With impressive reviews across the board, political drama House of Cards has become something of an overnight sensation. The show is based on the 1990 BBC TV miniseries of the same name, which featured the late Ian Richardson as a Machiavellian minister scheming to improve his own standing within the government following the resignation of Margaret Thatcher. This featured just four episodes, however, and the twenty-six episode order given to the American version over the space of two seasons gives it the time and freedom to be different as the action is moved stateside to Washington DC, where the modern political environment has little in common with the Thatcher era in the first place. This should free the new show from excessive comparisons to its predecessor. Unique for reasons that will be explained in due course and featuring a wealth of talent both in front of and behind the camera, House of Cards is more than deserving of its plaudits, and here is why. Mild spoilers may follow.