For What It's Worth


Friday, March 11, 2016

House of Cards S4

Image result for house of cards

House of Cards – Season 4 –
Netflix

My musings on S4…

I’ve binge watched House of Cards every year since S1 and this was the first year I wasn’t looking forward to it. Season 3 was beyond boring with very little to show for it or look forward to by the end. Nevertheless, I grabbed my chips and dip (HoC required binge food) and jumped in.

Season 4 plunges in head first and doesn’t let up until after the halfway point. It is draw droppingly good – and shocking. The only thing worse than being an enemy of Claire and Francis – is when they turn that venom on each other. Yeah – it gets pretty ugly.

The show runners did a good job tying in previous story lines and weaving in past characters while dropping in several shocking events that I didn’t see coming.

The addition of a young power couple – vying for the republican presidential nomination, while Frank struggles to get the democratic party's nom, adds a nice contrast – showing the aging Frank and his cold marriage to Claire in stark contrast with the virile, Instagram friendly family.

There are a few missteps. The show occasionally gets caught up in other characters story arcs that don’t lead anywhere, develop other characters – just to toss them aside, and under develop stories that could lead to a deeper understanding of our leads. Especially the arc involving Claire’s mother. Instead, most of these twists are just to get Claire and Frank from point A to B.

Every time I finish a season of this show I wonder where it could possibly go next. The writers throw EVERYTHING! - balls to the wall each season and I fear that it will become so far fetched that I won’t be able to continue. Season 4 certainly hits that mark. It has jumped the shark. Claire and Frank have done things that (I hope) are unforgivable and couldn’t ever happen in real life. (again…I hope) Yet. I still find it to be compulsively watchable.

Have you guys watched it yet? What do you think of S4?

13 comments:

  1. I was bored with ep 1 so I never watched more, but then I do not like dramas. I need humour ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't think there was anyone out there more impatient than me but you have me beat lol

      Delete
  2. I've never watched this but I'm glad that after four seasons, the writers can still surprise you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's getting far fetched but at least it was fun lol

      Delete
  3. I have been moving away from these types of TV shows but it sounds like season four more than made up for the boring season 3 :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't follow many series anymore and I almost didn't even bother with this one. Glad I gave it a shot.

      Delete
  4. I will have to look this up, I DVR most shows and while I have Netflix, Hulu and Prime I hardly watch

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have Netflix and Prime but I don't watch much. I have been trying to make myself since I am paying for it lol

      Delete
  5. I stayed away since I knew this year was coming and they have been talking about it since Obama won 4 years ago. I was already tired of politics and I was afraid I'd compare too much to reality and find reality lacking. LOL I might have to fix that since now I have no choice but to be inundated and might want to see a more interesting dramatic political process. XD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This season is way more soap opera-y and I think they are doing more of a Claire/Hillary comparison.

      It seems too far fetched at this point to be reality but reality is getting pretty bad so this might even be soothing lol

      Delete
  6. I haven't watched any of this show actually

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not really my kind of show but I enjoy it anyway lol

      Delete
  7. Ah I'm Netflix free so never even heard of it. Glad to hear that this season picked up for you!

    ReplyDelete