CHOOSING MONEY OVER POWER IS A MISTAKE ALMOST EVERYONE MAKES. MONEY IS THE BIG MANSION IN SARASOTA THAT STARTS FALLING APART AFTER TEN YEARS. POWER IS THAT OLD STONE BUILDING THAT STANDS FOR CENTURIES. I CANNOT RESPECT SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT SEE THE DIFFERENCE: We've somehow survived here without talking about Netflix's House of Cards thus far. At this point, I feel like most of the people who wanted to watch, did, and for those who didn't, let me just suggest that while it's not perfect, if you're a fan of watching Kevin Spacey at his hammiest and most cynical, plus tales of (occasionally implausible) political treachery, plus Robin Wright quietly being awesome, then it's worth committing the 13 hours (plus one month's Netflix, if you're not using it already, which you can cancel thereafter) for a fun little yarn. Spoilers below, and in the comments.
First off, I live in Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, so it amused the hell out of me to find us at the center of the plot, though BRAC actually closed down our naval shipyard twenty years ago. Still, it had that kind of impact, and it was totally plausible as a plot point.
I think one's enjoyment of the show depends on one's appreciation of Spacey's performance -- if you don't find all the fourth-wall breaking to be engaging and smile-producing, I doubt you're even finishing the first episode. But as long as you get that far, you're likely in for the full ride. Does it all work? No. But I never wanted to stop watching.
Things I particularly enjoyed: the education bill staffers; the trips back home for Underwood and Russo; the pop-up IMs; seeing Norman Wilson from The Wire (but not the guy who played Marimow, in essentially the same douchey editor role); Gerald McRaney; its general understanding of the role of social media in contemporary politics; everything about Corey Stoll's Peter Russo.
Things which bored me: Hunky Photographer Guy, and Zoe's Decent Boyfriend. Spacey on the rowing machine.
