A few weeks ago, my wife and I started watching the Made for Netflix series, House of Cards. We had heard highly positive things about it, and decided to give it a try, despite it's 'Made for Netflix' provenance sounding less than enticing.
With the qualification that we are only 7 episodes in to a 13 episode series...we love it so far. I have to say...if it wasn't for the fact that it starred Kevin 'John Doe by Choice/Keyser Soze' Spacey, we might not have given it a try. It's only right that he makes the series(so far).
Basically, Kevin Spacey plays the House Majority Whip, who is spurned by the newly elected president, who had said he would make Mr. Spacey's character the Secretary of State in exchange for his support during the election. Well, hell has no fury like a woman(or a politician) scorned. Mr. Spacey, as Congressman Frank Underwood, sets out getting his revenge on the new Secretary of State, White House Chief of Staff, President, and anyone else he has to break to get what he wants.
Over half way through the series, I have NO idea how it is going to end. We've seen Frank use and dispose of people like tissue paper. We've seen him take a young reporter under his wing to give him a controllable voice in the media. We've seen the seedy underbelly of Washington D.C....and that is what makes me sad watching this series.
I know politics is ugly, and deals have to be made, and power brokered...this series just does such a good job make it look DIRTY. Usually when my wife and find a netflix series we like, we cruise through it, watching multiple episodes in a night. Heck, we watched 7 seasons of 'Buffy' in right around 3 weeks. 'House of Cards' is different. It's soooooo intense we can only watch one, maybe 2 episodes a week.
Not cheating and reading ahead is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I'm the type of guy who seeks out spoilers for upcoming movies, so I have the constant urge to check wikipedia to find out how the series will end, because I really have NO IDEA.
It's the series own excellence that keeps from doing so...I don't want to ruin the experience.
Not exactly my deck of cards. I understand politics all too well. However, Spacey is another thing. I have heard people really dump on him. Personally, I'm with you. I think he is a top performer. Plus, I haven't heard any dirt or politics from him. Please, don't spoil that for me if you have. Spoilers, everywhere... tip... toe...
ReplyDelete