10 Best TV Shows Of 2016 (So Far)

It seems like an age ago that House of Cards was kicking off the Netflix revolution, the first of the service's original series, and the one that gave us a first sign at the major player the streaming service could be.

Since then Netflix has exponentially increased its output, and diversified to include a wide variety of the types of shows they offer, so it says a lot about how good House of Cards is that it remains one of their strongest shows.

It may not be at the heights of Seasons 1 & 2, but the fourth season - which debuted on Netflix earlier this year - is a definite return to form after a slump in Season 3. This year had Frank doing everything he could to hold on to his power, which marked him as a dangerous opponent. However, for the first time it really showed us a vulnerable side to him as well, both when he suffered life-threatening injury and in how much he clearly needs Claire. Their relationship was once again at the centre of the series, and it went to much darker, stranger realms than it has previously, as they stay together as they each represent the other's best chance of quenching their thirst for power. The introduction of a new couple on the scene highlighted this even further, and their presence along with the background of the current political landscape helps freshen the show, which also very much embraces its weird side.

Kevin Spacey is once again a cynical, cruel, machiavellian delight as Frank Underwood, but once again its Robin Wright's Claire who is the true star, fighting her own battles politically and personally. There's no real sense of where this show is headed, nor pretence of it being a truly serious political drama, but damn it's entertaining to watch.