The show that I have chosen for this Topic is a show called House of Cards. I watched the very first episode of the first season on 7/11/2018, at roughly 8:00 pm, on the streaming service of Netflix. This show has been lambasted with controversy mostly following Kevin Spacey's scornful antics, but what lies underneath is a very tight, and well written political drama.
In the very first episode Congressman Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is a cold, and vicious man driven to get what he wants. When the newly elected president Garrett Walker (Michel Gill) doesn't honor his agreement to acknowledge the position of Secretary of State and appoint Underwood for that position Frank realizes that it's going to be a dirty game. We also meet Claire (Robin Wright), who is Frank's wife. The two are perfect for one another as they are both driven, determined, and cold to a fault. In the chaos of it all reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) sees the role Underwood could play in revealing the corruption in Washington and turns to him to offer information while also accepting her place as Underwood's informant in return. One thing I've noticed is that there's a certain drive and determination that all the characters have that is constantly shifting as they begin to unravel more information about their situation. With Zoe she is first doubtful of Frank but upon learning of his convictions is willing to open up to him some more.
Critics were all very favorable of the show, lauding Spacey and Wright's performance in their roles. Though Spacey is a well known actor many critics have described his role in the show as 'career defining' and that this is the greatest role in a movie or television show to date. From the first season they wanted to converge with the system of American politics and its corruption but by the time Donald Trump was put into office the show deviated from that and looked to feature a different approach.
The attitude of the show, to me, is America's lack of trust in those that claim to represent them. They wear clean suits with ties but the tasks they do cast a shadow over their clean appearance. Americans, even those that would claim to be apolitical, all have some level of distrust for their Government and this show is the confirmation of all our fears and doubts. It's for the culture of American paranoia in the post-9/11 era.
In comparison to other shows out there that are within the spectrum of dramas such as Breaking Bad, or even Game of Thrones the show is well written, with a strong cast, and it doesn't throw everything at you at once. It gracefully introduces new plot points naturally and uses the 'show-don't-tell' method of storytelling which is what viewers want, and not a lot of tv shows deliver on.
What makes it different, to me is the storyline. We're basically following the antagonists, though there aren't any other characters in the show that really give off the vibe of being heroes, or redeemably good people. Following the bad guys is a much different approach compared to shows like Madam Secretary or the West Wing which try to portray the characters as heroes of the free world. These politicians are not heroes and so there's a gritty realism to the whole show and it follows a path very few shows do.
The only real stereotype that I've found in the show is in the main character, Frank Underwood, himself. He is a driven, cold man who plays the role of a politician. He's sneaky, intelligent, motivated, and an evocative liar. The others are mostly natural characters who avoid clichés and though there are plenty to follow Frank I also believe that his clichés in character flow with a natural purpose to them. To me the show's demographics are mostly towards people in their mid twenties and up who are interested in this kind of thing. When you're younger it's hard to grasp the finer concepts of the show but an older audience will definitely enjoy most of what it has to offer. If I were from another country to me this would make me see America as a place where, behind all the 'American Dream' stuff there's a darker, more violent side to it all.
The strength of the show is in its consistency, character portrayal, and narrative. The show is so seamless in its narrative and will construct something that is easy to follow, yet very comprehensive as well. The only weakness I had was early on it was hard to get invested in any real character because most of the characters were very bad people but as the season goes on it becomes easier to side with the characters evil motives because they're realistic. It brings a real honest view of character morality and what I once saw as a weakness actually did turn into a strength. Another I wasn't fond of was the pacing, I felt like the season had an issue of running far too long and for Netflix shows that seems to be a running theme.
Most reviews of the show have been very favorable and praise its darker themes. "The tone is dark and delightfully tasteful." One rotten tomato reviewer stated.
To be honest I'm not big on television or watching series because it takes a lot of time to get invested into something like that and I just don't really have the time for it. That being said I have sat and watched quite a few episodes in a row and I've enjoyed the time watching it. I do have a few friendly acquaintances that watch it and they all personally enjoy it. I'm not personally a fan of Facebook. I mostly follow Twitter for updates and Robin Wright has always been one to post updates on the coming episodes as well. Though people used to make favorable comments now the fanbase is centered on Kevin Spacey and his horrible actions.
For the most part I've learned about the shows' response to our political culture and everything that goes along with it. This show isn't satire but the response is almost satire-esque in its approach to how it seems to acknowledge American politics in the 21st century. What was most surprising was the reaction to the show when it first came out and how that changed from applause to dismissal so quickly due to Spacey's antics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULwUzF1q5w4
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/house_of_cards/s01/
https://www.netflix.com/title/70178217
https://twitter.com/HouseofCards
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