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| Sombre, ominously dark, the stars of Beau Willimon's House of Cards - season 2 reflect the show's ruthless power theme on this poster |
House of Cards - season 2 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:
Claire Underwood threatens an ex-employee, as her husband Frank gets nearer to attain the Vice President's position and finds his candidate as House Whip in Molly Parker's (1922 (2017)) Jaqueline Sharp. Frank's Chief of Staff Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly (Everest (2015))) works his dark magic to keep reporter Zoe Barnes' nose out of stinky matters. SPOILER When Frank realizes that the young Barnes has him found out nonetheless, he pushes her in front of a train in the episode's surprising climax.
Frank is sworn in and manipulates Secretary of State Durant into a confrontation with China, and the weak President Garrett Walker into backing her up. As VP Frank's first job is to honor a general, who turns out to be the man that raped his wife Claire many years ago. As Sharp elbows her way forward, Zoe's ex is investigating her mysterious death.
This leads him to the Dark Web and a hacker. Frank shows his true chameleon-like colors in securing support for a pension reform.
Frank, Sharp and lobbyist Remy Danton gather votes to avoid a government shutdown during a white powder scare that locks down the White House. Claire conducts an intense interview alone, wherein she admits an abortion and relays her rape story, naming the guilty general.
Zoe's ex-boyfriend's investigation is thwarted, when he gets arrested. Frank meets with a Chinese representative during a Civil War reenactment in the South, and President Walker holds him and billionaire supporter Raymond Tusk to blame when the talk ends in mutual enmity. Claire attains her deceased abortion doctor's diary, trying to hide her true number of abortions from becoming known.
Stamper harasses the prostitute he has some trouble getting rid off, and Sharp carries on an affair with Danton. Frank increases his opposition to Tusk, resulting in an energy crisis.
Stamper heads a criminal money-laundering scheme involving a Montana casino and a Chinese representative. Claire continues to create a rift between the President and the First Lady.
Claire's attempt to become an issue spokesperson (against rapes in the military) loses momentum when her case victim gets cold feet. Frank pressures the President into accepting a Chinese bridge project in exchange for quelled support for the opposing (Republican) party.
Sharp ends her problematic affair with Danton and goes against Claire's rape legislation to Frank's consternation. Frank shows appreciation for his closest Secret Service protector Meechum but fails to commend Stamper, who is embittered.
The Chinese support through a casino story breaks out, and Frank gets Garrett to hand over his calendar, hoping that the recent therapist sessions with wife Trisha will emerge to the public. Claire and Frank literally take Meechum to bed with them.
Garrett realizes that his Vice President is eying his position, confronting him. Frank denies this and lures secretary Durant to his side. Tusk is subpoenaed in the corruption case but pleads the 5th. Carrie and Frank request Sharp to gather votes for them against the President.
The presidential couple elope to Camp David as the news worsen until the point that he resigns and hands over power to Frank Underwood, the wolf in sheep's clothing.
Robin Wright (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)) gets more room to shine and assert her character, First Lady Claire Underwood in season 2, and she is phenomenal. Parker is equally eminent as season newcomer fellow Democratic politician Jacqueline Sharp, who carries on a sexy affair with Mahershala Ali's (Green Book (2018)) lobbyist Remy Danton.
Some of the show's refinement falls by the wayside in exchange for more violence in the storylines, including a surprising murder in the first episode. A long-running storyline involving Frank's Chief of Staff Douglas Stamper and a prostitute goes on with its relevance to the main plot becoming ever more murky. The casting of chilly, uncharismatic Michel Gill (Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2003, TV-series)) as President Walker comes to make sense, when his character turns out to be another unfortunate subservient for Frank Underwood to conquer.
At the show's best it portrays and inhabits modern paranoid anxiety very well. The intro credit sequence and theme is fantastic. Season 2 has several good performances and timely themes but is over-all less astonishing and successful than the first season.
Best episode:
Episode 2: Chapter 15 - Written by Willimon; directed by Carl Franklin (Ray Donovan (2017, TV-series))
Frank is sworn in as VP and immediately causes trouble for weak President Walker. Claire must face a pain from her past, and Frank's House Whip candidate Jackie Sharp maneuvers her way forward.
Related posts:
Beau Willimon: House of Cards - season 1 (2013, VoD) - Mean streaks at the sausage factory
The Ides of March (2011) - Clooney's political thriller looks at the cynical downside of modern politics (screenwriter; based on his play)
Watch a short trailer for the season here
Cost: Uncertain but reportedly around 55 mil. $
Box office: None - TV-series
= Uncertain, but considered a hit
[House of Cards - season 2 was released in full on 14 February on Netflix and runs approximately 663 minutes (13 episodes of around 51 minutes each). Shooting took place in from April - November 2013 in Maryland, including in Baltimore, and in Washington DC. The second season reportedly cost 55 mil. $ to produce. Netflix regrettably do not report viewership numbers. The season was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmys and won 1/3 Golden Globe nominations. 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 3 in 2015, also Willimon's return as writer/producer. In 2014 Kevin Spacey (Rebel in the Rye (2017)) also narrated Nature Is Speaking (TV-series) and co-starred in Horrible Bosses 2; Wright also starred in A Most Wanted Man and narrated Until We Could (short). House of Cards - season 2 is certified fresh at 83 % with a 7.90/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
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