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

4. The Age Of Trump

Much of the new season was written and filmed before Donald Trump had even been elected President, let alone taken charge of the Oval Office. To that end there may be some unavoidable coincidences, but whatever the cause it's impossible to ignore either the spectre of Trump over this series, nor the similarities to him.

The comparisons are quite clear, on both macro and micro levels: it's about a President who is, against many odds, in office, and places a greater emphasis on power over politics. It's there in the changes Frank makes too, such as a travel ban on people from Muslim countries, or when we see huge crowds of protesters outside of the White House, or hear references to Watergate.

What's particularly impressive, though, is that these similarities don't leave the show feeling like a lesser beast in comparison to the real world. Instead the series does find ways to stay relevant, interesting, and shocking in the age of Trump and a heightened political landscape, whether that's with the election or its aftermath.