I don’t know why I resisted the force that was House of Cards for so long. I was just denying the inevitable. Here are my 10 Reasons To Binge Watch House of Cards. This post does contains spoilers. Don’t get lost in the game, lost in the sauce and try to blame me.
1. Robin Wright
Robin Wright has been bae since Princess Bride. Apparently she also starred in Santa Barbara which used to be my long departed Granny’s show back in the day. Not only does Miss Wright star in House of Cards but she directs it too and for that she has all my respect. The Emmy Award winning actress plays Claire Underwood, an evil woman. The worst thing about it is she plays evil so well that when she turned to a pregnant employee in the first season and told her “I will watch your baby wither and die inside you” you not only understand her but condone her actions. Shouldn’t have been talking shit. Claire is in no way second to her husband, she’s just as flawed as he is and no less strong for it. You love her while questioning your own understanding of what evil is and how much you are willing to accept in your protagonists.
2. Kevin Spacey
I don’t know what white man juju this character has put on me but it’s potent. I stan for Frank Underwood. I love the way he loves his wife. It is a strange love. I don’t know what to compare it to. I wouldn’t personally want that kind of love for myself but these two make it look good. I prefer Frank Underwood to Fizgerald Grant (if you’ve never watched Scandal, wyd?). They’re both shit presidents, nothing compared to Morgan Freeman in Deep Impact. Ineffective and everyday getting caught up in something that has nothing to do with their presidencies. In the first and second season of the show it was a lot more entertaining to watch Frank position himself to get to the presidency. He’s a wicked man but it makes you question; is he a coward? Claire and Frank wield a lot of power; why didn’t they mount their own campaign and work towards being democratically nominated? Is Frank’s rise to the presidency a comment on the political process? Who knows? But what I do know without a doubt is Mr Kevin Spacey made me cheer for an evil person. What a powerful actor he is.
3. Smoking
In the first and some of the second season of the show Frank and Claire would share a cigarette while sharing ideas. It was the most intimate act you’d see between the two of them for a long time and I loved to watch it. Human beings are the only animals on earth who actively participate in activities that will kill them. There is something so sexual about a person smoking on celluloid. Two evil people sharing one cigarette while they discuss their problematic strategies? I loved it. Frank would take a drag while listening to Claire’s ideas, pass her the cigarette and let her smoke while he added to what she had said. They would smoke at an open window and I missed this in the third season. It was meaningful and gave me a sense of routine with them.
4. Seatbelts
I got obsessed waiting to see if these reckless people would be wearing seat-belts when they had scenes in their cars. It might seem like such an inconsequential thing, but what do these characters have against strapping up in these cars that never slow down, turn corners or stop at traffic lights? I’m such a nerd. Leave me alone.
5. Representation
Even though I am still waiting for a black woman to be part of this amazing cast in a big way, I do feel like the creators of House of Cards made awesome casting decisions. Two of my favourites being Sakina Jaffrey as Linda Vasquez and Mozhan Marno as Ayla Sayyad My spirit just gets all warm when I see any women of colour acting. Mahershala Ali as Remy Danton was an inspired choice. He always plays his cards close to his chest and thinks with his heart more than he thinks with his head especially when it comes to that dry head Jacqui.
It’s always very stupid to me when there is very little representation for people of colour on TV. Have you ever had a plate of with only green food piled on? It isn’t very appetising. The most dedicated vegan in the world couldn’t tell me that only green food could make them happy. So if you wouldn’t eat only one colour food, why on earth would you be ok to consume a show where your eyes consume one colour of people… this is a shit analogy but do you know what I mean? It’s so lame to applaud shows for what they what they should do but it happens so rarely that when you do see people of colour in your favourite shows you have to stop and say well damn! Good job.
6. The Sex Scenes
I live for a good sex scene. With House of Cards, you don’t know if what you’re going to get will amaze or disgust you but what you will know is that they are never gratuitous, never superfluous and always on time. Listen, I was jealous when Claire and Frank double teamed Meechum. It had been building for some time and when it happened I cheered for and cursed Meechum in equal measures because it should have been me! OK?
It was so good because when the scene ended (way too early in my humble opinion) you’re left with all these questions. Who did what? Is Frank a top or bottom? It all boils down to that not being any of our business; Frank and Claire will forever be in control of their image, even with us the viewers. Damn this show is good.
7. Murder
Every time a character annoys me, I just pray Frank and Claire kill them. It doesn’t happen enough but when it does I’m so grateful. Any character Kate Mara plays in anything needs to die. Sarah in Shooter needed to die, Sue in Fantastic Four needed to die and that her Beth in The Martian needed to die too. Never before have I been so satisfied with the death of a fictional character than I have been with the TIMELY passing of Zoe Barns. That bitch had to go. She was jeopardising us getting to the White House and it was unacceptable. Peter Russo needed to die too with his alcoholic ass. Everyday making mistakes and trusting the wrong people. Did he really think he was going to be Governor? Waste man. Kill them all Frank, make them suffer.
8. Democrats can be evil too
I have always had liberal politicians presented to me as saviours. Democrats are politicians for the people who care about those who are less fortunate. They’d be the party Jesus voted for if He was still here and wanted to be involved in the political process. Frank Underwood? He’s evil yet a democrat. This oxymoron forces me to analyse how I view politicians. We don’t know these people even though they make us believe that we do. While Frank is a caricature, he and House of Cards are is also representative of Washington and how the government works.
9. Frank breaking the 4th Wall
The first time Frank broke the fourth wall to tell me something, I looked around and whispered “Mr Spacey, you do know the cameras are still rolling, right?” It was done so well, I thought it was a mistake. As the seasons rolled on I began to predict when he would talk to me and get frustrated when he didn’t because I became entitled to knowing what he was doing and who he thought was stupid or wanted dead. I wanted to be involved and as the breaking of the fourth wall dissipated in the 3rd season I became frustrated because he owed me those little accesses to his world. All the murders I’ve helped him cover up? And he wont talk to me? Needless to say House of Cards has truly messed me up.
10. Doug Stamper
Doug Stamper needs to die. Now. Today. As soon as humanly possible. The only Stamper I acknowledge is Harry Stamper from Armageddon, ok? This Stamper right here, needs to go. And speaking of Armageddon Doug Stamper is Lidl brand Dan Truman, the NASA official played by Billy Bob Thornton. He’s so basic. And he stole from me the only redeeming part of the whole show; Rachel. When she licked him in the face with that brick, I rejoiced! Alas this hard headed man survived. He’s as cowardly as his boss and I detest him. If he doesn’t die, and die good, in season 4, I want all of my £5.99 a month back from Mrs Netflix. Supreme waste man. He needs to follow his friend Peter Russo to hell.
And if those are not good enough reasons as to why I binged watched House of Cards, speak to Jesus because I have nothing more for you.
Enjoy the trailer for season 4 and leave your comments below.
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