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House of Cards S3 |OT| Available now on Netflix! - *Spoilers for all of S3*
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Delta Assault
Member
She just had a discreet affair on the side. She never left him in the sense of "this marriage is bullshit, I'm out."
But in Francis's eyes, she left. He knew where she was and didn't care. With their circumstance, I dont see a difference between the two
UnObtainium17
Member
House of Cards creator Beau Willimon knows season 3 is polarizing: 'That’s a good thing'
^ Interesting article. I'm inclined to agree that it was weaker than the other two, but I still really enjoyed it. First two seasons were about the ascent to power, and this one is more about delving into the characters.
^ Interesting article. I'm inclined to agree that it was weaker than the other two, but I still really enjoyed it. First two seasons were about the ascent to power, and this one is more about delving into the characters.
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
I'm not sure what to think of this season...Here are some random thoughts:
EDIT:
It definitely feels like they are trying to extend the show for as long as possible, at least based on how much actually happened from the beginning of the season to the end which was not much in terms of the actual presidential election or even the primaries. Also, it felt like certain things weren't fully explained and characters would almost kind of just disappear. I don't know what it was, but it just felt jarring to me. Furthermore, to compare this to Breaking Bad as far as protagonists who are evil, Breaking Bad felt like there was some type of beginning, middle, and end planned out (even if it wasn't necessarily). BB was able to balance the plot with character development and not have one or just the other. With House of Cards (this season especially) it just feels like the writers don't know where to go. Frank Underwood, at times, just has events within the story that don't even seem that connected serve to bring him up or down based on the writers' needs whereas Breaking Bad made it feel like Walter White's actions had real consequences. I also think having Claire go up against Frank (or at least leave him at this point) is rather stupid. I think it's far more interesting to have these two view the relationship as the key to getting power and that both of them need each other for it. They could have even implied that Frank and Claire may plan to bring Claire into such a place as to run for President when Frank's presidency ultimately ends (either he runs it out or he doesn't win). With that said, while the writing felt mediocre sometimes, the acting from Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright was awesome as always. I felt that Doug had personally run his course, and I felt that his storyline, Gavin's, Rachael's, and Tom's weren't really needed. It brought the plot out of focus.
EDIT:
Apparently Mendoza's actor left the show? That explains a lot. He was a good foil for Frank, so I felt that it really hurt this season. What was the reason the show gave for Mendoza not appearing anymore? I know Frank said it to the screen, but it was just surprising for a major character to suddenly disappear like that with one line from Frank explaining such.
On the actor leaving:
Did Mendoza's actor just up and leave midway through filming? Was it known that he was going to leave while they were filming? The way they wrote him off in a literal "oh hey where's this guy?" "oh stuff happened, lets never mention him again" way seems like the dude dropped the news to the producers and threw the deuces up the next day.
SketchTheArtist
Member
I liked this season, it was the weakest of the three but to me, it doesn't mean it's not good. It's different. Different in the sense that season 1 and 2 played around those characters being a certain distance from the spotlight. Frank played people and made his little plan behind the scenes as were the people surrounding him and their own goals.
With this season, they're literally under the spotlight and every move they make, every word they say is seen, heard and analyzed by the entire world. It's a completely different dynamic than previous seasons. The stakes are so much higher, they're the highest they've ever been and those characters are starting to crack under the pressure. That's why a bunch of characters are looking back at their lives and realizing they had it all wrong from the start. Some of those characters changing their stance on certain things. People who used to do all it took to reach the top are realizing this ''thing'' they've been chasing is just emptiness and others who always played it straight have seen something that made them lose those convictions and compromise on everything to reach their goals.
EDIT: I just finished reading the article you posted and he gives the same reasons as me as to why season 3 is different. Neat.
It's life hitting those characters full speed in the face. I like it, it's different than the previous seasons.
Delta Assault
Member
It really would've been better if they'd introduced some scheme of the Underwoods to unseat Mendoza. I mean, the justification for it was right there in the first episode, when Mendoza completely wrecked Claire's nomination to the UN.
The answer is in this article:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2...sode-8-recap-the-story-of-the-hurricane/?_r=0
ToyMachine228
Member
I liked that while they technically upped the stakes this season, they toned down the Hollywood shock value nonsense that riddled last season. This season had much more political intrigue like the first season. Although I'm not sure I like where Frank and Claire's arc is headed it was still very interesting to watch. Looking forward to next season.
Amentallica
Unconfirmed Member
I don't understand the complaints about the marital issues within the season. It's as personal as it's going to get. It explores deeper marital issues that have to certainly plague presidents that we never see in public. I thought this season went back to what made season 1 so good. It was tenfolds better than season 2. I found every episode interesting. And holy shit, Doug is such a ruthless man. I LOVED that shot of the van speeding toward Rachel as she slowed down her pace because she realized her reaper was fast approaching, to immediately cut to her being buried. What a great transition.
Regarding the ending I hope that Claire really does decide to leave him. It will make it interesting for next season and it will be the first time I've seen the depiction of a single president on television.
Regarding the ending I hope that Claire really does decide to leave him. It will make it interesting for next season and it will be the first time I've seen the depiction of a single president on television.
RustyNails
Member
War Peaceman
You're a big guy.
Brother!
So bizarre. How was he not under contract to complete filming for the entire season? Or did they write him off prior to the season even beginning filming? Why not just completely recast him?
I'm glad they didn't recast him though, that's one thing that Game of Thrones does that I dislike. They'll just recast people over and over again and it ends up complicating things.
RustyNails
Member
Damn. Talented siblings.
Prince of Space
Banned
Finished the season last night.
They should've killed Rachel off in that cold opening. Would've been far more effective IMO than dragging that out for the entire damn episode, when it was obvious that Doug was going to kill her as soon as he found out that she was still alive.
kinoki
Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.
So, this was the weak season. It's still miles better and more engaging than most shows but it never goes anywhere. Hopefully next season will be better. It started out really good though but nothing went anywhere. America Works? Petrov? Mendoza? The biography? Remy? Doug? Nothing really mattered in the end and was written off as soon as they saw the next shiny object. Claire isn't interesting and she's really oddly written towards the end.
Still good, but not great this time around.
Still good, but not great this time around.
Best part of the overall much weaker season. Still enjoyed it but it lacked direction and felt like it didn't really go anywhere and instead kind of went in a circle with the major plot points.
Gray Matter
Member
Just finished, I fucking loved it, the entire thing.
My thoughts.
My thoughts.
i loved how every character felt human, with real emotions this season. Especially the marital problems between frank and Claire.
The Doug subplot was my favorite. I was relieved to see that he was still alive, his decent back to drinking was well done I think. Obviously the whole Rachel thing really fucked him up good, and I was sad to see that he killed her. I don't think she would have come public with what she has been through. She didn't before.
The Doug subplot was my favorite. I was relieved to see that he was still alive, his decent back to drinking was well done I think. Obviously the whole Rachel thing really fucked him up good, and I was sad to see that he killed her. I don't think she would have come public with what she has been through. She didn't before.
Doug just doesn't make any sense to me. I get why Frank and Claire do the awful things they do but what does Doug get from it?
Also, my ideal plot for the next season would have been
They had literally tossed him out after his "accident" so why is he still so loyal to them? He isn't getting anything tangible from this relationship that I can see.
Also, my ideal plot for the next season would have been
for Frank to run with Claire as his running mate, then they win, and she has him assassinated and becomes our first female president. Of course that can't happen since he's already given her a political appointment and she failed but that could have been interesting.
ScottSullivan
Member
In regards to doug
I don't think they threw him aside, weather his motivations were selfish or not, Frank was trying to help doug recover before bringing him back in. I think the proof of that is how angry he got at Dunbar for letting him work when he wasn't sober yet
Gray Matter
Member
Also...
the way Rachel was killed was dumb. He was going to let her go then he changed his mind and boom, she's being buried. Makes no sense.
Nah, she's dead. There's really no other way to interpret that. Do you think he killed a Rachel lookalike and buried her in the desert?
TacticalFox88
Banned
Easily one of the best lines in the show.
I WILL PUT YOU IN YOUR FUCKING GRAVE!
I was legit shook for at LEAST an hour
Ok maybe I'm just being delusional..
Doctoglethorpe
Member
Agreed. It felt perfect (well, maybe too obvious then) for that scene to go on the way it was and then her to just suddenly get shot out of nowhere and thats it, quick cut to opening credits. Doug is back, doing his job. Moving on. Nothing else is even said.
The way it was, ehh, it felt pointless. The whole last episode felt pretty pointless really, like it could have been tacked on to the end of epsidoe 12 in 5 mintues. Idk.
I was really hoping they would finish the primary in this season and move on the the general next season.
What a disappointing season. The most interesting thing about the show was Claire and Frank being ruthless, clever and visionary but
they just changed the entire formula and made Claire another whiny unreasonable and uncooperative woman character. Comfortably killed and backstabbed dozens of people in previous seasons, but hur durr suddenly gay activist gets to his nerves and she keeps fucking up the entire set-up done by Frank, and still keeps on blaming him for everything.
Apart from that, Hacker guy was useless, Rachel reveal was dumb, story writer was boring as fuck, and couldn't even act, Jacky and Remy didn't do anything significant to even care about them, and then we have Dunbar who never really looked like something that is even close to the persona of someone running for president. What a lame piece of writing. I don't care about season 4 anymore
Apart from that, Hacker guy was useless, Rachel reveal was dumb, story writer was boring as fuck, and couldn't even act, Jacky and Remy didn't do anything significant to even care about them, and then we have Dunbar who never really looked like something that is even close to the persona of someone running for president. What a lame piece of writing. I don't care about season 4 anymore
Shrennin
Didn't get the memo regarding the 14th Amendment
Whole season spoilers by the way:
I guess it really depended on
The more I think about it, the more I'm disappointed with it. I feel like it was held back, if not to just extend the amount of seasons it can have. This season was certainly not bad, but I felt it wasn't close to even reaching its actual potential. I feel like this show had one, maybe two more seasons to go before it should have ended, but it feels like the creators are trying to stretch it out for as long as possible now. Also, if next season would have been its last, then the show would have reached 52 episodes: the number of cards in a deck of cards.
I guess it really depended on
when the writers knew he was leaving the show. If they knew in enough time to write a way out for his character, then they definitely should have made that as a story point in the show -- the Underwoods scheme Mendoza out of the Presidential race and even his very own seat in the senate. They could even use that as maybe some sort of mistake by the Underwoods as they perhaps may not have realized the threat that certain opponents within their own party are in terms of the primary itself. It would have been perfect and a great plot point that would make sense within the show and not seem like a story point that didn't feel like it needed to be done -- like the novel by Tom, the reporter getting revenge, Rachael, or Gavin. Also, one of the things I liked about Claire but I felt it didn't go the way it should was when Claire was arguing with Frank on certain things she felt important but when she was up there campaigning for Frank it was like she was in full agreement with everything he was doing. Her character is much more interested when, even if she may not agree with her husband, she's willing to sacrifice what must be done to keep power. This show shouldn't be about one evil character, Frank Underwood, but rather about a relationship built on the promise of power. That would have set House of Cards apart from other shows like Breaking Bad. Instead, we have Claire leaving Frank as if that's some sort of major blow to him (which it is) but it doesn't really make sense for Claire to just do that. It definitely wasn't earned. It didn't even feel like Frank deserved it, especially since he seemed to have tried his best to give Claire what she wanted.
The more I think about it, the more I'm disappointed with it. I feel like it was held back, if not to just extend the amount of seasons it can have. This season was certainly not bad, but I felt it wasn't close to even reaching its actual potential. I feel like this show had one, maybe two more seasons to go before it should have ended, but it feels like the creators are trying to stretch it out for as long as possible now. Also, if next season would have been its last, then the show would have reached 52 episodes: the number of cards in a deck of cards.
Windom Earle
Member
I agree that it was a bit weak compared to the other two seasons. Doug should have come back earlier, Remy was pretty weak and was it ever explained how he became Chief? Also the whole book theme was ridiculous and I think the guy is a weak actor. Claire is just... Yeah, the character is completely losing it.
All that aside, still a great show and I can't wait for the new season. I found the whole Russia angle very interesting and I think it is very close to how Putin and Russia currently operate. "Don't forget he's a thug".
All that aside, still a great show and I can't wait for the new season. I found the whole Russia angle very interesting and I think it is very close to how Putin and Russia currently operate. "Don't forget he's a thug".
Tribes of Trusty
Member
Just finished this season binge. Heh, I'm conflicted, I loved the first and second season
but there was more emotion/human drama than political intrigues, and that bothered me. Plus, that rehashed cliffhanger.
I don't know, I prefered season 1 and 2 a lot more.
I don't know, I prefered season 1 and 2 a lot more.
Just started with Chapter 27 and 28. Really liked them both.
All in all, looking forward to watching the rest of the season. Probably will stay out of this thread until I'm done.
Surprised Doug is alive. Colbert's appearance made me laugh. The Underwoods being in dire conditions is unusual but a pretty nice new dynamic.
Fantastical
Death Prophet
Yep, way overused.
I think they should go the Breaking Bad route and keep the focus on a small group of main characters. Frank, Claire, Doug, Remy, Seth, and Jackie. The writer, the reporter, the hacker, and all the other useless side characters can go. I can't even remember their names. It feels like the show is trying to be The Wire with such a large cast but it's just not working. A lot of characters are getting lost in the shuffle with the writers trying to juggle so many subplots. Poor Seth had like nothing to do all season.
Pyramid head
Banned
Pretty poor season overall, and really suffering from the effects of remaking a show which was 12 episodes long from start, middle to end and stretching the story to fill a potentially endless void. Petrov was the best part of this season, everything else was made up of plot arcs which just withered and fizzled out, and characters who seemed to undergo personality transplants part way through. The worst part of it was, after all Frank and Claire's scheming, the writers didn't seem to know where to take them once Frank was in office. (spoilers for UK and US shows below)
In the UK version, Francis was occupied with attempting to take down the King while in power, but the equivalent character would have been Tusk in the US version I guess, and they used him up last season. Urqhart also seemed more driven by ideology than Underwood and it's becoming less clear to me why Underwood even wanted to become president this season.
They also seemed to be setting claire up to be the more ruthless of the two in the first season, just as Urqhart's wife turned out to be in the original series, but it looks like the writers have done a 180 on that now.The writers also seemed to have forgotten about Frank's 4th wall braking viewer interactions for the most part, only remembering to add a handful of them. I always enjoyed how Urqhart often seemed to make you complicit in his actions by using 'we' instead of 'I' and assuming your approval. I also enjoyed being privvy to his nightmares and frashbacks of the war crimes which would be his undoing and how he acted as though we weren't. This is an element which is missing entirely from the US show and makes it clear there is no end game in place yet.
They also seemed to be setting claire up to be the more ruthless of the two in the first season, just as Urqhart's wife turned out to be in the original series, but it looks like the writers have done a 180 on that now.The writers also seemed to have forgotten about Frank's 4th wall braking viewer interactions for the most part, only remembering to add a handful of them. I always enjoyed how Urqhart often seemed to make you complicit in his actions by using 'we' instead of 'I' and assuming your approval. I also enjoyed being privvy to his nightmares and frashbacks of the war crimes which would be his undoing and how he acted as though we weren't. This is an element which is missing entirely from the US show and makes it clear there is no end game in place yet.
RastaMentality
Banned
I haven't seen it mentioned but dear God the Remy getting
arrrsted scene was so hamfisted. Almost made me cringe.
Makes perfect sense.
In a moment of weakness (or, y'know... humanity), he lets her go, catches himself showing sympathy/not seeing his task through (which already nearly bit Frank/Claire in the ass with the journal), and instead he finishes what he was ordered to do.
Watched this season over two days, went ham on it. Came out pretty disappointed. Russia dude was good, I liked Claire revive-fucking Frank, I was kind of glad that Doug survived because Doug is my boy but this season gave him way too much screen time.
I think the real problem with this season is it just lost a lot of its menace. Doug is best when his main thing is reporting back to the boss but then every once in a while doing a weird sex thing like having Rachel read to him because it reminds him of mom. Watching physical therapy isn't menacing at all, there's no scary anything lurking in the shadows behind that. It just is. Claire and Frank's relationship is better when the only two things you know about it are 1) they're both monsters 2) they're totally in love with and committed to each other (and 3: their sex life is sort of mysterious).
To some extent the strengths of the show early on couldn't possible sustain: Frank is compelling as long as he has something to pursue; that marriage is interesting when you don't know much about it and it constantly surprises you. Also I've thought since Season 1 that straight up murder is a really weak solution to any problems on the show. That reporter lady leaving her cool career to lecture community college kids and cower from FBI guys in her mom's house is a way more menacing fate than getting hit by a train. Frank should leaving a trail of cowering simps behind him, not a trail of corpses.
I think the real problem with this season is it just lost a lot of its menace. Doug is best when his main thing is reporting back to the boss but then every once in a while doing a weird sex thing like having Rachel read to him because it reminds him of mom. Watching physical therapy isn't menacing at all, there's no scary anything lurking in the shadows behind that. It just is. Claire and Frank's relationship is better when the only two things you know about it are 1) they're both monsters 2) they're totally in love with and committed to each other (and 3: their sex life is sort of mysterious).
To some extent the strengths of the show early on couldn't possible sustain: Frank is compelling as long as he has something to pursue; that marriage is interesting when you don't know much about it and it constantly surprises you. Also I've thought since Season 1 that straight up murder is a really weak solution to any problems on the show. That reporter lady leaving her cool career to lecture community college kids and cower from FBI guys in her mom's house is a way more menacing fate than getting hit by a train. Frank should leaving a trail of cowering simps behind him, not a trail of corpses.
Psychoward
Banned
Finished it, eh.
Not fond of the timeskip at the start, Francis goes from being a ruthless legislator who seems to always get what he wants to floundering for no real reason, and then suddenly he starts to do really well again and somehow gets elected for a primary at the end, even though Dunbar with Jackie's endorsement still falls short somehow although Jackie said it would put Dunbar far in the lead. And we knew Francis was going to win the primary at a certain point, the stakes didn't seem to be all that high yet the show was still at its best when its political cutthroat-ness popped up a lot - the debate, Petrov, etc. - but in the end it was the emotional side that mattered the most. Yet Doug's angle wasn't nearly as sympathetic as Russo's and whether he killed or didn't kill Rachel wouldn't make a difference - either way at this point in the story she isn't going to tell anyone and we already know he's psychotic. Petrov thing never really led anywhere from a political standpoint either - only furthered the dynamic between Claire and Francis, but still. Overall, the only lasting impact this season made was Claire giving up, but this was the same Claire who said she would kill an unborn child, so. This season was supposed to be the one where it showed Francis' ultimate power and maybe his downfall, yet it showed us really neither of that outside of how the position affected Claire. Also the show needs better side characters, the writer was bad, we still know jack all about Seth, Remy lol and Jackie ended up being meaningless in the end.Oh well, bring on Season 4, rant over.
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