House of Cards Season 3 Thread

[dhubermex]

*** SPOILER-FREE SEASON 3 REVIEW ***

Episode #1: An opening only Frank Underwood could tell to his audience... not necessarily as grabbing as his Season 1 church speech after that unfortunate incident involving the penix-tree (and we all know Underwood <3's penix), but still a nice touch. There is a different "feel" to the show's writing (as rong alludes to in Post #9). It's way too early to tell if it's "better" or "worse," but it is intriguing. Welcome to the Oval Office, President Underwood! 8/10

Episode #2: Oh... that Jackie Sharp! Congresswoman Sharp sports a colorblind-friendly outfit in her Season 3 debut and looks better in it than Molly Parker ever could in real life. There IS something to be said about power. The crew shows signs of warming-up to the task of Season 3 as Claire, Birch, Remy, Jackie, and the gang lay the groundwork. We don't miss Zoe, and we damn-sure don't miss that loser Lucas, but I could go for some of those ribs Freddy got from that dubious butcher in Season 2... let the hogs bleed out, I say. 8/10

Episode #3: Gotta say I'm impressed with the opening of this episode... Frank Underwood at his best. Watching the House of Cards intro and trying to spot which direction the majority of cars are going is like Ong & his buddies sitting around watching the Star Trek intro trying to figure out which white dot is going to turn into the Enterprise. Did somebody just say $220,000 per year? The White House dinner spread boasts candles & crystal... Freddy's ribs are noticeably absent. Bwahahahaha... "he's pimping you out." Now THAT'S how you use a language barrier to insult someone without getting in trouble for it! 8/10

Episode #4: President Underwood hits full stride with his personality. Although I rate this Episode the same as others, it has been the best so far in my opinion. The supporting cast is great, but it's clear in my view that the show is carried by Spacey's main character, which is only appropriate. Having a superior entity's ear is always a good thing! 8/10

Episode #5: Like someone has posted in this thread, the maneuvering going on is like pieces on a chess board. I get a feeling that a key figure or two from the cast won't survive the eventual outcome of Season 3's shenanigans, but it's just a hunch. Did you know that Jackie lets her new man wince like a lil' baby when they're making love? She wants a ring more than she wants that dude's penix. The colorblind-friendly outfits from Jackie continue to be worn. This Season needs MOAR FRANK UNDERWOOD, and quick! Just please write-out the lame video game references... Underwood can't out-do anyone in the FTR community when it comes to FPS play, so stop already. 7/10

Episode #6: The first two-thirds of this episode I was ready to place it as my least favorite of the season, but then the final third more than made up for that. So much focus on something that didn't make sense to me plot-wise until the Underwood's had their conversation at the end of the show. There's a lot going on in House of Cards Season 3, and only 7 more episodes left to tie the high points together. I'm still undecided on the overall story lines of Season 3... will have to reserve judgement on the entire season once I've finished watching it all. This episode may have been a turning point... we'll see. 8/10

Episode #7: So we're doing "Breaking Bad" and "Lost" flash-forwards now. Did anyone else think all the was missing from the opening scenes of this Episode was Johanna Dark? It reminded me of the Perfect Dark (N64) airplane stage. I like the darker hair color fwiw... makes her look younger in my opinion. The tone of the show is starkly different from previous seasons. I read one online review that suggested it's more of a "political drama" now rather than a "political thriller." I agree with that assessment after watching 7 shows. Also, a certain somebody sure seems to have some pull with the ladies... that's two seasons in a row he's gotten it pretty easy-like. 7/10

Episode #8: Well, Freddy is back on the show! WooHoo! Grandson-Freddy gets to sit in the Oval Office chair, and there is some political suspense in this episode... which as been sorely missed. There seem to be too many moving pieces this Season... even more than in Season 2. It makes me wonder how it can possibly all come together but I'm still willing to give House of Cards the benefit of the doubt. 8/10

Episode #9: It's official, I've had my fill of Jackie Sharp's B/W outfits. It was cute for a few episodes, but now she's looking more & more like Molly Parker. Let's PLEASE get her back into a business suit? At this point I'm finding that woman who led the Season 2 investigation into money laundering more attractive. There's some intrigue in this Season's political drama, but it's not living up to what I expected. 7/10

Episode #10: Still too many moving pieces. Too much political drama and not enough political suspense. FINALLY, Jackie wears an outfit that's all one color! Frank Underwood is smoking again... don't know how if that's a good sign or bad. I have to say I agree with Frank's views in this Episode. Ten episodes in, and I'm underwhelmed with Season 3. The show keeps insisting that all of these moving parts are very important, but I'm starting not to care. 7/10

Episode #11: First time I've seen someone ruin a laptop by exposing it to tap water. He should consult with a few online poker players I know on how to do the job more quickly. The story is getting better, some of the Season's loose ends are indeed coming to the forefront. Kevin Spacey has a cold in this Episode, and Frank Underwood pays the price for it. Jackie Sharp looks best in solid-color suits. The writers did a good job having Frank's head bounce back-and-forth like a cat on a Meow Mix commercial following a tennis match. A confident Jackie Sharp is an attractive Jackie Sharp! 8/10

Episode #12: Spacey still has a cold, but his acting and the Episode's plot-tying is rock solid. I wish it had become this enjoyable earlier on in the Season, but I'm pleased that the show's style, at least for this Episode, is much more in-line with what we came to expect from the first two years of HoC. Well done all-around. The President's hair has been dyed gray. I was ready for this when I first created this thread a few days ago, but the HoC writers felt there needed to be 10 episodes of build-up to actual "political suspense." 9/10

Episode #13: Ah... good ol' community bathrooms... reminds me of nearly two decades ago when I was flat-broke in a third-world country and was renting a place for $10/night with, you guessed it, a shared bathroom! There's something to be said about being able to roughly estimate what the person who stood in line before you ate by the shit stains pasted on the ceramic inside the shared toilet bowl. Anyway, back to the story...

More water and more laptop-ruining. Really... just smash it, bro! House of Cards is still a "political thriller," it just took too long this Season to show it's true colors. Great performances by the new and returning cast members, some of them had difficult, non-exciting scripts to work with for more than half of the Season. Hmm... I need to get my g/f on board with the "I WANT YOU TO FUCK ME" foreplay.

It looks like someone made the right decision 20 miles from town! Good for him! Gotta say I agree with the President in the final scene. 9/10

SEASON 3 GRADE: 8/10 (not an average)

---

Have Netflix?
YES

Season 3 Released?
YES

Ready to Watch Frank & Claire ruin more lives?
YES

Glad to be rid of President Walker?
YES

Ready for more Jackie Sharp?
YES YES YES

Ready for more Underwood-Meechum steam?
NO... but 5 out of 6 ain't bad.

[BooG690]

Um, I'm a fan of the series but, since everything is released at once, can we make sure to use spoiler tags? Or at least label the episode your post is about?

That said, I'm gonna get some HoC in tomorrow. Hella excited.

Also, I love Senator Sharp. So hot. And that Underwood-Meechum thing was one of the biggest curveballs since

Boardwalk Empire spoiler

Spoiler: Show

Jimmy Darmotty getting it on with his mom.

[rong]

Agree re spoilers. Big bold letters at the beginning of each post to mention which episode you're discussing.

[wufwugy]

so psyched for this. top five show running

[BooG690]

so psyched for this. top five show running

I'd go as far as to say the best drama running.

[wufwugy]

id probably agree with that. or that it's #2 behind game of thrones now that breaking bad and boardwalk empire are done

[a500lbgorilla]

I'm hoping he doesn't luckbox his way through everything like he did toward the end of S2

[wufwugy]

yeah that was kinda bleh. i thought the path to presidency was going to be a 5 season methodical slow burn

[rong]

Is there a new writer or something?

[a500lbgorilla]

Few episodes in. Loving it.

[rong]

Have you seen episode 3?

[a500lbgorilla]

Yeah, that's where I stopped. Don't wanna spoil anything, but I enjoyed it. I like the chessboard feeling so far.

[rong]

Really?

Episode 3 spoiler

Spoiler: Show

I thought that episode was awful. Isn't this supposed to be realistic? The Russian president doesn't pop over to the white-house and piss on the carpet (that was pretty much all he didn't do). That was ridiculous. And why would pussy riot be invited to the white house to sit at a dinner table with the Russian president? Especially when the US president is hoping for a favour (ie the Russian not to be a dick). That's ridiculous as well. But most importantly the Russian president doesn't turn up and act like a complete dick like that. It's insulting to Russians for implying their president is such an unsophisticated brute and insulting to the viewer for thinking that we'd buy that behavior.

Then what was up with the first lady getting the secretary of state to play drinking games? They get a couple of shots of vodka in them and two of the most powerful women in the world are suddenly willing to open up and reveal all over a game of beer pong? Really?

The whole episode seemed was unbelievabe and almost embarrassing to watch.

[a500lbgorilla]

If you wanna talk about something, you open. Otherwise, I'll just voice my general appreciation.

[rong]

Rilla, look up.

[a500lbgorilla]

Spoiler: Show

The russian president was the furthest thing from a brute. He was utterly composed the entire time. They said he likes to push buttons and described him as a thug, but that doesn't detract from his character as a man who gets what he wants and being damn capable of it. He runs Russia after all. He saw an opening to make a play for his Lexus of moving back the missile defense shield and played his entire trip toward that goal. His failure is a testament to the Underwood's. I loved his character's portrayal.

edit: Frank wanted something. Petrov knew. The whole trip was a dance to see how far Petrov could move Frank before agreeing. Remember the Debt-Cliff negotiations of yesteryear where the repubs kept standing firm on ridiculous demands and posturing like going over the cliff was a going to be a net good - it was all part of a dance they were doing with Obama. Petrov played it better versus Frank and Frank still rocked it like Obombs did IRL

The only thing I thought about the Pussy Riot thing was that the hot one on the show reminds me of the hot one in reality

edit added a middle paragraph.

[rong]

Spoiler: Show

Kissing the first lady, extinguishing a cigar on the internal wall, blatantly trying to undermine the president in front of other people. I really don't see that happening and I don't see how that could be seen as anything other than a lack of class and sophistication on the the side of the Russian. I agree he seemed capable and had a game plan. But the behavior didn't stack up.

[a500lbgorilla]

Spoiler: Show

He got under your skin. In Russia, you'd have lost already

edit Remember, they even showed that Frank was willing to chase good money after bad to preserve some deal with Russia and it was only with the First Lady's slick read and quick recon with the chief spy that a better plan was planted in his mind.

Petrov was positioning himself as someone who doesn't compromise. Who you have to meet more than half way.

[a500lbgorilla]

Spoiler: Show

http://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comme...ladimir_putin/ Just to give you some sense of what a real life Petrov might be like

"I’ve been warning you Saakashvili is hot-blooded," Bush told Putin.
"I’m hot-blooded, too," Putin countered.
"No, Vladimir," Bush responded. "You’re cold-blooded."



Then, in an odd exchange, Putin mentioned Sergei Lavrov, his chain-smoking, hard-line foreign minister. "Lavrov just returned from London and had problems with his cheeks and lips being swollen," Putin told Bush. "We might need to take a closer look at what Condi did to him."

Bush, awkwardly, played along with what seemed to be a bizarre form of sexual innuendo. "Condi is not blind," he joked.

"And she is a very attractive lady," Putin replied.

"She is a wonderful lady," Bush said, then tried to move the conversation along. "Listen, I’d like to get this WTO stuff done in the next couple weeks before we get to St. Petersburg."

[a500lbgorilla]

lol Putin quotes are awesome

[MadMojoMonkey]

I've watched through episode 3.

Spoiler: Show

What really bothered me about the exchange between the two presidents is that they're both so nearly the same character. I feel like they should have easily sized each other up and had a more direct approach to each other. In that light, the Russian kissing the First Lady was really a watdafuq moment. The level of those personalities and the fact that he did it in front of a room of people (at least one of whom - the pianist - was not a politician) made that a gut-punch to the White House. The cigar was in private and a more personal statement between the two men.

... but I'm still hung up on the end of episode 2.

Spoiler: Show

What was going on with dem dramatic eggs?

[rong]

Spoiler: Show

Ha, interesting quotes rilla. Here's one by Obama regarding putin which adds more weight:

Putin is slouching; looking like that bored schoolboy in the back of the classroom. ~ Barack H. Obama II

[rong]

I'm now basically adding spoiler tags to everything just in case boost comes in here and accuses me of reading a book.

[rong]

Ep 1/2/3/4 spoilers (well not really, let's call them boost spoilers)

Spoiler: Show

I thought ep 1 was slow and dull. 2 picked up a bit and felt more like the old show. 3 felt retarded and I don't buy the behavior of several characters. Specifically Russian president and Secretary of state. Ep 4 picked up again.

The quality of the show seems to have slipped a bit but more the show is now a different show. It's no longer a smart power hungry politician plotting, manipulating and back stabbing his way to the top. It's now an unpopular guy at the top trying to manage, which is not as interesting.

[a500lbgorilla]

Spoiler: Show

Petrov kisses the FL because he wanted to. That's the kind of man he is. What's the president going to do about it? Even Frank said that he would kill the man if he could, but his hands are tied.

Powerful men being powerful at each other is awesome.

[a500lbgorilla]

through Episode 4

Spoiler: Show

When Stamper sniffs out that job offer as Underwood's doing and confronts and confirms it with the Press Sec through wordplay only for it to apparently not have been Underwood's doing leading to him aligning with the other team is some werewolf level fun.

edit he's prob just trying to demonstrate his value to underwood, though

[rong]

lol WW fun. Agree with you though about his probable motives.

[baudib]

I watched the whole thing yesterday.

[a500lbgorilla]

I'm loving it, but I'm only through ep 5.

[wufwugy]

not the world's biggest fan of ep1. but it really shouldnt have any bearing on teh quality of the season so that's fine

[a500lbgorilla]

Only thing I didn't like about ep 1

Spoiler: Show

was Stamper being alive.

[wufwugy]

you guys really need to label which ep your spoilers are up to

[rong]

Just assume ep 3 before I mentioned ep 4 and ep 4 from then on.

[wufwugy]

Only thing I didn't like about ep 1

Spoiler: Show

was Stamper being alive.

Complete agreement

[rong]

Spoiler: Show

Then whole stamper thing is mostly an annoying side show to the main event. I'm bored of that story line.

Surely the president can just have a bitch tracked down and killed without explanation, right? What good is all that power otherwise.

[a500lbgorilla]

How?

Spoiler: Show

How can a President have a bitch tracked down a killed? The logistics are the fun.

[a500lbgorilla]

It's gonna be real dangerous clicking on this thread so long as I suck at typing in the spoiler tags.

[baudib]

Spoiler: Show

I def. agree about Stamper, hate the whole fucking story line and he shoulda just died.

[rong]

Rilla that bit about a bitch was just fucking around. But it's an inconvenience to the story imo.

[a500lbgorilla]

Through Ep 6

Spoiler: Show

Clair, now who's being naive?

I like how the idea of divorce was seeded in her head. She saw Frank crying and powerfucked him back to normal and heard him question himself and blame Mahmood (phonetical). Now he saw her whimper for the dead queer but tried to play it like he would never slip like that.

Separate bedrooms, questions of commitment, uncertain future... aw yeah

[BooG690]

I could barely read the thread because of spoilers and me having no clue which episode you're talking about.

Anyway, I wonder how much Microsoft paid to get their phones on the show?

[a500lbgorilla]

What ep are you on?

[BooG690]

Watching 2 atm

[wufwugy]

never go ass to mouth

[a500lbgorilla]

Watching 2 atm

After ep 3, you can open the spoilers til people start declaring which ep they're on.

[rong]

Episode 6

Spoiler: Show

She never gives that speech. Don't get me wrong, some people do, but she doesn't.

And none of this mentions the fact that every scene that doesn't involve Kevin spacey is dull.

The meeting of the presidents was much better this time. Prob not as entertaining but I think more realistic.

[rong]

Episode 6

Spoiler: Show

How is she all of a sudden giving a shit about this guy and his plight. She's a manipulative scheming sociopath, she doesn't get all emotional and throw away three months of work.

[a500lbgorilla]

I don't have any of the hang ups you have. When something doesn't follow, I just let it go and see where it takes. I don't try to predict fiction.

[rong]

I guess I can't argue with that.

I just find it annoying when people do things so far out of character.

I think I'll stop moaning now.

[dhubermex]

Great points in Posts #46-48. My knee-jerk reaction is to agree 100% with rong... he sums up my line of thinking so far in his two posts. But then my gut tells me I might be in agreement with rilla after watching the entire season.

[BooG690]

So I watched episode three.

Spoiler: Show

I'm surprised I'm the only one enjoying the Stamper angle. I like Stamper. Guy's a soldier with a weakness. I like to see weakness and how soldiers deal with that.

As for episode three sucking, I disagree. The beer pong part was pretty awful but everything else was entertaining. Rong had a point of it almost being unbelievable but, from what I've read about Putin, it doesn't sound too far off.

[a500lbgorilla]

Im with you Boog

Spoiler: Show

On Stamper

[a500lbgorilla]

My original version of that post versus what it looks like now is lol. I'm so bad at this thread.

[BooG690]

Am I the only TV watcher here that likes to watch a season over a longer period of time? I like making myself wait and build up a desire to finish.

Hm, maybe I should try edging?

[rong]

I want it all now typically. If I didn't have kids I'd stay up all night to marathon a whole series and maybe consider doing a sicky the next day. I did that a few times with 24 and the wire.

[a500lbgorilla]

24... those were the days

[rong]

Jack and jill went up the hill. Only jack came down. Jill was a fucking terrorist!

Jack Bauer went to blood bank to give blood. He refused the needle and demanded a gun and a bucket.

[dhubermex]

I'm 10 episodes in so far. Up to this point, I still agree with rong's perspective on Season 3.

[wufwugy]

up to ep4

Spoiler: Show

about the lack of realism, the most unreal thing is the president's blatant wifey nepotism. i think everything else is mild in comparison, but also i dont really care.

kinda love the actor playing petrov. ditto on the hot pussy riot chick. 11/10 hotness

this season is definitely less enjoyable than previous ones, but i bet it will pick up

mcpoyle from sunny is probably the most enjoyable plot

[a500lbgorilla]

Stanley's Parable!

ep 7

Spoiler: Show

The show has great symbolism - the black egg, the meticulous sand art that's swept away... I don't get any of it, but it's great

[dhubermex]

I've finished my Spoiler-Free review in the original post of this thread. HoC is one of the best shows currently running. I'm unsure how I'd rate Season 3 compared to Season 2, but S1 remains my favorite.

[JKDS]

We marathoned it over the weekend. Full spoiler below.

Spoiler: Show

I think overall it was so-so. I hated that Doug came back, and feel like the show would have been improved with him just dying and the girl never being heard from again. I felt like Francis sucked super hard too. Idk what thats about, though I'm usually slow with understanding whats going on. Anyway, given how badass he was in seasons 1 and 2, I'm really surprised he let Petrov own him so many times, and that Francis couldnt really do anything about it. Like, I expected Francis to somehow blackmail/pressure Russia into falling in line, but instead we just have him always being under Petrov's thumb. Lame. Real-ish I guess, but lame. Claire drove me crazy too.

[baudib]

I agree with JKDS pretty much 100%

[BooG690]

Four episodes deep.

Spoiler: Show

It needs more Remi.

[baudib]

Four episodes deep.

Spoiler: Show

It needs more Remi.

I agree and

Spoiler: Show

it doesn't just need more Remy, it needs better Remy.

[dhubermex]

JKDS has some really good points that I agree with, too.

[baudib]

Spoiler: Show

The problem for me is that Frank was a cool character even though he was obviously evil because he was smart and badass. When you're smarter and more ambitious than anyone else, well there should be some reward for that. I think many of us envisioned Frank as president as some sort of Nixonian tyrant on steroids. Our political system has become so partisan that we are flirting with impeachment every other president and if not, we're looking at government shutdowns and constant gridlock. And the executive branch thinking it can get away with anything it wants. The problem with Frank is you can't be Nixon if you're Gerald Ford. Instead of a crafty, manipulative mastermind, we get a meh president whose actually concerned with legacy and getting just ONE FUCKING PIECE OF LEGISLATION pushed through. Never mind that America Works is pure folly and ridiculously unrealistic, you get the sense that Frank really believes in it and thinks it will be good for everyday Americans. SAY WAT? WHO CARES ABOUT EVERYDAY AMERICANS, SOME MOTHAFUCKERS NEED TO GET FUCKING ROTFLPWN3D.

Instead we get a Frank Underwood who can't even outmaneuver Jackie Sharp.

oh noes he raided FEMA!

The Underwood White House isn't really that different from any other mediocre administration we've all seen before in real life.

[wufwugy]

up to ep6

Spoiler: Show

i dont understand the underwood's motivation. they're acting like the presidency is a stepping stone for more power, but there is little reason for them to believe that is the case. ep 6 was easily the weakest of the season. they had an amazing relationship and were pretty astounding people, but then just out of the blue claire is a dummy and their relationship is like any other. my favorite thing about this show was how incredible their psychopathic commitment to each other was, but it looks like that is being thrown in the toilet

[wufwugy]

oh i see that was what ronk said earlier. he was right

[wufwugy]

ep6

Spoiler: Show

the first two seasons were all about getting power and being highly functional psychos. now it's about what? being not psychos and not using power? i just dont get it. tbh i thought the show wouldnt work as well after he got the presidency, and it appears i was right. but we'll see. only watched six eps so far

[wufwugy]

fuckin love top hat giggles guy from boardwalk empire. he should get more work

[rong]

That's my main gripe wuf. The behavior doesn't stack up. I'm hoping that changes but even if it does I don't know how to sync what I've seen with it.

[rong]

Also I was wrong with the term sociopath and you are right with psychopath. How do I know, a Huffington post article of course, where else would I go.

[a500lbgorilla]

Also I was wrong with the term sociopath and you are right with psychopath. How do I know, a Huffington post article of course, where else would I go.

I will see your life ruined, everyone you've ever loved brought before you and massacred as I pull every bone from your body while keeping you alive. You don't even deserve to die.

[rong]

According to the huff, you're demonstrating more sociopathic behaviour than psychopathic.