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number8
01-27-2013, 02:51 AM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ec/HouseofCardsposter.jpg

The first of four original shows Netflix is launching this year is just days away. Has anyone else seen the BBC original?

Kurosawa Fan
01-27-2013, 02:55 AM
Are they releasing all of the episodes at once or will we have to wait a week like standard television?

Lazlo
01-27-2013, 03:08 AM
Are they releasing all of the episodes at once or will we have to wait a week like standard television?

All at once. Pretty sure a second season was part of the initial deal so there will ultimately be 26 hours of this. I'm excited. Finnncchhherrrrrr.

number8
01-27-2013, 03:12 AM
Yeah, entire seasons at once is going to be Netflix's "television" model for all their original programming. They don't have ads or a schedule, so it's not like it matters to them when you watch it, so long that you pay the membership to watch it. Netflix users are used to watching full seasons in a row on Netflix, so they don't want to disrupt that experience with a different watching model.

EyesWideOpen
01-27-2013, 04:46 AM
Yeah, entire seasons at once is going to be Netflix's "television" model for all their original programming. They don't have ads or a schedule, so it's not like it matters to them when you watch it, so long that you pay the membership to watch it. Netflix users are used to watching full seasons in a row on Netflix, so they don't want to disrupt that experience with a different watching model.

Such a great idea.

Lucky
01-29-2013, 01:05 AM
When does this become available?

number8
01-29-2013, 01:56 AM
The date is on the poster, dude.

DavidSeven
01-29-2013, 03:17 AM
How's this going to work for the purposes of the subforum? These threads get moved back the main TV forum once the season ends, right? Well, if I'm understanding this correctly, Season 1 ends the same day it premieres. :lol:

Going to be interesting to see how this goes. This whole-season-at-once roll out kind of makes episodes-by-episode discussion impossible. I foresee an abundance of spoiler tags.

Lucky
01-29-2013, 11:00 AM
The date is on the poster, dude.

...how bout that.

number8
01-29-2013, 02:17 PM
How's this going to work for the purposes of the subforum? These threads get moved back the main TV forum once the season ends, right? Well, if I'm understanding this correctly, Season 1 ends the same day it premieres. :lol:

Going to be interesting to see how this goes. This whole-season-at-once roll out kind of makes episodes-by-episode discussion impossible. I foresee an abundance of spoiler tags.

This is a really good point. The no-spoiler model we cooked up probably won't work with Netflix shows.

Mara
01-29-2013, 02:30 PM
...how bout that.

I guess that the subforum would be for people who are watching the first season for the first time (spoilers would be courteous, like "spoilers through episode four") but then the next year would have its own subthread where they could talk bout season one without spoilers. I guess. Does that make sense?

DavidSeven
01-29-2013, 05:34 PM
I guess that the subforum would be for people who are watching the first season for the first time (spoilers would be courteous, like "spoilers through episode four") but then the next year would have its own subthread where they could talk bout season one without spoilers. I guess. Does that make sense?

Actually, it does. I guess the spoiler tagging would have probably gotten pretty unwieldy as the show moved into its second and potentially third season.

Dukefrukem
02-01-2013, 04:44 PM
Can't wait to start this tonight. Also, if you don't have streaming and only have discs (which i doubt anyone here has) Netflix is giving away the first episode to disc people.

Oh wait, you don't even need to be a netflix subscriber to watch the first episode. Good tease Netflix.

number8
02-01-2013, 04:59 PM
They're probably going to do that with every show they debut. It's the same tactic cable channels use, by unlocking the channel for free on the broadcast of season premieres.

Dukefrukem
02-01-2013, 05:05 PM
It's going to be so satisfying being able to run through all 13 episodes at once. Before doing that with Game of Thrones recently, the last time I did that was probably season 1 of 24.

number8
02-01-2013, 05:10 PM
I used to wish that the 24 DVDs would have black screens inserted into the commercial breaks to make each episode a full hour, because it was bothering me when I did that insane real-time marathon of Season 1 I did and I was actually ahead of the show clock-wise.

Dukefrukem
02-01-2013, 05:34 PM
Hah! That's right the episodes would only be 45 minutes. You'd save a full hour ever 4 episodes. That's only an 18 hour marathon. Weak.

Irish
02-01-2013, 06:33 PM
Show has been posted:

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

Henry Gale
02-01-2013, 06:41 PM
Watched the first two episodes last night.

It's good!

In a television director role, this is Fincher at his most stylistically restrained. But that doesn't mean he doesn't inject himself into enough of this that you feel he's elevating what might've been routine in other people's hands with a different cast, more typical visual texture, and less trademark cynical slant. A lot of this could just be in his role as Executive Producer, and I wouldn't be surprised if the directors from here on out (Joel Schmacher?!) just do their best to imitate what he established here, but it's undoubtedly strong caliber stuff for television, even for a series as unorthodox as this.

ledfloyd
02-01-2013, 06:52 PM
Well, I really dug the pilot of this. It took me a bit to acclimate myself to it, but by the end I was hooked. We'll see if it keeps up.

Irish
02-01-2013, 07:00 PM
Jesus Christ. This is like a play where the two leads are Lady MacBeth and Richard III. :lol:

Edit: I don't think I've ever hear the words "Drive safe. There's a lot of ice on the road." sound like a threat before.

ThePlashyBubbler
02-01-2013, 07:36 PM
I don't know.

I'll watch at least a few more episodes but was immediately put off by Spacey's performance, particularly the monologuing directly to the camera. Didn't think the writing was strong enough to carry those moments without making them a bit cringeworthy.

number8
02-01-2013, 07:47 PM
By the way, in case you guys didn't know, the BBC original is on Netflix too. It's pretty good. A little more lighthearted, I think.

Irish
02-01-2013, 08:27 PM
I don't know.

I'll watch at least a few more episodes but was immediately put off by Spacey's performance, particularly the monologuing directly to the camera. Didn't think the writing was strong enough to carry those moments without making them a bit cringeworthy.

Yeah. The fourth-wall stuff is disconcerting at best. My first reaction was that it was a crutch, and a bad crutch. But it's almost necessary because Spacey's character has no support to play off of. So that was a conscious decision, and in a way I think you could argue it strengthens his lone alpha-wolf status in the audience's eyes.

I agree with you about Spacey's performance. I'm having a hard time getting past the twang. He's got such a great natural register, and the accent seems like a come on.

The material in the first episode was .. okay. I don't think there's anything duller and more dramatically inert than 'draft of Congressional education bill.'

ledfloyd
02-01-2013, 08:39 PM
in a way I think you could argue it strengthens his lone alpha-wolf status in the audience's eyes.
I think it's intended to make the audience complicit in his maneuvering.

I really love Kate Mara in this. A problem I could see developing is that most every character can be described in two word phrases: "betrayed congressman," "domineering wife," "upstart reporter," "womanizing congressman." This wouldn't be such a problem if the show didn't seem more concerned with movie the plot along than fleshing these people out.

Irish
02-01-2013, 08:51 PM
I think it's intended to make the audience complicit in his maneuvering.

I like this insight quite a bit.


A problem I could see developing is that most every character can be described in two word phrases: "betrayed congressman," "domineering wife," "upstart reporter," "womanizing congressman." This wouldn't be such a problem if the show didn't seem more concerned with movie the plot along than fleshing these people out.

Could not agree more. I liked some of the little moments -- like when Spacey has Corey Stoll ('Russo') in his office and, knowing the guy's an alcoholic, subtlety plays games using a glass of scotch.

But the bigger choices, as you noted, are rote as rote can be. (I didn't care for Mara's character. She plays like a refugee from the set of HBO's "The Newsroom").

ledfloyd
02-01-2013, 09:46 PM
But the bigger choices, as you noted, are rote as rote can be.

Yeah, it's remarkable how watchable it is (and it's a good show) given that it's surviving almost solely on craft. The direction, acting, writing (on the level of dialogue), editing, set design et al. is all top notch.

Irish
02-02-2013, 01:07 AM
Yeah, it's remarkable how watchable it is (and it's a good show) given that it's surviving almost solely on craft. The direction, acting, writing (on the level of dialogue), editing, set design et al. is all top notch.

I think you're right that it's surviving on production values, which are all great, but I disagree that it's a good show. I've lost count of how many episodes I've seen ("Next episode starting in 10.. 9.. 8 .. 7 .. 6") but wow the stories are boring as hell.

If it weren't for Spacey or Wright I'd have stopped watching by now. If this was on cable or broadcast, I probably wouldn't've watch as many episode as I have.

number8
02-02-2013, 12:27 PM
Spacey and Wright are like the evil Chandler and Britton.

I think Fincher' s style and tone might be working at a disadvantage to the material. He's shaping it like a thriller rather than a satire.

The fourth wall breaking is so cheeky and playful in the original. Here it seems Funny Gamesian. It's po-faced and uncomfortable. Needs more winking.

number8
02-02-2013, 12:57 PM
I don't find the story remotely boring at all. Though I do enjoy stories about the minutiae of politics.

number8
02-02-2013, 02:52 PM
Also, always nice to see a bunch of actors from The Wire.

slqrick
02-02-2013, 03:35 PM
Just saw the pilot. The camera winking is a bit much...but other than that, nothing's really stuck out to me yet. Kate Mara is gorgeous though, and actually dresses and acts like a 20-something which is cool. I do agree that the Fincher tone makes some of the 4th wall breaking feel funny.

Lucky
02-02-2013, 05:39 PM
This is better than I thought it would be. Netflix is branding a quality name for itself, though I still don't quite understand how they're going to profit with these high profile shows. Do they really expect a greater influx of new subscribers? Considering DVD sales are out of the picture, the only thing I can guess is that they hook us all on a handful of series and make us pay a separate monthly fee for the original material.

Kiusagi
02-02-2013, 06:07 PM
Liked the first episode a lot, but my complete ignorance to politics made a few points hard for me to follow. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it at some point, though.

I also now finally see the resemblance between Kate and Rooney Mara.

number8
02-02-2013, 07:27 PM
This is better than I thought it would be. Netflix is branding a quality name for itself, though I still don't quite understand how they're going to profit with these high profile shows. Do they really expect a greater influx of new subscribers? Considering DVD sales are out of the picture, the only thing I can guess is that they hook us all on a handful of series and make us pay a separate monthly fee for the original material.

The shows are funded by only a fraction of their licensing budget. So it's not changing their finances, but it's raising interest and visibility to non-subscribers.

We have a discussion here (http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?4525-quot-Once-waiting-is-history-will-quality-television-still-pack-the-same-cultural-punch-quot).

Dukefrukem
02-02-2013, 07:42 PM
*sigh* Yet another series with an intro that's too damn long. Fine, at least I can skip through it.

I liked the first episode. Moving on to the second.

Irish
02-02-2013, 08:17 PM
This is better than I thought it would be. Netflix is branding a quality name for itself, though I still don't quite understand how they're going to profit with these high profile shows. Do they really expect a greater influx of new subscribers? Considering DVD sales are out of the picture, the only thing I can guess is that they hook us all on a handful of series and make us pay a separate monthly fee for the original material.

Why would you think DVD sales are out of the picture?

They're going to be banking on new subscribers. Netflix is trying to build its own little online network. I think the challenge with their binge-viewing strategy is that it doesn't allow for any kind of social momentum. People won't be watching and talking about this show every week, over the course of months, over an entire television season. (In a way, regular network and cable shows are advertisements for themselves. Netflix's model doesn't allow for that.)

I don't think they can monkey with prices. Not with Amazon getting into the game. From what I've heard, they spent $100MM on this show, about $4MM an episode. To put that in perspective, back when the WB was around, they were burning half that -- $50MM -- for every show on the entire network.

Irish
02-02-2013, 08:25 PM
I don't find the story remotely boring at all. Though I do enjoy stories about the minutiae of politics.

Liked the first episode a lot, but my complete ignorance to politics made a few points hard for me to follow. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it at some point, though.

My beef is that the show isn't insidery-baseball enough. The political angles are all completely generic. They use no jargon and have no special insights into the process. "The West Wing" was better at this stuff.

My other beef is that the A-stories are of no consequence, and the audience isn't let in on the stakes until the last moment. The combination of these things makes for dull viewing. (That they built so much around Corey Stoll's 'Russo' was a mistake. He's a stock character, completely rote, and boring as hell. Stoll also isn't all that interesting a performer here).

Around episode 9, it gets better. The show starts becoming more interesting, but it does this by having characters almost completely contradict their behavior from the previous eight episodes.

I love Wright's character, though. She's ten times more interesting thank Frank. I wish they had made the series about her instead.

Lucky
02-02-2013, 09:09 PM
Why would you think DVD sales are out of the picture?

They're going to be banking on new subscribers. Netflix is trying to build its own little online network. I think the challenge with their binge-viewing strategy is that it doesn't allow for any kind of social momentum. People won't be watching and talking about this show every week, over the course of months, over an entire television season. (In a way, regular network and cable shows are advertisements for themselves. Netflix's model doesn't allow for that.)

I don't think they can monkey with prices. Not with Amazon getting into the game. From what I've heard, they spent $100MM on this show, about $4MM an episode. To put that in perspective, back when the WB was around, they were burning half that -- $50MM -- for every show on the entire network.

What section of the market is going to buy this show on DVD for $50 when they can start a Netflix subscription for $7.99 and cancel it a month later?

And yeah, I think it's crazy to think that $100 million price tag is going to be repaid primarily by new subscribers. That's exactly what I'm saying. I'd be willing to wager a good section of ppl interested in this type of series already had Netflix to begin with. What's to stop them from ordering it for a month, watching the series, and backing out? If enough of these original shows catch on and find success, I don't think it would be far-fetched to create a triad charge for DVDs/streaming/original content. That wouldn't endanger their competition with Amazon at all. Unless Amazon has plans for original content that I'm unaware of.

Now that I'm thinking about this, you can consider the angle that they produced a $100 million film and are charging $8 a ticket. I just don't think this series has mass appeal like a blockbuster would. Especially when your preexisting customers are essentially seeing your film for "free."

number8
02-02-2013, 09:16 PM
My guess is they're aiming for prestige first. They are obviously hoping that this show gets them Emmy nods, and then they'll be able to say that Netflix is a "channel" people should take seriously.

For bigger appeal, they've got Arrested Development coming next month and an Eli Roth supernatural soap opera in April.

Irish
02-02-2013, 10:15 PM
What section of the market is going to buy this show on DVD for $50 when they can start a Netflix subscription for $7.99 and cancel it a month later?

It's a channel with high margins. On that basis, I can't imagine Netflix will ignore it. (DVDs can also be gifted and viewed offline, while a Netflix sub can't.)


What's to stop them from ordering it for a month, watching the series, and backing out? If enough of these original shows catch on and find success, I don't think it would be far-fetched to create a triad charge for DVDs/streaming/original content. That wouldn't endanger their competition with Amazon at all. Unless Amazon has plans for original content that I'm unaware of.

I agree. I talked a little about that in the other thread (http://matchcut.artboiled.com/showthread.php?4525-quot-Once-waiting-is-history-will-quality-television-still-pack-the-same-cultural-punch-quot&p=463141&viewfull=1#post463141).

Amazon has already signed deals to producer their own content.


Now that I'm thinking about this, you can consider the angle that they produced a $100 million film and are charging $8 a ticket. I just don't think this series has mass appeal like a blockbuster would. Especially when your preexisting customers are essentially seeing your film for "free."

It's an insane amount of money to spend, but they've got to do something. Over the next five years, Netflix is going to be squeezed out of the first run market.

Their success depends on them moving quickly and all of their competitors -- primarily Amazon, Time Warner, and Comcast -- moving slowly.

Dukefrukem
02-02-2013, 11:01 PM
Third episode: This series is great. I kinda like the winking at the camera. I also like the HUD overly of the texting between Zoe and Spacey. Cute touch. I didnt think these characters would be interesting enough to hold my interest but they do. Robin Wright's character is cold and sexy. I've always liked Spacey. This is a great role for him.

number8
02-02-2013, 11:43 PM
Finished it.

Kind of an unceremonious finale. I didn't think they would use the original's finale even though they followed everything else pretty closely, but I didn't expect such a cliffhanger end that was indistinguishable from any other episode's endings.

ledfloyd
02-03-2013, 03:51 PM
I felt like the quality of the aesthetic noticeably declined with episode three, but I'm still engaged. I'm moving into Schumacher territory now and fearing the appearance of nipples on Spacey's suits.

Dukefrukem
02-03-2013, 04:02 PM
I felt like the quality of the aesthetic noticeably declined with episode three, but I'm still engaged. I'm moving into Schumacher territory now and fearing the appearance of nipples on Spacey's suits.

Episode 8 may sway you again.

ledfloyd
02-04-2013, 08:57 PM
Wrapped this up today. The last third of the season (from Episode 8 on) is pretty solid. Despite its flaws, I'm definitely involved to the point that I'll come back next year.

slqrick
02-05-2013, 12:48 AM
Just finished it and thought it was pretty good. It felt like one long movie as opposed to a show, and I liked that. The biggest positive about having all episodes released at once is that the pacing feels very fluid from episode to episode, and it didn't feel like there were big twists shoehorned in at the end of episodes. The acting was great all around, although the direction of the show was fairly bland. Looking forward to more of this, which I wasn't sure would be the case after seeing the pilot.

Dukefrukem
02-05-2013, 12:51 AM
I also just finished. Solid series. Love the tension and backstabbing. Great acting. I'll continue to watch.

Lucky
02-05-2013, 04:16 AM
There hasn't been a more sexually manipulative, power hungry pair like Francis and Zoey since Valmont and Merteuil. Those are my favorite scenes. Just finished Ep10.

Ezee E
02-06-2013, 05:13 AM
Just finished the pilot. I'll definitely continue. Glad that Kate Mara actually has a role with substance, or so it appears. Although Rooney still beats her.

The initial scene is complete Fincher, and he obviously has to take it back a little afterwards. The use of texting, fourth-wall breaking is something that I think will separate it from being just another boring political show. I shall see.

Qrazy
02-06-2013, 05:25 PM
Just finished the series. Meh. His central scheme is fairly ridiculous.

ledfloyd
02-06-2013, 05:38 PM
Just finished the series. Meh. His central scheme is fairly ridiculous.
It requires a pretty hefty suspension of disbelief.

I think one of the advantages to this season at once model is you don't have a week to dwell on the inconsistencies and weaknesses before moving on to the next installment.

Lucky
02-07-2013, 03:22 AM
Ep 11
Won't it be suspicious to find Russo alone in his car in the passenger seat?

Qrazy
02-07-2013, 04:46 AM
Ep 11
Won't it be suspicious to find Russo alone in his car in the passenger seat?

I would say yes but I think the show is trying to say it's not because of the manner in which that type of car can be started. Which is to say you don't need your foot on the clutch.

number8
02-07-2013, 03:02 PM
I would say yes but I think the show is trying to say it's not because of the manner in which that type of car can be started. Which is to say you don't need your foot on the clutch.

I think the question is more about why Russo would move to the passenger seat in the first place, since no one except Stamper was supposed to know that Underwood drove him home. It's a very odd way to commit suicide.

My guess is that Zoe will find out about it and try to pin it on Underwood.

Qrazy
02-07-2013, 04:55 PM
I think the question is more about why Russo would move to the passenger seat in the first place, since no one except Stamper was supposed to know that Underwood drove him home. It's a very odd way to commit suicide.

My guess is that Zoe will find out about it and try to pin it on Underwood.

Right but my point is that because of the way that car can be started I think the show is trying to justify that the cops wouldn't immediately think this makes no sense whereas they would if it was a standard vehicle.

In terms of your second point, yeah that seems likely. Or more likely I think she'll confront him with it and then he'll kill her. There was a conversation between them on the street when they were breaking up for the second time and someone walks a dog in the background. This seemed like a call back to his killing the dog at the beginning of the show and thus foreshadowing her eventual demise.

number8
02-07-2013, 04:57 PM
Yeah, seems likely. Or more likely I think she'll confront him with it and then he'll kill her. There was a conversation between them on the street when they were breaking up for the second time and someone walks a dog in the background. This seemed like a call back to his killing the dog at the beginning of the show and thus foreshadowing her eventual demise.

Not sure if you've seen the original but that's exactly what happened in the S1 finale. They met on the parliament rooftop, she told him her theory, he admitted to all of it, then pushed her off the roof to her death.

Qrazy
02-07-2013, 05:05 PM
Not sure if you've seen the original but that's exactly what happened in the S1 finale. They met on the parliament rooftop, she told him her theory, he admitted to all of it, then pushed her off the roof to her death.

I have seen it, I'm just speculating that they'll probably do the same here because they have made a couple changes. Although in this one I feel like he has many more loose ends to tie up than the the first series (the other two journalists, the prostitute).

DavidSeven
02-08-2013, 06:55 PM
Watched the pilot. Fincher's influence obviously all over it. Feels like it would be a completely different show if he wasn't involved at inception. As of now, I think this is a good thing .

I feel like Robin Wright was born to be in all of Fincher's movies.

Irish
02-09-2013, 05:07 AM
It's a very odd way to commit suicide.

You're basing that off, what, exactly?

My only knowledge of this form of suicide comes from ... other TV shows and movies. Granted, in every other show the person is sitting in the driver's seat, presumably because it's easier to turn on the car.

But here, the guy is a drunk and a known drunk, so I'm not sure that his crawling around the car's interior would be deemed suspicious right off the bat.

Worse for me was that the show ignores the presence of CCTV, and the possibility that a US Congressman would probably live in a secure building (meaning that there'd be a written record of all cars and visitors coming and going).

They kinda/sorta acknowledge this a bit by conveniently allowing Underwood to find a ballcap nearby .. but sheesh, was that weak.

number8
02-09-2013, 06:10 AM
But here, the guy is a drunk and a known drunk, so I'm not sure that his crawling around the car's interior would be deemed suspicious right off the bat.

I guess? But every time i see someone sitting alone in the passenger seat (like, say, in a parked car on the side of a street) my first thought would always be that someone else was driving.

Maybe the cops in House of Cards need to watch more movies.

Lucky
02-09-2013, 02:45 PM
Blackout drunk or not, that's odd. And if you follow the mentality that he's crawling around the interior of his car and passed out, the death should have been questioned as "accidental" in lieu of "suicide."

Irish
02-09-2013, 05:21 PM
Blackout drunk or not, that's odd. And if you follow the mentality that he's crawling around the interior of his car and passed out, the death should have been questioned as "accidental" in lieu of "suicide."

You could say the same thing -- that it's accidental -- had he been found in the driver's seat. The cops could easily speculate that he drove into the garage, threw the car in park, and passed out.

I guess you need to be black out drunk to know that people crawl around. At least, I've woken up in a few strange places with little to no idea how I got there. This guy moving from one seat to another, a few feet, doesn't seem wildly out of bounds to me.

In the context of other tv shows, yeah, I think it's unusual. But I'm willing to give "House of Cards" a pass on it, based on the understanding that it's not where the writers want to go, or spend time over-explaining.

The CCTV stuff and Underwood's easily egress is a much bigger stretch for me. They write their way around that half-heartedly. If we're going to choose stuff to pick on, that'd be it.

Lucky
02-09-2013, 05:57 PM
Driver's seat to passenger seat is a dexterous move for a blacked out person. Especially when there's no real impulse to do so. I'm not saying I haven't moved during a stupor, but it was when I was younger. The hardcore drunks I've witnessed pass out. Hard. Similarly, I expect Mr. Russo to be experienced enough to not wake up in a puddle of his own vomit. He can probably wake up the next morning functioning with only a slight hangover, too.

Anyway, all I'm saying is that it's suspicious and I have a hunch someone will realize this during the next season.

Dukefrukem
02-12-2013, 12:09 PM
I'm pretty sure you need to have your foot on the break to start the car in any PUSH TO START vehicle.

Dukefrukem
02-12-2013, 12:10 PM
Driver's seat to passenger seat is a dexterous move for a blacked out person. Especially when there's no real impulse to do so. I'm not saying I haven't moved during a stupor, but it was when I was younger. The hardcore drunks I've witnessed pass out. Hard. Similarly, I expect Mr. Russo to be experienced enough to not wake up in a puddle of his own vomit. He can probably wake up the next morning functioning with only a slight hangover, too.

Anyway, all I'm saying is that it's suspicious and I have a hunch someone will realize this during the next season.

He was a functioning alcoholic. It's not unheard of for people to be complete drunk and function only to pass out at a moments notice.

Lucky
02-12-2013, 05:07 PM
I'm pretty sure you need to have your foot on the break to start the car in any PUSH TO START vehicle.

I'm not arguing he's a functioning alcoholic, I agree. Don't understand what would possess him to switch seats though.

DavidSeven
02-15-2013, 08:53 PM
Through eight episodes. I'm still enjoying it, but it feels like there's been a pretty long lull since the second or third episode. Also, even though each episode is clearly following the aesthetic model that Fincher set up, the direction after the pilot has felt pretty lacking. A testament to how much a director can matter on an installment-to-installment basis, even in TV.

Spacey and Wright have been consistently fantastic, though.

DavidSeven
02-18-2013, 09:11 AM
This ended up just being okay. It all started to feel kind of ludicrous and soapy toward the end. I wouldn't give the show a strong recommendation based on the first season.

I'm sure this is carried over from source material, but the Russo murder felt like a giant misstep. Obviously, there's the moral issue and how that affects the audience's ability to empathize with the show's central character. But even without those considerations, it just seemed like a blatantly stupid and rash thing for the character to do.

I'm not too excited about the direction the show is going in. The show intrigued me when I thought it would primarily be about deft political maneuvering as the main character's pathway to obtaining personal retribution. I liked the cold detachment of the early episodes. They seem to have gone away from that. We're seeing clearer lines now between the "bad guys" and the "good guys." And honestly, I have very little interest in watching these "good guys" methodically unravel a mystery that we already know the answer to.

Irish
02-18-2013, 07:53 PM
The show intrigued me when I thought it would primarily be about deft political maneuvering as the main character's pathway to obtaining personal retribution.

I thought the same, based on the trailer and the first episode. I thought it was going to be all these plots and back room deals, a cerebral kind of show about how this guy enacts his revenge for getting passed over for the Secretary of State spot. It became much less interesting as it went on.

I almost thought that the show wanted me to believe all of Underwood's jockeying around Russo, including the murder, was part of some master plan to put him into the Vice Presidency. Which feels really ludicrous.

slqrick
02-18-2013, 09:44 PM
The Russo storyline was the big misstep. Just hard to care about that dude's plight.