New show "House of Cards" is a must see for fans of political dramas

[Bjorn Against]

I just watched the first two episodes of House of Cards that debuted on Netflix today and it looks like it has very strong potential to be one of the best television drama shows ever. House of Cards is the first big budget television series to not even air on television, it is exclusive to Netflix and they released every episode of the first season simultaneously today.

While I can only comment on the first two episodes of the thirteen episode season as that is all I have had time to watch so far, those first two episodes pulled me in and did not let go.

I don't want to give any big spoilers so I am going to be somewhat vague in what I say about the plot, but it is a show that people who are cynical about American politics are going to love. While the show takes place in Washington in the halls of Congress and the White House, this is not The West Wing. While The West Wing was very idealistic, House of Cards is a very dark and cynical take on Washington.

Kevin Spacey plays the Democratic House Majority Whip, but if you are expecting a Democrat that stands up for our values you are going to hate his character. Spacey plays the worst type of Blue Dog southern Democrat, he is a man who is in politics only for his own personal gain and does not care about who his actions hurt. He pretends to be loyal to his party but when no one is looking he is more than happy to leak info to the right-wing media for them to use against anyone who gets in his way.

That is all I will say about the plot because this is one of those shows you need to watch to see what will happen next, but the acting, writing, and cinematography are all top notch. Spacey's performance is easily his best since American Beauty, you may want to smack his character upside the head but he is still certain to mesmerize you. Robin Wright plays his wife and she seems to be a pretty ruthless person herself, Wright's performance is also top notch.

The show was created from a collaboration between David Fincher (director of Fight Club and The Social Network) and Beau Willimon (screenwriter for The Ides of March). Fincher directs the first two episodes and he does an amazing job at it, he is a master at using music and editing to pull you into the scene and keep you entertained without dumbing anything down.

The first two episodes don't get into too many controversial political issues, that very well may come later in the series but the first couple of episodes are mostly focused on the shady side of Washington where people are bribed and politicians are blackmailed. Those who say Democrats can do no wrong may not like it, but those on the left who take a more cynical look at our political system are going to love the show.

If you have Netflix go watch it right now.

[elleng]

1. Thanks. Thought so.

Have to remember how to sign on @ Netflix.

[MADem]

2. Sounds like a good program--I don't have NETFLIX but I have a relative who does!

[TeamPooka]

46. you can watch the 1st episode here for free (link)

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/House_of_Cards/70178217

[MADem]

48. I'll wait for the relative to come round, and do a marathon with a bunch of folks!

That's always fun!

[1-Old-Man]

3. It begs the question, why make a program if no one will see it?

NetFlix? You got to be kidding.

[justiceischeap]

5. I think 33.3 million subscribers is nothing to turn your nose up at

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2013/02/economics-netflixs-100-million-new-show/61692/

Current TV never had so many viewers.

[BarackTheVote]

17. Reward the subscribers and attract new members

HBO and Showtime cost about the same per month as a Netflix Instant subscription, and you get more content on Netflix; HBO and Showtime have exclusive programming, so why NOT Netflix?

[Bjornsdotter]

4. Is it an American version

...of the UK's House of Cards?

It seems like it might be similar. Sounds good, I'll certainly tune in.

[Bjorn Against]

8. Yes, it is based on the UK show

I never saw the UK show so I can't say which is better, but the American version is must see. I will have to watch the UK show after I finish the American one.

[Bjornsdotter]

12. Thank-you!

Loved the UK version & I can't wait to see the Netflix version.

[CBHagman]

9. Yes, that's the idea.

House of Cards was originally a novel. The televised version starred the great Ian Richardson and was the first in a trilogy (The sequels were To Play the King and The Final Cut). See Michael Dobbs' website below.

[url]http://www.michaeldobbs.com/home/[/url]

[Bjornsdotter]

11. Thank-you!

I knew it sounded familiar!

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

15. Ian Richardson was great as humorously evil Francis Urquhart.

[CBHagman]

24. Indeed he was, and note those initials, DUers.

Characters address him as F.U. for short.

Sample clip:

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

25. This guy rocks. If I could talk like that or have that presence; minus the evil of course.

[Spider Jerusalem]

6. My advice is to skip it and watch the original, honestly

the original is very very good and I'm not really sure that it can translate very well to an American setting.

[BarackTheVote]

18. So you haven't even seen the US version?

David Fincher is arguably the best living US filmmaker. Lots of people thought his Girl with the Dragon Tattoo wouldn't translate, but, damn, if he didn't pull it off.

[Spider Jerusalem]

20. I've seen the UK version

and I don't see any reason to remake it, honestly (and considering the storyline and plot elements, a lot of which are pretty specific to the British parliamentary system, I don't really see how they can be made to work in an American context).

Have you seen the original? Because if not you don't exactly have a basis of comparison, either, do you?

[whathehell]

26. I've seen the UK version too, and I have no problem imagining an American version.

especially with the great Kevin Spacey in the lead.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

30. I am of two minds on this.

I have seen all three of the original series and they rocked. Sometimes films need to be translated for different audiences and markets.

How many versions of Romeo and Juliette are there?

There is also the possibility that the series is showing its age starting in the 1990s so things may appear dated in the original; which doesn't bother me...I loved Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with Sir Alec Guinness.

My heart will always be with evil Francis Ewan Urquhart aka Ian Richardson, but some may be able to see the story from an American perspective and keep it living where they might not find the original so appealing.


There is an exception to this rule regarding the Millennium series trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc., and why a series of movies that were just created can't be enjoyed simply because they were dubbed or subtitled. It this instance the need to recreate the movies smells of opportunism just to rake in a little more at the box office. Noomi Rapace, like Ian Richardson, is an excellent actor and has a presence that should not be overlooked.

I would suggest that anybody that has seem the remakes of either of these two works, House of Cards and the Millennium series, to check out the originals.

They are pretty good.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

44. Yes, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was one of those "why, why?" remakes

along with the ill-fated remakes of "Life on Mars" (much edgier and more delightfully raunchy wisecracks in the original British version, not to mention that the main character was a bland nobody compared to John Sims) and "Prime Suspect" (with a too-young-and-attractive Maria Bello, when part of the point of the original was that Jane Tennant's personal life was a mess, and Helen Mirren was allowed to look like a chain-smoking alcoholic and become more and more haggard in each series).

[EastKYLiberal]

50. I can't stand television shows that don't take place in an American setting. nt

[TeamPooka]

52. enjoy your ethnocentrism. There's a big world and lots of good stories out there you will miss. nt

[Tx4obama]

7. So the whole season is there to watch? And ...

And can you watch each episode more than once?
Like if two people are in the house and want to watch at different times?

Thanks in advance.

[Bjorn Against]

10. Yes, it is available to stream whenever you want.

[whathehell]

28. Can it be streamed onto televison with the help of a Roku box, or something? n/t

[Bjorn Against]

33. Yes, there are lots of devices that stream Netflix

I am pretty certain you can stream it through Roku, all of the modern game consoles can stream it, you can stream it through a computer, an iPad, I can even stream it to my phone. They have made a Netflix app for nearly all of the modern electronic devices, a lot of newer television sets even have a Netflix app built right into the TV. If you own any modern electronic media devices you probably have a way to stream it.

[whathehell]

42. Thanks for that info, Bjorn. I'll be watching it through roku. n/t

[Lydia Leftcoast]

40. Yes, that's how I watch Netflix

Some Blu-Ray players and newer TVs let you stream Netflix, but you do have to be a subscriber ($7.99 per month).

I dropped cable and now do most of my watching over the air (PBS) or on Netflix, Hulu Plus, or Acorn TV (a rotating selection of British/Canadian/Australian programming, some of which has been shown on PBS, much of which has not).

[whathehell]

41. Thanks Lydia.

I do have a roku box and I've subscribed to Acorn TV

as well.

[Lars39]

13. You might say that, but I couldn't possibly confirm it.

[Control-Z]

14. I don't know much about Netflix

other than the account I paid monthly for years ago to get DVDs in the mail. I wasn't fond of that program and haven't looked back. I understand that things have changed but have no idea of how it works.

Do you need to be a paying member or can you pay to rent one movie at a time? Any suggestions/instructions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Bjorn Against]

16. This show is streamed online, it is not on DVD

If you want to see the show you might be able to get a free month sample which would give you enough time to watch the show and then cancel after the month if you don't want to continue.

[Control-Z]

19. Thank you!

From the few ads I've seen it looks like a show I would like. With your endorsement it has become a must see (damn you)!! Kidding!

Now my only reservation is, even if I can get a month free, I'm afraid I'll end up keeping it - adding to my already exorbitant bill for home entertainment. I signed up for a trial period of HBO (at a greatly reduced price) last year, just to watch Game Change. Now, at full price, I can't give it up. Lol.

Well, I'm off to sign up. Thank you again!! (I think)

[NBachers]

21. I'd seen the ads on my Netflix, but was kind of dismissive- thanks for tipping me off

[Tx4obama]

22. Just finished watching the first episode & it was pretty damn good!

Have to go now and watch the 2nd episode.

And maybe I'll be able to squeeze in the 3rd one too before bed - LOL

Or maybe I'll be up all night until the sun comes up

[DakotaLady]

23. House of Cards

I too watched Friday night. I only watched episode one ... want to stretch out my viewing. May watch two in a row when the Super Bowl is on.

I never read the book by Michael Dobbs but did watch the BBC adaptation when it was featured in 1990.

Good then and good now. Kevin Spacey is a marvelous actor and this could well be on his top-ten list.

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. What network is it on?

[Bjorn Against]

31. It is not on any network, it is on Netflix

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. Damn. I don't do Netflix.

[Gin]

29. Netflix has no contracts and a free trial for a month

Gonna watch this new show...even if it is a remake...

[RB TexLa]

32. What you call cynical is what most people call reality. DU seems to have some

kind fantasyland view of politics where reality is ignored in favor of some noble thought of how things should work. I don't know what is so appealing about ignoring the fact that people are flawed, including the people on your own side.

While there are varying degrees in everyone, most people are much more like John Edwards than Jefferson Smith.

[Bjorn Against]

37. I am cynical because of reality, I don't see reality and cynicism as mutually exclusive concepts

[northoftheborder]

34. I watched the first 6 episodes of this last night, until my eyes blurred!!

It came to me in an email from Netflix that it was now available, and I just clicked and it started running on my laptop. I am signed up for the program with Netflix with 3CD's at a time and unlimited live watching on computer. I was afraid to turn it off last night, for fear I could not come back on in the middle, but I believe I can. I imagine you have be signed up with Netflix to watch live on line in order to receive it.

My review: wonderful plot and acting; but Kevin Spacey (one of my favorite actors, by the way) just does not compare favorably to the deliciously evil character starring in the original British House of Cards. But I give the movie as a whole 5 stars.

[ananda]

36. HofC is good!

I watched the first two eppys last night.

More today. Woohoo!

The only problem is that I hate the wife more than I hate Francis.
And I can't figure out what she's up to with that charity, but I know it's pure evil.

(The subtlety in developing the wife in the Brit version was a major plus ... along
with the Shakespeare, particularly Macbeth ... both missing in this version. It's still good, though.)

[tallahasseedem]

38. Thank you for the recommendation!

I will check it out!

[Seeking Serenity]

39. I LOVED the BBC version

Ian Richardson was gobsmackingly BRILLIANT as Francis Urquhart. Loved him! "You might very well think that. I could not possibly comment."

I may try the US remake, but I imagine it will be hard for me to remove the original version from my head and not try to compare the two.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

43. Yes, he was deliciously oily and conniving

One of the late greats among the British actors.

He's also excellent in the original Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with Alec Guinness.

[ananda]

55. And Richardson was only the first among very great equals!

Including the writer!

That show was absolutely brilliant!

The USA show is good, but not in the same class for sure.

[TeamPooka]

45. one factual correction to your review:

HOUSE was a BBC miniseries in the UK in the 90's based on a novel by Michael Dobbs and adapted by Andrew Davies.
This US series by Netflix is an adaptation of that series by Fincher and Willimon.
It was not "created" by them.

[ancianita]

47. 'Sgot all the Macbeth-y elements...soliloquys, vengeance, Machiavellian women and Kevin Spacey!

It kicks ass!

[gulliver]

49. Watched three eps so far. Exceptionally good. n/t

[Indykatie]

51. Everyone Should Also Check Out the Original British Production Which was Outstanding

I have watched 3 episodes so far and will pace my viewing so I have something to look forward to watching for a week.

[Cleita]

53. The original British version was topnotch. I hope this is almost as good.

I hope it gets picked up somewhere on cable cuz I don't have Netflix and I can't afford any more entertainment venues.

[Tx4obama]

54. I'm on episode #9 now. Everyone should watch this!!! It's awesome!!!

I know that everyone is talking about the British show - but THIS SHOW is totally American and as good as 'The Newsroom'

It's a MUST SEE