House Of Cards Review: 10 Spoiler-Free Reactions To Season 5

5. A Couple Of Very Good New Additions

House of Cards keeps its main cast pretty tight, while expanding the roster of key supporting players by a couple each year. Last year, for example, introduces the aforementioned Kinnaman and McElligott, along with Scream's Neve Campbell, who is once again excellent here.

The two major new additions for this year are Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April, Six Feet Under) and Campbell Scott (Damages, The Amazing Spider-Man). Both are veterans of the screen and stage, and use that experience to deliver supporting performances that are designed to grab your attention.

It's not easy to say too much about the roles of their characters, save that they're increasingly important parts of the Conway and Underwood campaigns, working their way into those respective inner-circles. Neither one is easy to get a read on, with their true motivations and loyalties being kept from the other characters and viewers.

Scott does a fine job of this, a typical 'climber' using politics for his own gain, but it's Clarkson who is the best of the supporting cast this year. She's funny, shrewd, and has a zero-f**ks-given attitude - you can't trust her, but you'll be throughly entertained by her presence.