MattNetflix strikes yet again with one of the best political dramas and possibly one of the top on demand series to come out of the wood work so far!
To run you over the show, Kevin Spacey stars as Frank Underwood as house majority whip in the US Senate. The story focuses on Frank Underwood and loyal wife Claire Underwood as they have an alterative motive. They’re planning something and we follow these two characters as things slowly unfold into a dark and seedy world of politics and games. Whilst this ‘plan’ is in progression we see Frank Underwood’s dark side. On the face of the public he is a simple man, happily married and an important part in US politics but he wants more. He wants more power and more gain which he feeds himself by being the puppeteer of other people’s lives. He plays games with the people he meets and puts them in positions and allows them opportunities as for his gain to the point he feeds information to reporter who needs a step up Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) This is the start of the rolling Stone that is Underwood’s dark world.
Kevin Spacey is a huge actor who has an ability to drama to such a level you feel compelled by his characters but why take such a risk with a small time Netflix so which might flop. Well as Spacey has stated himself this is where the industry is heading and there’s a unique ability to do what ever you want without restraints of TV networks. All I can say is it was a gamble well worth taking. It isn’t a show which is afraid to do certain things especially with how politics in film or TV can be so difficult to tackle and a risk taker.
So what makes this show so good to watch you might be saying considering all I’ve mentioned so far has been to do with Netflix themselves. Well it’s the characters and how much life they bring to the world. We rarely see a show or even a film directly focused on politics as a whole let alone someone working the system much to what Underwood’s character does. Kevin Spacey, with his dark tone and southern accent just strips the show down showing what it is. It isn’t about politics it’s about people, humanity and what they will do to reach certain lengths. He breaks the fourth wall speaking to the audience as if we are the only insight into his secret little ordeals. We are his partners in crime and he understands that taking us down the merry little trip as he takes America by surprise.
It’s understandable that Underwood has a dark side. In fact isn’t Frank Underwood being the face of all politicians? This is where the raw natural element steps in and the show ups it’s game. It’s real, very real and it’s in our face every day of every hour. I’m not saying everything in House of Cards is real and that all politicians have a dark history of control and pupeteering. What I am saying however is that what we see in this little harmless Netflix show is what the majority of the public are facing now with control, government cover ups and all that havoc which Netflix has carefully administrated into House of Cards very well and very uniquely. I say uniquely because has this been done before? Well not really. Yeah we’ve had plenty of shows which focus on the government even the inside out of the White House in the likes of The West Wing but we haven’t quite touched on this level before.
House of Cards manages to really draw in it’s audience with performance and dramatic telling’s of characters who will get what they want at any cost. It’s well worth watching, in fact it’s a must watch for everyone!