TV Review: House of Cards, Season 3

Disclaimer: I should say upfront that this article contains some (small) spoilers from Season 3 of House of Cards.

But let’s be honest. You had all spring break to steal your roommate’s cousin’s dog’s Netflix password and aggressively stream from one episode straight into the next. Also, if you’re like me, you sacrificed all schoolwork and going to your friend’s birthday party to watch the full season in under 38 hours after its release (sorry, Nithin). Basically, if you haven’t watched House of Cards Season 3 by now, that’s your own fault.

The last time we saw Frank Underwood, at the conclusion of Season 2, was a moment of television perfection. Frank Underwood had just clawed his way into the presidency, and, for the first time, he was silently appreciating his Oval Office. Chills ran all over my body. I wanted nothing more than to get a glimpse inside his head, but, instead, the show cut to an incredible cliffhanger that left me beyond excited for the next season.

Unfortunately, this season of House of Cards did not live up to my highly ambitious expectations, largely because of the nearly complete removal of Kevin Spacey’s monologues. Since the series premiere, I have loved how Frank Underwood would break the fourth wall of acting. Every episode, I anticipated his predatory gaze into the camera, as he ruthlessly explained how he intended to break down his political prey. Who can ever forget Frank’s shocking first monologue about the types of weakness as he snapped that poor, dying puppy’s neck? Certainly, I can't. The artistic decision to include only a few short monologues this season was a weakness itself.

Beyond this abandonment of the show’s most distinctive feature, missed plot opportunities contributed to my disappointment with this season of House of Cards. As Season 2 came to a close, I felt certain that the third season would focus on Frank Underwood consolidating power within his self-constructed empire. I anticipated Stamper’s murder being dramatically investigated, Rachel’s storyline skyrocketing to prominence and the corrupt president struggling to silence all loose ends. Imagine my disappointment to learn that Stamper was not only alive but an even more central character this season! After all, Stamper is basically the Stannis Baratheon of House of Cards––the boring main character whose storyline you really don’t care about. Plus, he’s incredibly creepy. While I certainly appreciate when a television show is not predictable, I would have enjoyed a more dramatic turn of events.

If there was a glimmer of cinematic genius this season, it would have to be the fascinating character development we witnessed with Claire Underwood. Frank’s fierce and power-hungry wife has always captivated my attention, and her relationship with her infamous husband has consistently been perhaps my favorite television couple of all time. I have patiently waited two seasons to truly see inside the mind of this incredible character, and House of Cards finally gave me everything that I needed out of her character and more. Robin Wright’s performance absolutely lit up the screen.