By JOHN SHELLEY
STAFF WRITER
On Friday, Feb. 14, the complete second season of “House of Cards” was released on Netflix. I began the first of 13 episodes that Saturday on a bus ride from New York to Philadelphia. Within a week I had finished the entire season. That is nearly 13 hours of television consumption over a period of maybe 100 waking hours. I am not sharing this with you just to highlight my revolting lack of self-discipline; I am mentioning it because it says something about how addictive this season of “House of Cards” is.
The series continues to follow Congressman Francis Underwood and his wife Claire on their ascension to the highest ranks of power. Based on the BBC miniseries of the same name, “House of Cards” probably is not a great reflection of how contemporary Washington operates. Viewers looking for a realistic portrayal of American politics would be better served by reruns of “The West Wing,” but that is not really the point.
“House of Cards” is not a mirror into the dark side of our political system; it is a window into the human psyche. The will to power, the art of manipulation and the limitless contradictions that make up a person all abound in “House of Cards.” The show passes the test of great art: It takes you in and does not release you. The dialogue is almost Shakespearean, and the chilling performances Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright deliver instantly brings Macbeth to mind.
Ms. Wright in particular raises the bar for the entire cast. Her portrayal of the eerie Claire Underwood in the first season earned her the first Golden Globe in history for work in web-generated content, and Mrs. Underwood is perhaps the most fascinating female character in a drama series since Carmela Soprano. Each revelation of her character’s past leaves the viewer thirstier for a clearer understanding of Claire Underwood.
Kevin Spacey is equally intriguing as Frank Underwood. A study in soullessness, Underwood is both heroic and heartless, affable and evil. You will find yourself rooting for him in one scene and disbelieving the depths of his callousness in the next.
Netflix is doing with “House of Cards” what HBO did with “The Sopranos” over a decade ago: proving that television drama is a legitimate art form. If you have not watched this season of “House of Cards” yet, steal a friend’s Netflix login info and enjoy. Although, on second thought, wait until midterms are over.
