Photo courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com
What’s the best way to get past the political facades and cautioned, careful speech of a White House state dinner? Alcohol. Only booze can really get things livened to the point where a potential international clash is at hand.
The third episode of House of Cards season three pulls a classic TV trick: get your characters drinking. When President Petrov of Russia visits the White House to engage in discussions on a potential partnership in the Middle East, it’s not until the vodka is broken out that progress is made. But progress does not necessarily mean a solution. The morning after the big dinner, as Petrov leaves, Frank Underwood tells the press that it’s time to stand up to Russia’s ruthless leader and seek peace with or without his help. Those are strong words, words that can get a man, and a country, in trouble. But, unlike some of the things he said the night before, Frank can’t blame them on the alcohol.
Things didn’t look great from the start of this visit. Upon arrival, Petrov informs Frank that he has no intentions of joining his plan for joint efforts in the Middle East.
“Russia has nothing to gain from peace in the Middle East and, more importantly, nothing to gain from working with America,” he says.
Petrov’s character, played smoothly by Danish actor Lars Mikkelsen, is a steely son-of-a-gun, constantly trying to zing people and push their buttons. Later in that first conversation, he tells Frank to come by his compound in Sochi, a place crawling with nice women. When Frank lightheartedly responds that Claire might take issue with that plan, Petrov goes on the prowl for soul.
“Well, bring her along,” he says. “It’s crawling with artists out there, she might find something she likes.”
Ouch.
The characterization of Petrov is very Rocky IV-esque here, in that his foreign nature seems to mean that he must be a hostile figure. I understand that his attitude is sure to play a big role in the Russian storyline going forward, but to have him appear as such a snake seemed a bit over-the-top early on. But, like with the very best TV villains, we learn to hate him pretty easily. That hate grows when he takes up an interest in Claire, chatting her up at the dinner table all night and then planting a kiss on her later at the end of a semi-drunken dance in the parlor. It’s clear that Petrov is there to push Frank around, but going after Claire was never going to be the right move.
Claire herself has her own goals at the beginning of the night, namely to make things right with Secretary of State Durant. The two will be working together often now that Claire got her recess appointment to UN ambassador, a big event that the show interestingly stuck in the implied time between episodes. In their international negotiations, Claire has a hard time balancing the power dynamic between her and Cathy, especially when people keep asking her what her husband thinks. So Claire decides the best way to have an honest talk with Cathy and to mend their relationship going forward is to get her drunk. It’s the kind of storyline that seems misplaced in this show, but it adds a small dimension of fun to something that can be so dark.
Claire and Cathy get things sorted out it seems and both come to the agreement that Petrov cannot be trusted. Their views are eventually shared by Frank, who spurs Petrov’s requests (he wanted more defense control in Europe in exchange for Middle East cooperation) and continues to create quite a reckless track record in the Oval Office. But, in doing this, he also helps his image by coming off as a leader who will sacrifice the importance of peace in no situation. It seems, for a second, as if Underwood is entering into a dangerous international dispute because he cares about what is right and not because some Russian douchebag pissed him off.
Sidenotes:
– The most interesting thing about this episode outside of the plot is the use of the Russian band Pussy Riot. The members appear as themselves and do basically what they always do. They come to the State Dinner and make a scene, speaking out against Petrov in a nasty toast. In his final speech, Frank references them as “true Russian patriots” and his inspiration for standing up to Russian efforts against peace. Very cool decision by the show to incorporate a real life situation into their world with the real life people.
– So far, all three episodes have taken on three different styles and three different focuses. Each one has really brought one idea or situation to the forefront and stuck with it for the majority of the time. In this one, the Russia situation pushes the America Works dealings to the backburner and the late-second-episode allusion to a possible Claire pregnancy has also disappeared. Stamper appears only briefly to turn down a job from a congressman that Frank obviously arranged. It will be interesting to see what direction episode four goes in and if they can maintain a balance of all they’ve got going right now.
– I had almost forgotten about Claire’s artist sabbatical from last season until Petrov’s scorcher.
– Surely House of Cards will not take this Russia situation to a place of war, right? Underwood would never use that as a way to get re-elected, right? Right?
– More Frank singing, please.
