The House of Cards Season 2 Thread *SPOILERS*

[AustinIllini]

Just watched episode 1.

Holy crap.

Edit: Okay, I shouldn't be that surprised having seen the original British series. That being said, whoa.

 

[SoAnyway]

I watched the first two episodes. Holy crap indeed.

I never saw the original British series, and glad that I haven't, but I really wasn't expecting that big of a shocker!

 

[SoAnyway]

I spent the Valentine's Day weekend with my lady friend and watched a lot of season 2. We're at episode 9 and nearly finished actually.

I have to say, I wasn't expecting the show to go in the directions that it has. Nothing bad but just unexpected. I figure things that have been buried early in the season will creep up again towards the end or again in future seasons.

Also, once we finish, it's going to be painful to have to wait another year for season 3. I like being able to binge but hate the wait time in between seasons.

 

[AustinIllini]

I finished Season 2 on Sunday. I didn't expect the show to take the turns it did, but I feel season 2 was mostly superior to season one.

 

[yg17]

Just finished Season 2, and holy ****. That's really all I have to say, because that was my reaction after so many scenes. Now I have a year long wait until Season 3

At least Orange is the New Black is coming out in a few months to tide me over, although at the rate things are going, sounds like they can combine the two and create Orange is the New Red White and Blue. Maybe a threeway between Pornstache, Piper and Claire once she winds up in the clink?

 

[malman89]

Just finished Season 2, and holy ****. That's really all I have to say, because that was my reaction after so many scenes. Now I have a year long wait until Season 3

At least Orange is the New Black is coming out in a few months to tide me over, although at the rate things are going, sounds like they can combine the two and create Orange is the New Red White and Blue. Maybe a threeway between Pornstache, Piper and Claire once she winds up in the clink?

That all sounds amazing. Sign me up.

I watched 7 episodes on Friday (one before work even) and the rest on Saturday. Whoa, boy. I feel like the highs and lows were probably on par with season 1, but the mid-season lull wasn't as bad as season 1 (which still wasn't that bad - best show on TV for my money).

 

[BigHungry04]

I watched the entire season on Friday. It was a lot better than the first season. I figured that was where they were going. I can't believe it actually worked out that way. I wonder what is next. There really isn't any higher position he can aim for, unless he becomes world leader under a one world government.

I can't believe he murdered Zoe. I did not expect that. Hopefully he gets caught for that. It would be a perfect way to end the series, if they decide to end it at three seasons.

 

[ideal.dreams]

I finished season 2 over the weekend and I thought it was fantastic. Never a dull moment and I didn't expect a lot of the things that happened, ESPECIALLY the ending of the very first episode. I'm actually watching the season again to pick up on anything I may have missed. Definitely did not expect [highlight to view spoiler]Frank to become the president by the end of the season, I felt like that moved really fast. Going in to hibernation until season 3 comes out

 

[LethalWolfe]

I finished season 2 over the weekend and I thought it was fantastic. Never a dull moment and I didn't expect a lot of the things that happened, ESPECIALLY the ending of the very first episode. I'm actually watching the season again to pick up on anything I may have missed. Definitely did not expect Frank to become the president by the end of the season, I felt like that moved really fast. Going in to hibernation until season 3 comes out

I like how you don't spoil Episode 1 but you do spoil the whole season.

 

[MattG]

*MORE SPOILERS*

Yeah, that all happened really fast. It seemed like the whole "we should impeach the President" -> "Frank is President now" timeline happened too quickly to be believable, but then again it's hard to say how much time is actually lapsing in-between episodes, and it's probably just one of those things where you need to suspend disbelief since it's a TV show.

But yeah...episode #1, that was one of those moments where you jump off of your couch because you can't believe what just happened. That was ****** up.

 

[ideal.dreams]

I like how you don't spoil Episode 1 but you do spoil the whole season.

Well I mean it says "spoilers" in the thread title

*MORE SPOILERS*

Yeah, that all happened really fast. It seemed like the whole "we should impeach the President" -> "Frank is President now" timeline happened too quickly to be believable, but then again it's hard to say how much time is actually lapsing in-between episodes, and it's probably just one of those things where you need to suspend disbelief since it's a TV show.

I think the time actually moves really quickly during the season. At the beginning of the season, Lucas had to state the date for Gavin and it was February 13th, 2014 and towards the end of the season I recall someone saying the month was June, which means it was possibly even later during the final episode.

 

[vrDrew]

Okay, I shouldn't be that surprised having seen the original British series. That being said, whoa.

Well, yeah. I saw the original BBC series when it first aired on US TV, so I was kinda expecting that from the get-go.

As I watch the episodes of Season Two of HoC, I'm struck by some of the challenges the writers of the US show face. Because the British and US political systems are so fundamentally different. The idea of a British PM being sabotaged and replaced by an ambitious (and Machiavellian) Whip is at least plausible. The idea of a US Congressman, no matter how scheming and manipulative, working his way into the White House? Bit of a stretch.

The best part of Season Two (of the episodes I've seen) is Molly Parker as Congresswoman Jacqueline Sharp. I loved her character on Deadwood, and enjoy her scenes in HoC. I'm just not sure if she's going to survive (literally) for very long.

 

[AustinIllini]

Well, yeah. I saw the original BBC series when it first aired on US TV, so I was kinda expecting that from the get-go.

As I watch the episodes of Season Two of HoC, I'm struck by some of the challenges the writers of the US show face. Because the British and US political systems are so fundamentally different. The idea of a British PM being sabotaged and replaced by an ambitious (and Machiavellian) Whip is at least plausible. The idea of a US Congressman, no matter how scheming and manipulative, working his way into the White House? Bit of a stretch.

The best part of Season Two (of the episodes I've seen) is Molly Parker as Congresswoman Jacqueline Sharp. I loved her character on Deadwood, and enjoy her scenes in HoC. I'm just not sure if she's going to survive (literally) for very long.

It's not completely ridiculous, but it would seem unlikely that a Vice President would step down to run for governor.

 

[LethalWolfe]

*MORE SPOILERS*

Yeah, that all happened really fast. It seemed like the whole "we should impeach the President" -> "Frank is President now" timeline happened too quickly to be believable, but then again it's hard to say how much time is actually lapsing in-between episodes, and it's probably just one of those things where you need to suspend disbelief since it's a TV show.

Yeah, the passage of time is hard to track in the show. At one point towards the end I swear they just started to throw more gray in Frank's hair.

I think Season 2 takes place over the course of about one year. Frank's birthday was in an early episode and in, I think, the final episode Claire gives Frank a gift and says something along the lines of "I know it's early but I wanted you to have this."

 

[yg17]

It's not completely ridiculous, but it would seem unlikely that a Vice President would step down to run for governor.

Yeah, other than that, I don't think the scenario is too far fetched.

It will be interesting to see where this goes in Season 3 - everything has to eventually come crashing down, hence the title House of Cards. My guess is they'll do 4 seasons, 13 episodes each. That's 52 episodes for 52 cards in a deck, with the final episode of S4 ending in Frank going down for the murders.

 

[vrDrew]

The original BBC series was pretty good. And instructive in how quickly they moved things along.

The British House of cards was a trilogy, each made up of four 50-minute episodes. By the end of the first series (House of Cards) Francis Urquhart had finagled his way into becoming Prime Minister. In series Two To Play the King he goes up against the newly crowned King (somewhat based on the current Prince Charles) and manages to engineer his Abdication. The final series The Final Cut feels with Urquhart's corruption and death.

The British trilogy came about in the wake of Margret Thatcher's downfall as Prime Minister. Many in Britain had been shocked that a seemingly powerful Prime Minister could have been brought down through purely internal Conservative party infighting (she never lost an election.)

From a television point of view, the BBC series is excellent, if a little dated. (The shoulder pads and feathered hair.) Ian Richardson's performance is deliciously evil and thoroughly corrupt in a way that, despite his considerable talents, Kevin Spacey isn't.

Part of the problem in translating the series is that the BBC version took advantage of the British class system in a way that doesn't really have a parallel in American life. The (British) Urquhart comes from an establishment family ("We were defenders of the English throne before your family was ever heard of" - speaking to the English King.) Frank Underwood, by way of contrast, seems to have arrived from nowhere out of the Carolina swamps - relying - if anything - on his wife's family money.

 

[ideal.dreams]

Another thing that threw me way off - what were the writers trying to accomplish during the scene where Claire and Meechum are drinking when Frank comes in and shortly after they all start kissing each other?

 

[thatoneguy82]

The threesome between Claire, Frank and Meechum? LOVED IT!

 

[yg17]

Another thing that threw me way off - what were the writers trying to accomplish during the scene where Claire and Meechum are drinking when Frank comes in and shortly after they all start kissing each other?

During the episode in Season 1 where Frank visits his old college buddies, it was hinted that he might switch hit every now and then, I guess the writers were confirming that.

Also, it might not mean anything now, but it might mean something in the next season

 

[charlesbronsen]

The threesome between Claire, Frank and Meechum? LOVED IT!

In which episode does this happen?

 

[MattG]

Yeah, the passage of time is hard to track in the show. At one point towards the end I swear they just started to throw more gray in Frank's hair.

I think Season 2 takes place over the course of about one year. Frank's birthday was in an early episode and in, I think, the final episode Claire gives Frank a gift and says something along the lines of "I know it's early but I wanted you to have this."

Ahh the birthday thing is a good point...that makes sense, probably is about a year.

Another thing that threw me way off - what were the writers trying to accomplish during the scene where Claire and Meechum are drinking when Frank comes in and shortly after they all start kissing each other?

That all did seem kind of random, but maybe it'll make for some kind of storyline in Season 3.

 

[AustinIllini]

Ahh the birthday thing is a good point...that makes sense, probably is about a year.



That all did seem kind of random, but maybe it'll make for some kind of storyline in Season 3.

I would imagine the Meecham has an important role to play in season 3.

 

[albertfallickwa]

Dangit, I am just only on season 1, episode 2.

 

[yg17]

Dangit, I am just only on season 1, episode 2.

You might want to stay out of this thread then

Don't get me wrong - some prick on another forum with absolutely no warning spoiled that Stamper would get killed in the final episode while I was still on the first or second episode. Even though I knew that, it didn't make the show any less awesome, but would've been nice to have that come as a surprise.

Instead, while watching that final ep, every time he was on the screen, I was like "He's gonna die here!" and he didn't, until later towards the end.

----------

I would imagine the Meecham has an important role to play in season 3.

I would agree - Tusk was a seemingly minor character in Season 1 that played a huge part in someone's downfall in Season 2, I think Meecham will take on that same role between S2 and S3.

 

[MattG]

You might want to stay out of this thread then

Don't get me wrong - some prick on another forum with absolutely no warning spoiled that Stamper would get killed in the final episode while I was still on the first or second episode. Even though I knew that, it didn't make the show any less awesome, but would've been nice to have that come as a surprise.

Instead, while watching that final ep, every time he was on the screen, I was like "He's gonna die here!" and he didn't, until later towards the end.

----------



I would agree - Tusk was a seemingly minor character in Season 1 that played a huge part in someone's downfall in Season 2, I think Meecham will take on that same role between S2 and S3.

On that note...do we know Stamper is dead? I mean I know they showed him at the end not looking so hot, but it's not like they had him in a body-bag or anything. Maybe I'm just being naive but, could he have just been unconscious or something?