1. The Story
Its difficult to go into much detail about the story without spoiling it, so Ill be brief. From start to finish, House of Cards is a well-written spectacle with a strong capacity to shock, particularly with the wealth of manipulative and self-serving characters involved. Nobody is immune, not even Frank, whose ascendancy through the government doesnt go as smoothly as planned. The pacing of the show is one of its strengths, starting off slowly over the first few episodes to give viewers time to familiarise themselves with the key players before turning it up several gears in the run-up to the finale, where everything that viewers have witnessed over the course of the season comes together. If theres anything to nitpick at, it is the inclusion of scenes in which Frank deviates from the action at hand to break the fourth wall and talk to the viewer directly, explaining his actions and motivation. It doesnt quite feel right, though given that the exposition conveyed through the technique is necessary; it is ultimately preferable to something like voiceover narration. There are also a few side-stories that feel tacked on, but all in all, House of Cards is one of the best political dramas out there. It has some way to go until itll be comparable to the likes of The West Wing, but it has serious potential if the second run of thirteen episodes is as strong as the first, which were thoroughly engaging and watchable, and should hastily find their way to the top of your Netflix queue.