REVIEW: Netflix's House of Cards S4 (2016)

"I just happen to be white trash that lives in the White House."

It’s like I just blinked and suddenly, the season was over. I didn’t want it to end so quickly, but maybe it was because of the fact that I binge-watched the whole thing. It’s like I was hungry for a juicy burger and ate it too quickly

As a person with no great interest in politics, this show certainly made me interested in Season 1. It got even better in Season 2, with Frank’s rise to power, and then Season 3 started to become a drag to get through. However, I still had faith in the show’s potential to be great again, and with that cliff-hanger, I knew I had to keep watching.

While work and study got in the way of being able to watch Season 4 the day it was released last Friday, I patiently waited for a couple of free days where I could watch each episode back-to-back. I know that if I start, I won’t be able to stop. Now (having watched it), I can gladly say that the show has been reinvigorated and is as glorious as it was in the first two seasons, and even more chaotic. SPOILER ALERT!: I am about to give a full review of Season 4 of Netflix’s House Of Cards. All major characters and plot points throughout the entire season will be discussed. If you haven’t seen it yet, I hope the first few paragraphs will encourage you to do so. You have been warned.

The first few episodes began as a power play between Frank and Claire, which was extremely fun to watch. We are also introduced to Leann Harvey played by Scream’s Neve Campbell, and while her character is interesting and crucial to Claire in the beginning, I don’t really see the point in her character throughout the rest of the season. (Other than being the female counterpart of Doug Stamper.)

Seeing Frank get the better of others is interesting enough, but seeing him getting played by his own wife makes things especially so. It’s also nice to see Claire’s full potential; that she is not just Frank’s support, but his equal in wit and cunningness. I thought that this would be the main story arc for this season, and that it would end with either Frank or Claire out on top. Then BANG! Frank gets shot. There goes that story arc. In an assassination attempt by none other than Lucas Goodwin, ex-journalist and friend (zone) to the late Zoe Barnes, all hell breaks loose, and Frank is put into a coma.

I thought it was strange, and a bit underwhelming to start the season with Goodwin, but at this point, I understood why the writers chose to do so. He dies, and even poor Meecham dies, who wanted nothing more than to protect and help the President, in any way he can. Any way… we all knew what that meant. So now for the next couple of episodes, VP Donald Blythe must pick up where Frank left off, including carrying on negotiations with Russian President Viktor Petrov with the help of Madame Secretary Catherine Durant. Or, so it seems. While her husband is fighting for life, Claire is fighting for her husband’s plans to take full effect, cleverly using Blythe and Durant as her pawns. I like that Petrov has returned this Season, because he was definitely one of the perks of the last outing, however we see him more as an ally than an enemy this time around.

We also get to see some variance in style in different scenes, in the form of Frank’s hallucinations while unconscious. Including scenes with Zoe Barnes, Peter Russo and then… Zoe Barnes making out with Peter Russo. It was seriously trippy, but an interesting break from the heavy dialogue. Frank awakens after receiving a liver transplant and has had a revelation that Claire is not ‘nothing without him’, as he so boldly stated in the past. It’s the other way around; he needs her just as much as she needs him. While I liked that they were ‘the power couple’ again, I did feel that it was little bit of a cop-out and too sudden a twist of thought. I would have actually liked to see more of a battle between the two.

And then here comes along Republican candidate Will Conway, a formidable foe for Frank, and yet another new story arc. He is definitely an interesting addition to the show, and I think he’ll probably be an even bigger player next season. At this point, there’s an imminent threat of a terror organisation, conveniently known as ICO, that starts to arise. Will and Frank take opposite stances. It parallels so closely to our current political situation, that it won’t be long until Frank must pay attention.

Another newbie to this season is Claire’s mother. I loved her sassiness and her disdain for Frank. Her eventual death was actually quite emotional… even though Claire’s relationship with her was strained, they clearly cared deeply about one another.

In the meantime, Claire manages to become Frank’s running mate as the new VP. Ridiculous as it is, it seems at this point that Frank and Claire are both at their political peak. They may be at the top of their game for now, but their only hope of holding their position is by getting re-elected in the upcoming vote. Which you think will be coming up…

Suddenly, three American civilians are taken hostage by two ICO terrorists. Things become very tense in the White House, at this point trying to make negotiations. And of course, to make matters worse for the Underwoods, Tom Hammerschmidt has been digging up dirt on them in a solid effort to seek out the truth. It’s strange; on one hand, I want to see the Underwoods exposed for the horrible things they’ve done, but on the other hand, I want to continue observing all the mischief they get up to.

But that ending though…

“We don’t submit to terror, we are the terror.”

So terrifyingly powerful, like Season 2’s ending. I like that Claire also broke the fourth wall, as if she’s now also aware of our presence as an audience. It sent shivers down me… good shivers. Ending with a declaration of war on terror, as opposed to an election seems a bit untimely, especially with the current election happening in U.S at the moment. I feel like it shouldn’t have to mirror what’s going on in our world right now though… it’s completely in a world of its own. Hopefully.

FINAL VERDICT:

This season felt like three seasons in one, which meant there wasn’t a dull moment, but also left little room to breathe. With the return of some characters from past seasons, plus some interesting new ones, the performances overall were top notch. Kevin Spacey is still fantastic as Frank Underwood, and so intriguing to watch. It all felt pretty chaotic, in the best way… and I can only imagine how chaotic Season 5 is going to get.

I’ll be eagerly awaiting its return in 2017.

What did you guys think of House of Cards Season 4? Let us know at paperclipnews@gmail.com