Season 3 of the highly-praised Netflix show House of Cards left viewers sitting on the edge of their seats as they watched Francis Underwood step out of his Presidential vehicle. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright do justice to their roles as they reprise their respective characters of Francis and Claire Underwood.
That said, the incredible popularity of the previous seasons has many in awe of the series. While the show lends a certain perspective to the “behind the curtains” activities of politicians, it also highlights the high stakes and suspense of the political world, keeping the audience on their toes.
For many, “politics” equates to a dirty game or a battlefield where the ultimate victor proclaims his or her power and domination. The show’s setting features the dreary and ominous political arena of Washington D.C., where manipulation and excessive ambition serve as tools to further one’s political agenda. The premise of the show is based on the belief that a person may achieve his or her end goal through any means necessary– unethical or otherwise. House of Cards examines the life of Francis Underwood, a politician whose goal is to acquire as much power as possible, even if it means relinquishing his morals or loved ones.
As Luca Jobbagy ’16 enthusiastically voices, “House of Cards provides a unique and constantly shifting landscape of drama, perfectly melding elements of suspense, romance, and the occasional satire. Saliently mirroring a primarily Machiavellian world, it depicts the major irony of any political system: the ability to achieve progress often hinges on the ability to relinquish morals and embrace a ruthless existence.”
In this enriching third season, after Underwood attains the office of President, his discreetly dark past haunts him as past characters begin to reappear, some seeking revenge. By the end of the season, his robotic relationship with Claire, his wife, has deteriorated to such an extent that she decides to leave him. Although Claire claimed to have her own personal agenda at the onset of the show, she soon realizes that she is ultimately a mere puppet, playing by the whims and fancies of her husband.
The storyline does not end there; the directors infuse other political scandals and foreign interactions with Russia. The conflict between the Underwoods and the Russian President, Victor Petrov, heightens when both parties begin to blatantly make slanderous statements against each other. As the plot thickens with the deteriorating Russian-American relations, the audience sees the diminishment of Underwood’s powers – the same powers that he had so ruthlessly gained.
Overall, the events provide some comfort to the audience, traumatized by Underwood’s ruthless and immoral exploits. The season ends with implicit justice as Francis begins to face the consequences of his deceitful deeds and duplicitous actions.
Emily Arakawa ‘16 opines that “The new season is worth binge-watching, packed with intense tensions between US and Russia, and more political scandals from the Underwood administration.” She humorously adds, “I absolutely cannot wait for the next season, which will air next year, so I’m really trying hard not to question my existence without the airing of my favorite show in the world!”
Even Nikhil Akenapalli ‘17 maintains that the thrill never stops: “House of Cards turns politics into a dark, chilling drama you can’t stop watching.”
The suspense and drama of House of Cards supersedes that of many other shows; consequently, due to its immense popularity, the show’s next season is highly anticipated.