Holding all the cards
The second season of House of Cards doesn’t have time to set things up. There’s no recap, no refresher. It storms out of the gate with an alarming intensity and never looks back.
Right away, the viewer is thrown back into former Congressman Frank Underwood’s labyrinth of lies and deception. Season one of Netflix’s critically acclaimed original series ended on a cliff-hanger, with Underwood’s world on the brink of chaos. The fallout from the scandal doesn’t disappoint — season two begins with an episode that can only be described as utterly shocking. It sets the tone for the rest of the season, which is even more ruthless than the first. To watch this season is to fight a heavyweight — each episode is a masterful, well-crafted punch to the gut.
Kevin Spacey (Inseparable) is again brilliantly powerful in his role as Underwood, and Robin Wright (A Most Wanted Man) shows why she won a Golden Globe last month for her role as Claire, Frank’s own Lady Macbeth. Supporting actors Mahershala Ali (Go for Sisters) and Michael Kelly (Man of Steel) also excel in their instrumental roles as Remy Danton and Doug Stamper, respectively. Some old faces are gone, and some new faces crop up, but consistently strong acting from the whole cast is one reason this show is so good.
The second season again follows the Underwoods as Frank continues to try to climb the political ladder at whatever cost. Claire has problems of her own as pieces of her past creep to the limelight and threaten both of their careers. Frank’s political dealings are now on an even bigger scale in his new role as vice president. Now, instead of playing mind games with members of Congress, he’s up against the likes of billionaire string-puller Raymond Tusk and the President of the United States.
This season undoubtedly focuses on Frank and Claire, becoming an examination of gender roles and power at home and in the workplace. It exposes them as people; in contrast to the first season in which they both seemed distanced from the viewers. In this sense, the show adds a new dimension: character development. Bits and pieces of emotion — other than greed or hatred — are hidden throughout this fierce, biting script. The moments when they shine like little lights in the darkness are when this show really takes off.
Episodes one and four are especially good. They are well-crafted, powerful hours that will have the viewer picking up the pieces of his or her blown mind while simultaneously playing the next episode as soon as possible. The season’s final three episodes are also thrilling as all the action comes to a head. Once again, Frank succeeds in being inherently conniving, yet it’s hard not to root for him. The smooth-talking southerner has done nothing to win our approval, so that support may be purely out of fear. Or it may be that we enjoy the chaos Frank creates — perhaps we want to watch Washington burn.
The show took a distinct turn at last season’s 11th episode. Things became darker, even more cold-blooded. But another trend that stemmed from that shocking installment was a growing distance from reality. This is not necessarily a bad thing — the show remains immensely entertaining. However, you get the sense in season two that House of Cards shifts from a somewhat believable political drama to a definite television fabrication. The number of twists and turns in this show makes it impossible to retain a sense of reality, so it’s probably for the best that this season somewhat abandons it.
Like last year, all 13 episodes of season two were released simultaneously. This all-at-once release format Netflix uses eliminates the worst part of most television shows: the wait between episodes. Being able to watch two (or eight) episodes back to back allows the viewer to stay on top of every storyline, making the twists and turns even more effective. The only problem with this show is that it’s too good. Many people, myself included, devoured it over the weekend. Make no mistake, season two of House of Cards is satisfying. But now the long wait begins, and deep down in the stomach of a public that finds it hard to watch good television, the hunger has already started to grow for season three.
