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House of Cards Season 3 Thread
*** 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)
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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.
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