Holding all the cards

For once, we don’t want Frank Underwood to break the fourth wall. We have no desire to enter his mind or even the room he occupies, for that matter. But Frank doesn’t care. He turns to us with anger, with disgust, and sneers.

“What are you looking at?”

Frank’s anger is driven by a surprising source: his wife. For the first time on this show, the husband and wife truly clash. They don’t hide their emotions from each other, keeping them under their typical, calm facades. They yell and scream. They say things they may (or may not) regret later. They are undeniably human to each other.

But, while their actions are relatable, their topic of argument is not. It is unfathomably large. The argument comes after the couple flies to Russia so that Frank can hash out the Jordan Valley deal with Petrov and Claire can get Michael Corrigan, the imprisoned American gay rights activist, out of Russian prison. His release is part of the deal, but there’s one catch: Petrov wants him to read a very pro-Russian statement to the native media before he goes. Petrov won’t budge on this requirement, as he thinks anything else will make him look weak. But Corrigan is one tough SOB who is firm in his beliefs and wants to feel like he’s standing up for something than getting freedom. So he refuses.

As Frank deals fairly smoothly with Petrov, Claire faces a tougher task with Corrigan. She tries to reason with him, to guilt him, to persuade him. Nothing works. Corrigan says that the statement is more than just words and that his refusal will lead to progress. It’s always interesting to see one of the Underwoods matched up against another strong-willed person, as it consistently brings out the best in them. It surely does with Claire in this case, as we see her progress through many different mindsets in their talks: frustration, understanding, sympathy, a bit of mental chess work and even some outright anger.

Through all of this, we also see her learning from Corrigan and comparing his life to her own. Everything she has done to this point has been for the sake of good business, for what is right for her or Frank. That doesn’t necessarily mean she is always happy or even proud of her life, but nothing matters more than good business. Corrigan is just the opposite. What remains unclear throughout their conversation is how human Claire really is. Is she actually engaging in a real discussion with this man? Or will she finally reach him emotionally, convince him to leave prison and then break the fourth wall and tell us he’s a sucker? How much like Frank is she really?

We find out fairly quickly. After a long discussion, Claire tells Corrigan that she will refuse to leave his cell until he accompanies her. He says he needs to think about it and that she can get some rest — she’s obviously beat. So Claire lies down for a nap. She is woken up later by a Russian guard. Corrigan is not five feet away, hanging from the ceiling with Claire’s previously discarded scarf as a noose. It’s a shocking sight, but one that didn’t exactly come from out of the blue. It was clear that the Corrigan situation was not simply going to resolve itself. Either option of his eventual release or long-term imprisonment would require a concession from one of two characters that were too strong-willed for such things.

Claire tells Petrov that she wants to say a few words to the media after Corrigan’s death, something nice to his family. But when she has the microphone, she uses it to chastise Petrov and the society of oppression he has created, a society and an attitude that murdered Michael Corrigan. Safe to say, for Frank and for the US, this is not good business.

It is on the Air Force One flight back to America that Claire and Frank collide. The deal that Frank had worked for months on is in shambles, all because Claire gave in to the type of hero advocacy she had originally criticized from Corrigan.

“If only you had spoken to him, and heard what he had to say…” Claire says to Frank on the plane.

“Oh, what? I would’ve had some moral epiphany? I don’t think so. Because I’m the president of the United States and I can separate the big from the small,” responds Frank.

What makes this a great episode of House of Cards is that it not only interests us with its relevant, winding storyline, but it also explores new depth in its characters. Often, episodes of this show only stick to that first criteria and ignore the second. But in episode six we learn a lot about Claire. We learn that she is not entirely like Frank, that there is a part of her that doesn’t care about good business. That soul we’ve only glimpsed in passing moments during the last two season most certainly exists. But if she’s going to keep showing it, she’s going to keep clashing with her soulless husband.

Side Notes:

  • Petrov was downright agreeable in this episode. Still an oppressive leader, but definitely not as many cold-hearted zingers.

  • The Stamper plotlines here of him doing some more research for Dunbar seemed only present as breaks from the dominant Russia storyline. Very forgettable minutes.

  • Gavin’s quest to get more involved with Lisa was the only other thing we followed in episode six. It’s interesting enough, nothing great. He seems to be really committed to the part. Wouldn’t it be great if he just pulled a Stamper on her — got too involved and they get into a messy thing that ends with him getting a brick to the face?

  • Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright share the spotlight equally in this episode and when that happens on this show, that usually means they both knock it out of the park. This time was no different. The show is hitting a really nice stride at its midseason mark.