All My Random Thoughts on House of Cards, Season 3
Where do I start with House of Cards? I finished season three last night – that's record binge-viewing time for me – and each time I think about it, new theories, thoughts and questions pop into my head. This was such an intriguing season, and it was definitely my favorite of the three so far.
I realized a few episodes in that this was my favorite season of HoC because it's the season that can be most easily compared to The West Wing. This New York Times Magazine Beau Willimon profile from last year made a perfect connection between the two – that each generation gets the political show representative of its moment – and, yes, even last year as Vice President, Frank entered the realm of the White House. But now he's really in the White House, and his supporting cast more closely mirrors that of The West Wing.
Throughout the season, I found myself comparing House of Cards characters with their West Wing counterparts. The Underwood-Bartlet comparison doesn't amount to much, or at least it didn't to me. The one I found myself thinking about most often was Remy (Underwood's Chief of Staff) and Josh Lyman (Bartlet's Deputy Chief of Staff). It actually didn't dawn on me until right now, as I write this, that Josh is never actually Bartlet's Chief of Staff – he's only the deputy in that administration. But I think the comparison holds; Josh and Remy are more comparable than Leo and Remy, age-wise, so maybe that's why it sprang to mind, but I also think Josh does more Remy-like things than Leo. Anyways.
This is where I couldn't get it out of my mind: When it's clear the hurricane has turned and the America Works program will die because Frank's signed that bill, he leaves the situation room and asks Remy what can be done to stop it and get the AmWorks funding back. Remy doesn't know what to do, and basically tells Frank it's hopeless. Faced with the same situation and the same amount of time, Josh Lyman would have gotten the bill back, rescued AmWorks, and given Donna a condescending explanation of whatever Constitutional loophole he used to accomplish the previous feat.
On a more peripheral level, I'm always interested in the way different politically focused shows and movies concentrate on different players. I mean, I get it – each show chooses who they want to tell the story through – but I just wonder how those decisions are made, and why. There is no Toby Ziegler or Sam Seaborn in HoC (or at least no depiction of their counterparts, because the real Sam and Toby would probably flee the country if Frank Underwood was president). In the same way, The West Wing never had (if my memory serves) a U.N. Ambassador present during tense moments in the situation room.
Aside from the ease with which West Wing comparisons can be made, HoC season three was my favorite because for a long time, we don't know where it's going. Season one, these characters and this story are brand-new, and we don't even know what we could assume. Season two, it's fairly obvious Frank will become President. But season three, Frank is President. So where will it go?
I loved watching Frank struggle with the day-to-day issues of the presidency, rather than make the broad-strokes moves to get there in the first place, which we saw in the first two seasons. You remember he actually has a job to do. But even though that's why I loved the season as a whole, it's also why the ending left me dissatisfied. It felt like the finale concentrated on storylines that hadn't been considered much at all in the previous 12 episodes. Of course Doug has to find Rachel, and of course we have to get some idea of what's going on with the Underwood marriage (this Vulture piece articulates a lot of frustrations I had with the season's end, as far as Frank and Claire's relationship), but I was disappointed we didn't get a closer look at how Heather Dunbar narrowly lost the Iowa primary, or get some idea where Jackie Sharp's headed next, now that she's done campaigning and admitted unhappiness in her marriage.
Slightly disappointing ending aside, though, I still thought this was a fabulous season. These are my other lingering, random thoughts:
End of episode two, when Claire cracks those two eggs into a pan. WHAT DOES IT MEAN.
Even if there weren't direct comparisons to all the characters, there were some moments that reminded me of West Wing Frank's visit to the bishop reminded me of when Toby went to chat with his rabbi. Heather Dunbar's surprise announcement of her candidacy reminded me of CJ's surprise when that awful Peter Lillianfield gave a surprise press conference about alleged drug use among White House staffers.
I liked Thomas Yates, the author Frank hired. But I will never love a writer on this show as much as I loved Janine Skorsky.
This scene – Frank sings a little ditty for guests after the Petrov dinner – is straight out of my fever dream.
The dialogue between Claire Underwood and Michael Corrigan, as they negotiate in his prison cell, is insanely good. As is the dialogue between Frank and Claire later that episode, when they're fighting on the plane.
This show reminded me how House of Cards season one really introduced me to the greatness of Kevin Spacey, who is now one of my most beloved actors. I'd seen him in movies before this show, but I remember watching the first season and then wanting to know all of his other stuff. I watched L. A. Confidential not long after finishing season one, and it's now one of my favorite films. I kind of forgot until this weekend how HoC was responsible for my love of Spacey.
So, I'm sure tons of other thoughts and theories will come to mind as I chew on this season and discuss with others. Here's to season four.
Tagged: binge-watching, Claire Underwood, Donna Moss, Doug Stamper, Frank Underwood, Heather Dunbar, House of Cards, Jackie Sharp, Josh Lyman, Kevin Spacey, L.A. Confidential, movies, Netflix, President Bartlet, Sam Seaborn, television, The West Wing, Toby Ziegler, TV, Vulture, West Wing
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