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When House of Cards debuted on Netflix early last year, expectations ran high. Adapted from a highly respected BBC series and boasting the star power of director David Fincher and lead actor Kevin Spacey, the drama established the subscription service as a viable channel for original programming. While clearly a hit, the first season wavered between its slick visual aesthetic and intricate plotting and its broad, sometimes melodramatic characters (see my review of the first season). The second season continues many of the same strengths and weaknesses, but it remains a binge-worthy alternative for those looking to curl up on the sofa for a few hours of decidedly non-reality television.
When we left Francis Underwood (Spacey) at the end of season one, he had successfully maneuvered from being passed over as Secretary of State to being nominated for Vice-President of the United States. While he’s riding high on success, he’s also got more than a few other issues to tend to, including his relationship with equally Machiavellian wife Claire (Robin Wright) and the fact that former mistress and journalist Zoe (Kate Mara) has begun investigating the shadier side of his activities.
That’s just the set-up, and from the first episode on, House of Cards begins layering in twists, turns, and subplots with almost reckless abandon. Everyone’s playing some form of game, and trying to keep the shifting alliances and agendas straight requires some dedication from the audience. The intricacy of the plotting remains one of the series’ central pleasures, even if it occasionally stretches the limits of plausibility.
However, that much focus on the intellect leaves the series a little short on heart. Spacey chews scenery with gusto, but while we may get the occasional glimpse of what remains of Francis’s soul, there doesn’t seem to be much left of the man beyond scheming ambition. Season one balanced the scales a bit with the tragic arc of a self-destructive but genuinely decent junior congressman, but there’s no such character this time around. Even the newest cast addition, Molly Parker as a war vet and Francis’s replacement as House Majority Whip, is introduced as a ruthless pragmatist. There’s a deep cynicism pervading the series’ view of elected officials that can prove exhausting over time.
That’s a real concern for a show that provides all 13 episodes of a season at once. Binge-watching the way I did this past weekend makes it easier to keep all the different moving parts straight, but it also reinforces that lack of emotional connection. As charismatic as Francis and Claire may be, they’re also frequently difficult to root for. Shows like this tend to work best when there are at least a few people involved that you would actually look forward to spending time with.
The second season of House of Cards may lack some of the emotional touches of the first, but it builds up to a strong conclusion and a taste of what’s to come in the inevitable third season. This feels like the second act of a trilogy, and I’ll be curious to see if the producers decide to wrap things up next year or try to sustain the premise as long as they can. Given the show’s more-is-more approach, the former approach may be wiser.
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