It seems that the world sits still on Thursday evenings at 9:00 p.m. That is when Scandal airs; and it will return at the end of February in all of its glory. I would agree that Kerry Washington is a woman of immense talent and beauty. The banter is wicked and fast and the ensemble cast has chemistry. Having said all of that...
For best drama portraying politics in Washington...the winner is...House of Cards! In a land slide.
Season two came out on February 14th. I guess this done so all the singles who did not have dates could watch all thirteen episodes and end up in a chocolate induced, ocular fixated coma, with a subtle smile etched on their faces.
Kevin Spacey is brilliant at portraying Sam Underwood, Democrat congressman from South Carolina. Don't let partisan politics keep you away. This is no West Wing liberal slant. Underwood could be LBJ or Tom Delay. I think he is probably some combination of the two.
Underwood's wife is the stunning Robin Wright who you might remember as "Jenny" in Forrest Gump. Well "Jenny" has grown up and is a tour de force as the congressman's partner and political confidant and silent conspirator. Her Emmy last year gives testimony to her immense talent.
Season 1 is a must if you want to understand the story lines. Thanks to Netflix you can watch all thirteen episodes at your leisure; commercial free. If you want to know what the future of television looks like watch these episodes on your computer or I-phone at Star Bucks and you are there. I have grown so weary of commercial interruptions on regular tv, that this seems like a guilty pleasure to watch all of this uninterrupted and at my own convenience.
The dialogue moves quickly so you will not want to multi task. There are a couple of "tricks" used in story telling that are intriguing. First of all, Frank Underwood narrates much of the story. He breaks the fourth wall and looks directly at the viewer as he narrates the action. This is not Ferris Beuller. This is not SNL. Frank Underwood looks at the screen and speaks to you and somehow it works.
The second trick of the trade is that text messages appear on the screen. If your television is small like mine, prepare to move close enough to see. If not, you will miss crucial dialogue.
There are no charachtures like you find in Scandal. Is there any more annoying character in all of television than Cyrus Beane? The acting is much more subtle and understated in House of Cards. It takes awhile to begin to like these charahcters. They are not easy to like, but like most protagonists, you find yourself rooting for the Underwoods.
This is grown up television. It is not meant for children or young adults. There is not nearly as much violence or profanity as; let's say, a Martin Scorsese movie, but it is present.
Some might watch this and wonder if there is any redemptive quality to it, other than the obvious excellence and craftsmanship of the show. It is a story of power and corruption. Perhaps it is a cautionary tale. That will not be clear until the end of the series. Until then, this can be enjoyed in much the way the Godfather series was. It is of a world that only a very few of us will ever know, but something about it resonates.
Maybe it is because we feel so powerless at times, that we cheer for someone like Frank Underwood. Rather than giving into those in power, he takes and ceases it.
But in the end we are reminded of Lord Acton's famous quote: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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