' Peter Russo gives a drunken interview and disappears!
Frank and Zoe agree to 'simplify' their relation, and Claire leaves her photographer affair, as Russo is found dead in a garage of an apparent suicide. Frank arranged for the 'suicide' and is busy getting the vice president interested in Russo's now open campaign seat as governor of Philadelphia, - which in turn would open the vice president's seat for himself.
Zoe learns from her new (old) colleague that Russo was forced to close the shipyard and that Underwood's hands are all over it. Meanwhile Frank is visiting a billionaire friend of the president, whom he suspects is also eyeing the vice presidency, (but is actually vetting Underwood.)
Claire ends up in a toxic legal situation, as Frank gains support as future vice president, and Zoey and colleagues gather dirt against him.
Kevin Spacey (The Life of David Gale (2003)) is electric as Frank Underwood from the get-go, obviously acutely aware of the opportunities the character affords him as a solid vessel for human deceit and manipulations. His narration, ultra-cynical, nihilistically toned and David Fincher-reminiscent (Fincher (The Social Network (2010)) is among the show's executive producers), takes a little getting used to but then turns out often witty and most always instructive in illuminating his lines of thought.
House of Cards soon reveals itself as very high quality TV drama and prime entertainment, a study in power and its execution more than anything else. Watching the 'sausage factory' that is big US politics at work from the inside is fascinating, and not just a bit unappetizing. The tone is often shrill and unbecoming, - which is the case in politics.
Robin Wright (Room 10 (2006, short)) is steely and daunting as Claire Underwood, the wife in Frank's very negotiation-minded, exchange-like version of the modern marriage. Her relation to her right-hand woman Gillian turns dark, ripe with evil loathing, - savage and dangerous. The death of Corey Stoll's (Midnight in Paris (2011)) Peter Russo shocks, and shows us new heights (or lows it could be argued) to the lengths Frank is willing to go with his manipulations for his own gain. Kata Mara's (Fantastic Four (2015)) Zoey and fellow journalists may be onto Underwood's insidious schemes, but will they be able to make a difference?
House of Cards season 1 is enormously good TV, presenting characters and a power play that one only wants to see play out further by the season's end.
Best episodes:
Episode 3: Chapter 3: Written by Keith Huff (Mad Men (2010, TV-series), Sam Forman (Hand of God (2015, TV-series), Kate Barnow (Shooter (2017, TV-series), Willimon; directed by James Foley (Reel Talent (2007))
Everyone positions themselves for their own benefit, including Frank who jumps upon a tragic death accident to promote himself in his home base.
Episode 5: Chapter 5: Written by Sarah Treem (In Treatment (2008-10)), Forman, Barnow, Willimon; directed by Joel Schumacher (Bad Company (2002))
As Zoey uses her body as leverage with Frank, and Russo receives death threats for axing a big workplace in his home district, Frank is facing a volatile confrontation with a union leader and needs his wife's support.
Episode 11: Chapter 11: Written by Huff, Barnow, Forman, Willimon; directed by Carl Franklin (Vinyl (2016, TV-series))
Affairs are gotten in order, as Peter Russo turns up dead. SPOILER Frank's involvement is shocking, and he and Claire's repulsive, effective announcement of it (during the end credit roll) could have made an excellent end of the first season.
Related post:
Beau Willimon: The Ides of March (2011) - Clooney's political thriller looks at the cynical downside of modern politics (screenwriter; based on his play)
Watch a trailer for the season here
Cost: Uncertain but likely around 60 mil. $
Box office: None - TV-series
= Uncertain, but considered a hit
[House of Cards - season 1 was released in full on 1 February on Netflix and runs approximately 663 minutes (13 episodes of around 51 minutes each). Shooting took place in Maryland, including in Baltimore, and in South Carolina. The series' cost reportedly started at 4.5 mil. $ per episode and later grew. Netflix regrettably do not report viewership numbers. The season won 3 out of 9 Emmy nominations, becoming the first web/VoD TV-series to get nominated and win, and won 1/4 Golden Globe nominations, among other honors. IMDb's users have rated the TV-series in at #108 on the site's TV Top 250, sitting between Friday Night Lights (2006) and Berserk (1997). House of Cards returned with season 2 in 2014, also Willimon's return as writer/producer. In 2013 Spacey also narrated At the Top (2013, video); Wright also starred in Adore and The Congress that year. House of Cards - season 1 is the show's highest rated at Rotten Tomatoes; certified fresh at 87 % with an 8.10/10 critical average.]
What do you think of House of Cards - season 1?
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