4. The Format
Rather than airing on a television channel in weekly increments, as other shows do, the entire thirteen episode first series of House of Cards was made available for streaming on the subscription-based Netflix service on February the 1st. Its a bold move by the company, who funded the project to the tune of $100 million, a sum they will be unable to recoup with advertising revenue, as their network competitors do. Its not an unprecedented one, however, as the Steven van Zandt crime drama Lilyhammer premiered on the service in a similar fashion last year, whilst a new season of cult comedy Arrested Development will air exclusively in such a manner in a few months time. The format allows viewers to watch the show at their leisure, facilitating either binge viewing of the entire series in a handful of sittings or a more incremental approach, though the lack of recaps at the beginning of each episode means that the former is recommended. With plot developments fresh in the memory, the series is much more engaging than it would be with week-long breaks, as minor happenings and the actions of supporting characters do not get forgotten as quickly.