“House of Cards,” Netflix’s first self-distributed original TV show, made its entire first season available to subscribers for instant streaming last month on Feb. 1. A political drama based loosely on the British novel and subsequent British television series of the same title, it follows the life of Frank Underwood, majority whip in the House of Representatives, in his quest to become president by any means necessary.
Netflix hired veteran director David Fincher (“Fight Club,” “The Social Network”) as executive producer and Kevin Spacey (“American Beauty”) to play Underwood, the show’s protagonist, anchoring their pilot adventure in television production. Naturally, Fincher and Spacey brought an immediate credibility to the show because of their ability to bring both vitality and intrigue to the screen. The duo, however, also saw “House of Cards” as an opportunity to explore a new realm of cinematography, television – a medium that allowed them more time to develop darker, more complex characters, themes and plots.
Aided by a long list of relatively unknown but incredibly talented actors and actresses, Fincher and Spacey constructed the show’s development to mirror its name, building each character and plot twist just like a house of cards. However slowly information and details are revealed to the viewer, the show never has a dull moment, exploring the nuances of a corrupt government, a corrupt politician and the intricacies of the mind of an evil genius. Further mimicking the nature of a house of cards, every move Frank Underwood takes towards becoming president is more delicate and precarious than the last.
One of the more interesting themes explored in “House of Cards” is that of political collateral or debt, illustrated primarily through Underwood’s relationship with Rep. Peter Russo, a cocaine addict and alcoholic. Underwood strategically covers up Russo’s arrest for drunk driving in exchange for his undying loyalty and support.
Russo’s character is coincidentally played by Corey Stoll, who recently played Ernest Hemingway in Woody Allen’s film “Midnight in Paris.” The similarities between Stoll’s adaptation of both Hemingway and Russo are striking. Both men struggle with addiction: Hemingway with alcohol, Russo with sex, cocaine and alcohol. Furthermore, both men have ambiguous allegiances to the U.S. government. For Russo, this is illustrated through his willingness to throw his district under the bus to save his reputation and personal career aspirations in Washington, D.C. Hemingway, on the other hand, was under surveillance by the FBI during his tenure in Havana, Cuba, and is known to have been in contact with the Castro regime and to have illegally smuggled Cuban literature out of the country for publication.
Another intriguing theme throughout “House of Cards” is the blurred nature of marriage, relationships and agreements. Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), a reporter for The Washington Herald, blackmails Underwood in the series premiere with an unflattering photo and leverages him to agree to a mutually beneficial and confidential exchange of information. Essentially, Zoe will print scandalous stories on Underwood’s enemies to undermine their authority and credibility, meanwhile advancing her career as a political journalist. Zoe and Underwood’s relationship, however, becomes blurred when they start an affair, ultimately leading to a power struggle that jeopardizes both of their careers. Their relationship undergoes further complications when it is revealed that Underwood’s wife, Claire, has been aware of and seemingly okay with the affair as long as it expedites their quest to the White House.
Do not think for a second that the complexities of “House of Cards” are limited to the themes of corruption, abuse and sexuality, as each episode sheds new light on Frank Underwood’s mission to become president. The first season of the show explores themes of homosexuality, murder, mercy and much more. As intricately woven together as an actual house of cards, the first season is available to view in its entirety on Netflix right now. My only suggestion is that you allot yourself enough time to watch it straight through, because after you watch the first episode, you won’t leave your couch until the last.
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