House Of Cards was created (or rather adapted) for Netflix, principally written and run by Beau Willimon, who started his career as a playwright. Well, actually before that he worked in politics whilst working towards his BA, lending a hand to campaigns of Charles Schumer, Bill Bradley, Howard Dean and Hillary Clinton. It was his time spent as a press aide for Dean's 2004 campaign for President that inspired Willimon to write the play Farragut North, which is better known for its film adaptation: 2011's Ides Of March, directed by and starring George Clooney alongside Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Evan Rachel Wood, with a script by Willimon. It was The Ides Of March that sinched the House Of Cards gig for the writer. Much like the series, it dealt with the dark back room dealings and scandals that get covered up in American politics, with murderous consequences. And it was way better, nuanced and interesting than House Of Cards the ninety minute run time probably helps.